2019-2020
COVER CROP
CATALOG Cover Crop Mixes • Small Grains • Summer Annuals • Legumes • Brassicas
Choosing to Choose
1.
5 Big Questions for Cover Crop Selection
Starting with cover crops is more than just picking a cover crop species and forcing into an open spot in the field. Ideally, choosing a specific cover crop species or cover crop mix should come only after you first consider important aspects of your current plans, timing, and objectives.
When is Your
PLANTING GAP? How long is the “planting gap” when the soil would be unplanted/uncovered? Which months/season?
2.
To get the most benefits from cover crops, you may need to change your cropping rotation to fit cover crops rather than fitting a cover crop into an existing rotation. For example, a typical corn/soy rotation leaves very little window for a cover crop. But a corn/soy/ spring small grain rotation opens up a huge window to cover crop at the end of July or the opportunity to interseed a cover crop, such as red clover, while the small grain is growing.
What Are Your GOALS?
Identify your objectives for your cover crop: soil protection, building organic matter, fixing nitrogen, cash cropping, weed reduction, water infiltration, forage option, etc.
Remember: one cover crop does not fit all requirements.
We’re here to answer your questions. Albert Lea Seed prides itself on helping farmers like you find What Is the the right seed for you with personalized ? attention and What is the next crop to be planted, and when is agronomic it harvested? What level of fertility will the next crop need? What management practices need to know-how.
3.
NEXT CROP
be performed? Are there any herbicide carryover or rotational restrictions? Disease transfer concerns?
4. 5.
How Do You PLANT?
by Bairet Eiter Cover Crop Specialist “When you think about the land that you sow, keep in mind that the soil is much more than what meets the eye. Being a steward of the soil is crucial for the generations to come.” 2 • Albert Lea Seed Cover Crop Catalog
Identify you available planting equipment to determine when and how the cover crop would be seeded: broadcasting, aerial, highboy, drilled, interseeded, etc.
Which Cover Crops FIT YOUR NEED?
Choose a cover crop species or mix that fits the requirements of your farm, field or rotation. Does it fit your budget?.
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Cover Crop Mixes
NITROMAX CC1
VALUEMAX CC2
WINTERMAX CC3
DIVERSE BLEND FOR COVERAGE
HIGH DIVERSITY & HIGH SEEDS PER LB
WINTER HARDY & SOIL BENEFITS
Oats 48.5% + Field Peas 48.5% + Radish 3%
Conventional Blend: Annual Ryegrass 60% + Crimson Clover 20% + Radish 15% + Dwarf Essex Rape 5%
Winter Rye 75% + Hairy Vetch 20% + Radish 5%
Maximize fall soil coverage & green manure production after early-harvested crops like small grains, sweet corn, vegetables, corn silage, or early soybeans. • Excellent for chopping or grazing • Good scavenger of N and other leachable nutrients • Excellent fall growth and biomass • Winterkills in Upper Midwest • Avoid after grain corn or soybeans Planting Date: Aug. 1 – Sept. 15 Seeding: 75-100 lbs. /acre at ½ in. deep. Drill for best results. Avoid aerial application. Conventional: $0.48/lb • $24 / 50 lb bag Organic: $0.56/lb • $28 / 50 lb bag
“The NitroMax CC1 is just raging right now!” Brooklyn, WI
Organic Blend: Organic Annual Ryegrass 60% + Organic Crimson Clover 20% + Organic Radish 20%
Diverse combination of small-seeded cover crops to build healthy soils, fix nitrogen, and sequester nutrients. • Annual ryegrass adds biomass and weed competition; crimson clover fixes N; radish breaks up compacted soil; rape establishes quickly for soil protection • Winterkills in the Upper Midwest. • Can establish under shade & canopy with adequate moisture • Suitable for grazing in the fall • Avoid after grain corn or soybeans Planting Date: Last cultivation; Aug. 1 - Sept. 15 Seeding: 15-20 lbs. /acre at ¼ to ½ in. deep. Drill, broadcast, or aerial apply into standing crops in the fall or for seeding at V6 in corn. Later seeding will reduce clover growth.
