Cover Crops for Vegetable Growers
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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
White
Clover Click to download printable
PDF
file
Dutch
white
clover is a slow-growing nitrogen-fixing perennial. Once established,
it provides long-term cover, either alone or with a turfgrass such as
LoGro. It is
often used in high traffic area to minimize soil compaction and improve
soil health. White clover tolerates wet conditions.Land Preparation
Use conventional tillage, maintain a firm seedbed.
Seeding Rate
Drill 5-9 lbs./acre
Broadcast 7-14 lbs./acre
After seeding roll the ground to improve seed to soil contact but not to break up soil aggregates.
Seeding date
Fall: August 15- Sept. 10, with fall cover or alone.
Spring: As early as possible, may be frost seeded like medium red clover.
Seed source
American Seed Co, Seedway. Specify Dutch white clover, which is a low-growing type used for cover crops.
Maintenance
Used in high traffic areas, sometimes mixed with turf grass. Also used in areas for long term cover of walkways.
Mow close to the ground to prevent the plants from making seed and for aesthetics.
Control
White clover propagates by seed or creeping stolons which root at the nodes. Uproot and Incorporate to stop. This cover crop is difficult to control with herbicides. Glyphosate at 1 lb.ai/acre will suppress but not kill white clover. To eliminate white clover when it is used as a turf (and adjacent vegetables are out of the field) consult turf herbicide recommendations.
Tips
Tolerates shade and can be used as a companion crop with alfalfa or perennial rye. Frost seed into winter cover crop in the spring. This crop is very tolerant of wet growing conditions. Legume cover crops are susceptible to root rot diseases such as Pythium and Rhizoctonia. Wait two years before planting a vegetable legume.
