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
Oats Click to download printable PDF
file
This
small grain is not particularly winter hardy. Spring planted oats are
used for green manure, while fall-planted oats provide winter killed
ground cover. The residue is incorporated before the early planting of
vegetables. Oats are particularly useful in rotations with vegetable
crops because they grow quickly and are easily killed. They are also
useful as a nurse crops with legumes, such as hairy vetch and peas, for
forage, erosion control and weed suppression.Land Preparation |
Work land to provide a seed bed free of weeds. For spring planted oats, provide about 40 lb/ac of nitrogen fertilizer. For fall seeding, or when using oats as a nurse crop with legumes, no additional fertilizer is required. |
| Seeding Rate | When sown alone in the spring or fall Drill 80-110 lb/ac Broadcast 110-140 lb/ac Increase the rate 10% in late September. When sown in grain/legume combinations: In late summer sow Oats with Hairy Vetch at Oats 80 lb/ac and Vetch 40 lb/ac. The oats provide a trellis for the vetch to grow and overwinter as a fall legume. In the early spring sow field peas/oats and hairy vetch at a proportion of 60%/25%/ 15%.The oats provide support for the pea crop followed by growth of the vetch in July. This can provide ground cover for the growing season and added nitrogen as well. |
| Seeding date | April for green manure, mid August through September for winter cover. |
| Seed sources | Local farm seed dealer. Seedway. Use spring oats for all planting dates. Feed oats produced on farm are acceptable if they are free of seed-borne diseases and weeds. There are many varieties of certified “forage oats”, that produce more spring growth than oats grown for grain. Varieties recommended for New York State include: Blaze, Rodeo, Prairie. |
| Maintenance | Soil crusting after heavy rain will affect the
stand and may require reseeding. Check for winter survivors that need managing in spring. |
| Control | Incorporate spring sown oats or winter survivors before seed set (mid June). Oats incorporate more easily than rye. |
| Tips | The root systems of oats are not effective at breaking up compacted soils. |