Our most winter-hardy blend combines the hardiness and aggressiveness of winter rye, the N-fixation potential of hairy vetch, and the deep soil penetration of the radish. • Winter-hardy species for excellent spring biomass and soil coverage • Winter rye and hairy vetch in this diverse blend reliably winter over in the Upper Midwest • Plant after small grains, vegetables, corn silage, or early soybeans • Can be planted after grain corn or soybeans but hairy vetch/radish growth will be minimal Planting Date: Aug. 1 – Sept. 15 Seeding: 50-75 lbs. /acre at ¼ to ½ in. deep. Drill, broadcast or aerial. Conventional: $0.76/lb • $38 / 50 lb bag Organic: $0.90/lb • $45 / 50 lb bag
Conventional: $1.20/lb • $60 / 50 lb bag Organic: $1.90/lb • $95 / 50 lb bag
(800) 352-5247 CALL TO PLACE YOUR ORDER Albert Lea Seed Cover Crop Catalog • 3
Cover Crop Mixes
GRAZEMAX CC4
TONNAGE FOR PENNIES ON THE DOLLAR Barley 48% + Oats 48% + Kale 2% + Turnips 2%
Formulated for cost-effective biomass production for fall grazing. Oats and barley produce most fall tonnage in the Upper Midwest. Kale and turnips diversify this blend and add highly digestible protein and is palatable late into the fall. • High seeds/lb. & low cost make this an easy choice for fall forage • Excellent fit after hayfield termination, small grains, sweet corn, or silage corn • Grazing livestock may paw bulbs out of the ground after frost • Winterkills in Upper Midwest • Not a good fit after full-season grain corn or soybeans Planting Date: Aug. 1 – Sept. 15 Seeding: 75-100 lbs. /acre at ¼ to ½ in. deep. Drill or broadcast. Conventional: $0.42/lb • $21 / 50 lb bag
AERIALMAX CC5
PERFECT FOR ROTATION
Winter Rye 75% + Lentils 15% + Turnips 5% + Dwarf Essex Rape 5%
Designed for aerial application into standing corn or soybeans. Mix diversity provides excellent fall / early spring soil coverage. • Best results when flown on or applied prior to corn dieback (at or before black layer) or at soybean leaf yellowing before leaf drop • Not a good fit for V6/last cultivation seeding in corn • Winter rye will winter over, other species will winterkill. Planting Date: Aug. 1 – Sept. 15 (Can be planted later than range but later planting will lessen growth of lentils, turnips and rape) Seeding: 60-70 lbs. /acre at ½ in. deep. Drill, broadcast or aerial apply. Time your fly-on with a predicted rain for best establishment success Conventional: $0.56/lb • $28 / 50 lb bag
SUMMERMAX CC6
JUMP-START YOUR SOIL HEALTH Conventional Blend: Buckwheat 30% + Cowpeas 30% + Sorghum/Sudangrass 10% + Proso Millet 15% + Sunn Hemp 10% + Sunflowers 5% Organic Blend: Organic Buckwheat 40% + Organic Soybeans 40% + Organic Viking 220 Sorghum Sudangrass 20%
Vigorous warm-season mix of summer annual grasses, broadleaves, and legumes for maximum summer growth, weed suppression, and soil building. • Ideal for summer fallow soil building, prevent-plant situations, or for summer grazing & forage* • Out-competes weeds with tremendous biomass • Terminate/plow in when buckwheat and/or sunn hemp flowers Planting Date: May 30 – Aug. 15 after all danger of frost has passed Seeding: 40-50 lbs. /acre at ½ in. deep. Drill for best results. Conventional: $0.96/lb • $48 / 50 lb bag Organic: $0.98/lb • $49 / 50 lb bag * Sunn hemp seed is toxic to livestock: introduce grazing animals slowly. Sunn hemp plants get woody past first flower (>60 days).
