It’s Time to Think About Cover Crops 

The summer heat is in full swing, and the corn and soybean crops are well established and developing quickly. Our focus is shifting to mid- and late-season management tasks that can help this crop maximize its potential. It’s also a great time to invest some planning and consideration into management strategies for effective cover cropping. 

Start with Realistic Goals 

Successfully integrating cover crops into a production system really starts with setting the right goals for your experience level and capabilities. Frequently, I will have conversations with producers who have experienced setbacks and frustrations when using cover crops. Often, it turns out these frustrations are unintentionally self-induced because they didn’t take the time to give the cover crop system the time and effort it deserves and requires. In other words, they didn’t plan to fail – they failed to plan. 

To truly be set up for success requires a systems approach, just like any other system or input on the farm. The first step is establishing some realistic goals. Start small before setting progressively more complex and ambitious goals. Look at your fields and ask yourself: “What issues am I dealing with here that I can employ a cover crop to address?” Or similarly ask: “What benefits would I like to see from using a cover crop in this field?”  

Perhaps you would like to reduce some erosion on the slopes or help reduce some weed pressure. The list goes on – be honest with yourself about the agronomic opportunities the cover crop can offer. 

Once you’ve established some goals or intentions, you can begin to examine more of the technical aspects for achieving them.

Choose a Seeding Method That Fits Your Operation 

There are quite a few options available, and each has its own set of pros and cons. This Cover Crop Seeding Methods Guide from the Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership (ISAP) provides a basic breakdown of some of the most popular seeding methods. 

Aim to employ a seeding method that fits your needs and time frame for cover crop establishment. Remember, you are seeding a cover crop, not a cash crop—perfect establishment is usually not required to get the benefits you are looking for.

Photo – Illinois Soybean Association

Select the Right Cover Crop Species 

Choosing a cover crop species, or set of species, is a very important part of your plan. The Midwest Cover Crop Council’s Selector Tool is a simple, user-friendly option that I use frequently to look up information I need. Make species selections that fit your growing season, complement your next cash crop, and align with the goals you’ve set. 

Make every effort to place cover crop seed orders as early as possible. Much of the cover crop seed used in the Midwest is produced in the Willamette Valley of Oregon, meaning it takes considerable shipping time to arrive locally. Seed dealers are available throughout Illinois. ISAP has compiled a Cover Crop Seed Dealers Directory that provides contact information for companies offering seed sales and related services. Always strive to find and work with someone you trust. 

Stay Flexible—Adapt Your System as Needed 

When necessary (and it’s always necessary), draw on previous experience and look for ways you might choose to modify your crop production strategy to accommodate the cover cropping system. This could be a change in tillage practice, cash crop or cover crop planting window, hybrid/variety or maturity group selection, or herbicide program. DO NOT TRY TO FORCE A COVER CROP INTO AN INFLEXIBLE SYSTEM! Many failures and frustrations stem from a lack of foresight into possible scenarios. I always encourage having a plan A, B, C, etc., and being ready and willing to alter your plans based on your circumstances. 

For example, this is especially true when needing to terminate an overwintering cereal rye cover crop for soybeans in the spring. Plant when field and weather conditions are ready—this may be before or after cover crop termination. Let conditions guide your action. 

Play the Long Game: Success Takes Time and Patience 

Frame of mind might just be the most important factor in evaluating your cover cropping success. If we don’t set realistic expectations, all results tend to be graded as failures. Cover crops can offer some immediate and short-term benefits, but also remember: they are an investment in the longer-term health and function of the soil. 

Success should not be measured just by yield. The soil is your oldest and greatest resource on the farm, and when you stay in the headspace of stewarding that soil properly, decisions around your management will follow suit. 

Always be a student of your own farm. Try different techniques and timings to find what works best for you. Make comparisons among species, seeding methods/timing, etc. Find a friend, neighbor, or agronomist to have discussions with about these topics. Learn from one another. Give yourself time to learn your own system and make some mistakes. 

The goals you set when you first begin the cover crop and soil health journey will likely change as you gain confidence and experience with your system. That’s a good sign! No system or strategy is perfect, so always maintain an open mind!