By Andi Anderson
After wheat harvest, farmers often look for the best ways to manage soil nutrients and prepare for the next season. This period offers an excellent opportunity to apply manure and use cover crops together for maximum benefit.
Manure is a valuable source of nutrients for crops. It contains ammonium nitrogen, which plants can use for growth. However, when manure is applied to warm soils in late summer, much of this nitrogen is lost.
Soil bacteria quickly convert it into a form that leaches away, reducing the benefit to crops and increasing environmental risks. By using cover crops, farmers can capture this nitrogen and keep it in the soil system.
Cover crops such as cereal rye, oats, and wheat are commonly planted after manure application. These plants take up nitrogen as they grow, which not only saves nutrients but also improves soil structure.
Cover crops also help reduce weed growth, making it easier to manage fields in the following season. In some cases, cover crops can even be harvested as forage, providing an added advantage for livestock farmers.
Incorporating manure into the soil during or soon after application further improves nutrient retention. This reduces the risk of nitrogen loss through volatilization, where nutrients escape into the air, and makes the nutrients more available to cover crops.
The combined use of manure and cover crops provides multiple benefits. It reduces waste, supports soil health, improves water quality, and ensures that valuable nutrients are not lost.
For students learning about agriculture, this practice shows how farming techniques can protect the environment while supporting crop and livestock production.
In short, planting cover crops after wheat harvest and pairing them with manure application is a smart strategy. It helps capture nitrogen, controls weeds, and strengthens soil health, all while contributing to a more sustainable farming system.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-mvburling
Categories: Ohio, Sustainable Agriculture