We do custom mixes! Need a special cover crop mixed to meet your objectives? Call us to learn more • (800) 352-5247 4 • Albert Lea Seed Cover Crop Catalog
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Cover Crop Mixes
MULTIMAX CC7
CULTIVATIONMAX CC8
ADAPTABLE & DIVERSE
COVER CROP INTO CORN
Annual Ryegrass 40% + Crimson Clover 15% + Berseem Clover 15% + Lentils 15% + Radish 5% + Turnips 5% + Dwarf Essex Rape 5%
Blend of grasses, legumes, and brassicas. Smaller seed size and high seeds/lb. provide premium diversity for low cost. • Winterkills in the Upper Midwest • Can establish under shade and canopy with adequate moisture • Not a good fit after grain corn or soybeans Planting Date: Last cultivation; Aug. 1 Sept. 15. Later planting will lessen prevalence of clovers. Seeding: 15-20 lbs. /acre at ¼ to ½ in. deep. Drill, broadcast or aerial apply. Excellent candidate for aerial application into standing crops or at the V6/last cultivation stage. Time flyon or application with rain. Conventional: $1.28/lb • $64 / 50 lb bag
PLOWDOWN BLEND CC9 BIOMASS + NITROGEN FIX
Organic Annual Rye 40% + Organic Radish 20% + Organic Medium Red Clover 20% + Organic Alsike Clover 15% + Organic Hardy Alfalfa 5%
Organic Mammoth Red Clover 30% + Organic Alsike Clover 25% + Organic Charger Alfalfa (80% Germ) 25% + Organic Yellow Blossom Clover 20%
Shade-tolerant blend of organic cover crop species formulated for seeding at last cultivation in corn (V5-V6 stage). • Small-seeded mix for companion planting with corn at last cultivation • Emerges and stays semi-dormant until corn dies back in fall. Will not impede growth or harvest of corn. • Not recommended for interseeding into soybeans as canopy is shady • Best suited for medium to heavy textured soils; will likely struggle on sandy soils without irrigation
Our most popular cover crop legume mixture for nitrogen plowdown produces abundant biomass and fixes N for the following cash crop. Positions your fields well for corn the following year. • Adapted to varying soil types and field conditions • Excellent fit for underseeding spring small grains or frost seeding into winter small grains: should not interfere with small grain growth or harvest • Can fix 50-100+ lbs. N/acre: legumes will be at peak N-fixation potential at flowering Planting Date: February-May; Aug. 1 – Aug. 15. Seeding: 12-15 lbs. /acre at ¼ to ½ in. deep. Drill or broadcast.
Planting Date: June 1 – July 5, V6/last cultivation will depend on planting date and corn maturity. Seeding: 12-15 lbs. /acre at ¼ to ½ in. deep. Time with rain at seeding. Drill or broadcast, but best drilled with specialized interseeding equipment.
Organic: $2.60/lb • $130 / 50 lb bag
Organic: $2.40/lb • $120 / 50 lb bag
MultiMax CC7 October 2018
(800) 352-5247 CALL TO PLACE YOUR ORDER Albert Lea Seed Cover Crop Catalog • 5
STARTING SIMPLE COVER CROPS FOR CORN-SOYBEAN ROTATIONS
Winter rye emerging after corn.
When integrating cover crops in the corn-soybean rotation, starting simple eases the learning curve when dealing with two big challenges: timing and avoiding negative impacts on the following cash crop. Corn Rotating into Soybeans: Winter Rye
Soybeans Going into Corn: Oats & Radish
The most popular cover crop option before soybeans is winter rye. Rye can be overseeded into standing corn in September or planted after corn harvest ahead of a soybean cash crop. Rye is a relatively simple way to integrate a cover crop into your rotation. (See https:// bit.ly/2eO5tLT for herbicide restrictions for seeding cover crops.)
Oats and radishes are an easy way to realize cover crop benefits without spring management issues because the oats and radishes winterkill most years in the Upper Midwest, but in mild winters or farther south, radishes may overwinter.
