Cover Crops for Vegetable Growers
Newsletter articles
Early summer
Mid and
late summer
Late summer
legumes
Early fall
Fall
Early spring
Cover crop information
Buckwheat
Annual
ryegrass
Oats
Wheat (includes
spelt, triticale)
Rye
Sudangrass
Reed Canarygrass
Arugula
Mustard, spring
Mustard, fall
Forage Radish
Forage Turnips
Red
clover
Hairy Vetch
Field
Peas
White
Clover
Field Peas
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Field peas
are used in spring plantings as a source of organic matter and nitrogen
to improve overall soil health. Peas are a modest nitrogen fixer on
vegetable ground, but the only choice in spring. In late
summer, peas can be interseeded with oats to provide ground cover over
the winter.
Land
preparation
Prepare
a level seed bed free of weeds and clods. Avoid wet spots.
Additional fertilizer typically not required especially on vegetable
land.
Seeding rate
140 lb/ac or
120 lb/ac plus 20 lb/ac oats or
50 lb/ac plus 100 lb/ac oats and 30 lb/ac vetch
The
peas use the nurse crop of oats
as a trellis to reduce matting. A
combination of peas, hairy vetch and oats provide ground cover and
weed suppression throughout the growing season. Vetch grows
until frost and provides winter cover.
'Trapper' is a common field pea variety.
Seeding date
March-April.
Plant as early
as possible with a nurse crop such as oats.
Possibly plant with oats in
late summer for winter cover. Nitrogen from the peas will aid the
growth of the oats, which will frost kill and give ground cover over
the winter.
Seed sources
Local farm seed dealers.
Maintenance
None
Control
Mow and incorporate to improve
organic matter. Wait 1- 2 weeks between incorporation and replanting to
prevent nutrient tie up resulting in inhibition of the following crop.
Tips
Peas are susceptible to a wide range
of root-rot organisms. Avoid a close rotation with another legume crop.
An option is to harvest for haylage when the nurse crop is in the boot
stage, but most of the nitrogen will be removed.
