The other thing we can use covers for is weed suppression.
This was a field of a cover crop of sorghum sudangrass the previous year.
(Shows next slide)
This field did not have one. If we have sorghum sudan like that we are going to be able to
produce this kind of residue and then it will inhibit weeds the next year.
That’s how I’m able to cut back on my herbicide use.
Last year, 2,000ac of cropland I spent $1,785 on chemical.
That’s how you make money is you don’t spend it.
This photo’s taken at a friend of mine’s in the county. This is the following spring.
He had a cover crop the previous fall. This was both peas the year before.
Put a cover crop on this field. No cover crop on this one.
That’s the next year right before planting corn.
He said he got by with zero herbicides that year and he had two passes that year on that field.
4 Responses
I was living in rice growen area.
I had decided early 1990 to use ruce husk to cover land to avoid use of herbeside.
Later part of year 2000, i stayed in coffee grown area , hence decided to use coffee bean Shell to cover vegitable crops.
I am with agreement that cover crop land reducess / avoid full use of herbeside.
In fact we all should encourrage n promote to use cover crop by use of residue crops to subpress the weed, which also boost the yield. As nutrients applied are fully utilise for said crop.
Thank you for sharing your experience. All makes sense, doesn’t it?
Pl read ruse as Rice, sorry for inconvience
VISHWAKARMA
Sure