Seed winter rye over the top of corn when leaves start to dry down or as soon after harvest as possible. Seeding can be done either by airplane or a modified highboy seeder. Try to drop seed just before a rain, if possible. If weather and timing is an issue seeding rye after corn harvest, consider planting cover crops on at least the first-harvested field, and ideally, two weeks before the average date of a hard freeze in your area. Planting winter rye: aerially seed 60 to 120 lbs/acre; drill winter rye ½” to ¾” deep at 40 to 60 lbs/acre; or broadcast with shallow incorporation t 50 to 70 lbs/acre. Terminate rye in the spring when plants are 6” to 18” tall before soybean planting or, plant green into the standing rye, but terminate the rye before soybean emergence to meet crop insurance guidelines. If rainfall is below normal, scout to monitor soil moisture. Rye can overuse soil moisture, robbing it from the soybean crop, so you may want to terminate it earlier. Other Cover Crop Options for Corn into Soybeans ValueMax CC2, AerialMax CC5, or MultiMax CC7 cover crop mixes (pgs 3-5), or winter camelina.
Daikon-type radishes, with their deep taproot, scavenge nutrients, alleviate compaction, and break down readily following a killing frost. Fall-planted oats add nutrientscavenging, soil building, and they won’t go to seed in the late fall. Oats are tolerant of most soybean residual herbicides, but radish may be damaged. Always check the herbicide label or speak with your applicator before seeding cover crops. As an alternative, spring barley can be used instead of oats. Plant the oats-radish mixture immediately after soybean harvest or seed aerially just as soybean leaves start to yellow, but before leaf drop. Drill oats at 48 to 64 lbs/acre and radish at 1 to 2 lbs/ acre ½” to ¾” deep or broadcast oats at 64 lbs/acre and radish at 2 to 3 lbs/acre with light incorporation to avoid disturbing soybean stubble. Seed at least 96 lbs/acre oats and 3 lb/acre turnips if seeded by air. In the fall, apply N, P, K, or lime before planting the cover crop. In the spring, consider incorporating N at or near planting time to have N available for corn. Other Cover Crop Options for Soybeans into Corn AerialMax CC5, cereal rye, and/or and rape seed, seeded into standing soybeans at leaf drop.
Oats & radish mix after soybean harvest. 6 • Albert Lea Seed Cover Crop Catalog
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Small Grain Cover Crops WINTER RYE*
Most common and most hardy fall-seeded cover crop in northern climates. • Competes heavily with weeds: a lot of forage/green manure in spring • Excellent feed value as late-season forage with protein levels up to 18% • Well adapted to all soil types including low fertility, acidic, or sandy soils • Can plant late into fall (until first snow) but performs best when seeded at least six weeks before freeze up • Germinated down to 35°F soil temperatures Conventional: ASK Organic: ASK
AROOSTOOK WINTER RYE
An early-heading variety currently favored in organic no-till systems with a roller-crimper. • USDA-selected winter rye variety • Excellent following full-season crops • Good spring recovery & early vigor • Very tall variety, early maturity • Recommended 3 bu/acre seeding rate for no-till systems Conventional: ASK Organic: ASK
COVER CROP OATS*
Fast establishing, produce abundant biomass, and are competitive with weeds. • Fibrous root system builds soil structure and captures excess nutrients. • Good scavengers of P and other soil nutrients. • Easy to control and can fit into almost any rotation. • Oats will winterkill. Conventional: $10.00 / Bu Organic: $11.50 / Bu
COVER CROP BARLEY*
An economical option for cover cropping. • Excellent for fall forage and grazing Conventional: $11.50 / Bu Organic: $19.00 / Bu
Bairet Eiter in field of winter rye in Cuba City, WI.
Aroostook Rye & Roller Crimping Terminating rye by rolling and crimping depends on timing with rye’s growth stage. Rye must be maturing and shedding pollen (anthesis) to be successfully rolled down. Rolling rye earlier than this stage will not kill the plants and results in stems straightening up and the rye continuing to use water and nutrients. However, waiting for full, or even 50 percent, of rye plants to reach anthesis can delay soybean planting. Aroostook rye is one of the very earliest rye varieties to flower and shed pollen. (It typically flowers in late May or early June in southern Minnesota.) This trait, combined with its high biomass yields, makes it a great fit for organic notill soybean production. One way to work around delayed soybean planting waiting for the rye
cover to flower, is to plant earlier into the growing rye crop. Planting into a thick, green mat of vegetation requires no-till coulters or openers on a drill or planter and good closing wheels, typically finger- or spike-types. Planting soybeans before rolling rye (“planting green”) has advantages, including earlier soybean planting and eliminating the need for specialty planting equipment. Ensuring that the seed furrow closed is still important in this scenario, particularly if the soil is dry. But timing rolling after planting has risks as well. Researchers have observed reduced yields with this window. Roller-crimpers and flat, land rollers have both been used to terminate the rye and have little impact on the growing soybeans if they are past the emergence and cotyledon growth stages.
What is Roller-Crimping? The roller crimper pinches cereal rye stems, and the stalks bend and slowly die, forming a uniform mat on the soil surface that persists longer than mowed rye residue. With a front-mounted crimper, row crops could be directly seeded through the flattened rye with a drill or a strip tiller in one pass.
(800) 352-5247 CALL TO PLACE YOUR ORDER * = Variety Not Stated
Albert Lea Seed Cover Crop Catalog • 7
Summer Annual Grasses & Broadleaf Cover Crops FOXTAIL MILLET (GERMAN)*
Single-cut, tall, high-yielding variety for short growing season. • Fast-growing, annual grass grows up to 5 feet tall • Fine quality forage, easy to hay Conventional: SOLD OUT
JAPANESE MILLET*
Multi-cut, upright annual with quick growth. • Fast-growing in adequate moisture and fertility • Finer stems than pearl millet or sorghums • Protein from 14% to 20% when cut before heading Conventional: ASK
PROSO MILLET*
Low-input, warm-season forage. • Fastest-growing millet • Easy to hay with fine quality • Fast maturing and can produce 2 to 3 tons DM • Serves as catch crop where others have failed Conventional: $48 / 50 lb bag
PIPER SUDANGRASS
Excellent feed energy potential. • Annual grass with finer stems and higher quality when compared to sorghum-sudangrass and forage sorghum, but yields less (3 to 5 tons/acre DM) • Coarser than Japanese millet • Grows 4’ to 7’ tall Conventional Untreated: $68 / 50 lb bag
FORAGE SORGHUM VNS*
Medium-early maturity, highest-yielding forage option. • 5 to 7 feet tall with good standability and stalks and leaves similar to corn • Sweet sorgo type that reaches 18% to 21% soluble sugar content at early heading - 75 days to anthesis • Reduced lignin trait can equal corn production • Requires one-third less water than corn • Excellent forage for livestock Conventional Treated: $62 / 50 lb bag
OPEN-POLLINATED GRAIN SORGHUM (MILO)
Easy-growing and often chosen for wildlife cover. • Easier to grow than corn and more drought resistant • Varying height, later maturing Conventional Untreated: $24 / 50 lb bag
ANNUAL RYEGRASS*
The most economical grass choice for cover cropping. • Rapid growing with an extensive root system that builds soil structure and holds soil in place • Single year forage production, or as green manure plowdown seeded in the fall. • Well adapted to heavier soil types. • Heads out in early to mid-summer. Usually winterkills in northern zones. $/lb Conv.
50 - 249 lbs
250 - 999 lbs
1,000-1,999 lbs
>2,000 lbs
$0.98
$0.88
$0.82
$0.76
ROOTMASTER BRAND* ANNUAL RYEGRASS
BMR SORGHUM-SUDANGRASS
A warm-season hybrid cross between forage sorghum and sudangrass. • Fast growing summer annual for excellent weed suppression • Contains the brown midrib (BMR) gene for increased forage digestibility • Produces large amount of biomass that can be incorporated into the soil as organic matter • Excellent forage for livestock Conventional Untreated: SOLD OUT Organic: SOLD OUT
Increased tillering for faster ground cover in the fall. • Extensive root development, excellent nutrient scavenger • Consistently winter kills in northern hardiness zones: can survive winter in zone 5 or warmer • Excellent for fall grazing and forage • Good candidate for aerial application • Can be seeded at last cultivation/V6 or flown on into standing corn or soybeans • Well adapted to varying soil types $/lb Conv.
50 - 249 lbs
250 - 999 lbs
1,000-1,999 lbs
>2,000 lbs
$1.18
$1.04
$0.98
$0.92
SORGHUM-SUDANGRASS
A sweet, leafy, highly nutritious forage sorghum hybrid. • Full season multipurpose sorghum sudangrass hybrid produces excellent grazing, hay, green chop, silage or green ever crop • Will furnish summer grazing of up to five cows per acre with good management • Recovers quickly after grazing or cutting • Excellent double crop option with low inputs Conventional Untreated: $52 / 50 lb bag 8 • Albert Lea Seed Cover Crop Catalog
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Annual ryegrass emerging after corn. * = Variety Not Stated
Summer Annual Grasses & Broadleaf Cover Crops TFL-200 FORAGE CHICORY
BUCKWHEAT*
Perennial broadleaf forb that produces leafy growth high in nutritive and mineral content. • Excellent forage quality in both spring and summer • Rapid recovery after grazing
Quick-growing, broadleaved summer annual ready to incorporate in 35 to 45 days. • Potential for multiple plantings per year: grain crop reaches maturity in 70 to 90 days • Very competitive with weeds like giant ragweed and Canada thistle • Easy to control and residue breaks down rapidly
Conventional: $5.40/lb • $270 / 50 lb bag
PHACELIA*
Non-leguminous annual broadleaf with fern-like leaves and purple blossoms. • Provides early-season soil coverage and produces abundant flowers that are very attractive to pollinators Flowers 6-8 weeks after emergence • Will winterkill at 18°F and residue breaks down quickly. • Plant early enough in the fall • Avoid broadcasting/aerial application
$/50 LB BAG
1-5
6-39
40-199
200+
CONVENTIONAL
$33
$30
$28
$26
ORGANIC
$40
$38
$35
$32
Conventional: $3.60/lb • $180 / 50 lb bag Buckwheat interplanted with soybeans.
SEEDING RATE (LBS/ACRE)
SPECIES NAME
DRILLED
BROADCAST1/ AERIAL
IN MIX
APPROX. SEEDS/LB
SEEDING DATE RANGE
SEEDING DEPTH
WINTER KILL2
WINTER RYE*
50-100
120-150
25-75
18,000
Aug-Nov
½- ¾ inch
NO
AROOSTOOK WINTER RYE
50-100
120-150
25-75
18,000
Aug-Nov
½- ¾ inch
NO
COVER CROP BARLEY*
72-96
120-144
48-64
14,300
Mar-May, Aug-Sept
½- ¾ inch
YES
COVER CROP OATS*
80-96
128-144
48-64
16,000
Mar-May, Aug-Sept
½- ¾ inch
YES
ROOTMASTER ANNUAL RYEGRASS
15-20
25-30
4-5
227,000
Mar-May, Aug-Sept
¼ - ½ inch
YES
SORGHUMSUDANGRASS
20-25
30-35
5-10
18,000
Mid-MayEarly July
½ - 1 inch
YES
BUCKWHEAT*
50-100
NA
15-25
15,000
May-Aug
½ - 1½ inch
YES
7-12
NA
3-5
220,000
Aug-Sept
¼ inch
YES
PHACELIA*
INCORPORATE BROADCAST SEED BY DRAGGING OR LIGHTLY DISKING TO INCREASE GERMINATION. WINTER KILL SUCCESS WILL VARY. TYPICALLY DEPENDENT ON SEVERITY OF WINTER AND SNOW COVER.
1 2
(800) 352-5247 CALL TO PLACE YOUR ORDER Albert Lea Seed Cover Crop Catalog • 9
SHOULD YOU INOCULATE YOUR LEGUMES? At about $1 to $3.50 per acre, inoculation is an inexpensive ‘insurance’ for soybean, forage, and cover crop legumes. by Margaret Smith, PhD
mixture. It is impossible (in practice) to know the populations of Rhizobia remaining in soil following a diverse mix of species.
Do Legumes Really Fix Nitrogen?
Most legumes are known as ‘nitrogen fixers’. But the plants themselves don’t really fix nitrogen from the atmosphere; instead, the plants form a symbiotic (mutually beneficial) association with Rhizobia bacteria, and the bacteria ‘fix’ nitrogen from the air and share it with their host plant. Rhizobia bacteria are free-living soil bacteria that, during a portion of their life cycle, can infect the roots of legumes and form nodules on the plants’ roots. During this portion of the bacteria’s life cycle, their numbers increase.
•
Has not been grown for several years. In this situation, Rhizobia levels in the soil will decline with time. For example, research indicates that if soybeans have not been grow for three to five years or more, you should inoculate the next soybean crop.
If a legume species has been repeatedly grown, you may not need to inoculate each time. Factors that affect rhizobia survival in the soil include: low pH (less that 5.56.0), and extremely hot or extremely dry soil conditions.
Legume-Rhizobia Examples
How to Inoculate Legumes
•
Alfalfa plants need the rhizobia species, Sinorhizobium meliloti to nodulate and fix N, which also can colonize sweet clover.
•
Red clover needs the bacteria Rhizobia leguminosarum (biovariant) trifolii to develop its N-fixing capabilities.
An inoculant is a formulation of a carrier and the live Rhizobia bacteria. Commercial inoculants may be powdered (peat, clay, or talc/graphite-based), granular, or liquid and are formulated to either apply directly to seeds or drop in the seed furrow at planting.
•
Soybeans require the bacteria species, Bradyrhizobium japonicum to nodulate and fix N.
Different rhizobia species co-evolved at their geographic centers of origin with their legume hosts and are fairly specific to legume plant species.
A century ago, farmers inoculated ‘new’ fields by transferring soil from a field where legumes had already been grown. Fortunately, inoculation is far easier, today.
When Should You Inoculate Legumes?
Peat-based inoculant contain the most bacteria per unit of carrier, but the bacteria in this formulation is very short-lived. After opening a package and applying to seed, the seed should be planted within 24 hours. Granular applications are formulated for ease of application to apply directly in a seed furrow, rather than on the seed. Individual planter and drills may not be equipped for this type of application. Clay-based inoculants are applied to seeds and maintain viable Rhizobia for a year or more.
Albert Lea Seed recommends inoculating your legume species if the legume:
Albert Lea Seed provides pre-inoculation of all of our organic and conventional alfalfa, red clover, and white clover seed varieties, with either ApexTM Green Hydroloc or PrevailTM. These clay-based inoculants are OMRI-approved.
Most legumes used for oilseed, forage, and cover crops aren’t native to the U.S. – and neither are their specific companion Rhizobia species. Because of this, any legume new to a cropping system should be inoculated with the specific Rhizobia species needed for nitrogen fixation.
•
Has never been grown before in your rotations. For example: hairy vetch, dry beans or sunn hemp.
•
Was grown in the past, but you aren’t sure that plants nodulated. Was leaf color and yield performance poor? Plants may not have been well-nodulated.
•
Was grown in the past but only in a small proportion of the total crop mix, such as lentils in a cover crop
10 • Albert Lea Seed Cover Crop Catalog
For other legumes (soybeans, field peas, forage and cover crops) we carry OMRI-approved, peat-based inoculants specific to each legume species. For soybeans, we also carry both a liquid formulation and a talc/graphitebased biological seed treatment that contains rhizobia in addition to a beneficial fungi, Trichoderma. Ask about these inoculants when you order seed.
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Legume Cover Crops NEW!
HAIRY VETCH*
• Winter annual, viney legume with exceptional biomass • Best fall-planted legume for nitrogen fixation • Improves soil structure, scavenges P, and competes well against early season weeds • Seed in mid to late August in the upper Midwest for best overwintering capability • Seed with oats, winter rye, or other companion crop to increase chance of winter survival • Produces hard seed; control plant before seed set • Do not seed into small grains if harvesting for marketable grain: seed is hard to separate < 250 LB
250-499 LB
500-1,999 LB
2,000+ LB
CONVENTIONAL
$1.96
$1.88
$1.78
$1.70
ORGANIC
$2.36
$2.28
$2.18
$2.08
$/lb
PURPLE BOUNTY HAIRY VETCH
• Winter hardy, early maturing hairy vetch from USDA • Selected for high nitrogen fixation potential and increased biomass • Flowers two weeks earlier than hairy vetch, making it ideal for Upper Midwest rotations $/lb CONVENTIONAL ORGANIC
< 250 LB
250-499 LB
500-1,999 LB
2,000+ LB
$2.50
$2.32
$2.22
$2.12
ASK
ASK
ASK
ASK
COMMON VETCH*
• Viney legume with compound leaves • Good growth for cover cropping if seeded early in the fall, excellent candidate for aerial application • Will winterkill in the Upper Midwest Conventional: $1.06/lb • $53 / 50 lb bag
AC GREENFIX CHICKLING VETCH
• Viney, spring-seeded cover crop legume used for plowdown and N production • Frost and drought tolerant, high moisture efficiency • 8-10 weeks of growth produces 80-100lbs N/acre • Can be cut for forage, but do not feed seed to livestock • Do not broadcast seed Conventional: SOLD OUT
SUBTERRANEAN CLOVER*
• Low profile shade tolerant annual clover • Tolerant of wet conditions • Incredible weed suppression ability and can be grazed • Will winterkill in Upper Midwest, winter hardy in zone 7A and south • Fixes large amount of nitrogen and can be interseeded into corn at last cultivation or flown on Conventional: $3.80/lb • $209 / 55 lb bag
MAMMOTH RED CLOVER*
• Single-cut red clover most often used as a cover crop • Excellent choice for underseeding small grains in spring, frost seeding into winter grains, or fall seeding into standing crops • Establishes faster and is coarser stemmed than medium red clover • Minimal recovery after cutting. Avoid droughty soils Organic: $2.50/lb • $125 / 50 lb bag
BALANSA CLOVER*
• Quick establishing, cool season, annual legume with hollow stems • Good biomass accumulation and N-fixation potential • More cold tolerant than crimson clover; can potentially overwinter • Potential early fall cover crop option after silage corn, small grains or early soybeans • Can be included in cover crop mixes • May be grazed as part of mixture Conventional: $2.50/lb • $125 / 50 lb bag
CRIMSON CLOVER*
• Rapidly growing annual clover • Seed early in fall for most biomass accumulation • Later seeding in September results in less growth before freeze up • Behaves as a winter annual in southern U.S. (Zone 8 and south) Conventional: ASK
YELLOW BLOSSOM SWEET CLOVER*
• Tall-growing biennial clover closely related to alfalfa with high biomass and N-fixation potential • Very drought tolerant and very winter-hardy, good scavenger of P, K, and other immobile nutrients • Best plowdown legume for lighter and/or sandy soils • Cut or plowdown before seed set to avoid volunteer weed issues Organic: $1.70/lb • $85 / 50 lb bag Conventional: $1.70/lb • $85 / 50 lb bag
(800) 352-5247 CALL TO PLACE YOUR ORDER * = Variety Not Stated
Albert Lea Seed Cover Crop Catalog • 11
Legume Cover Crops
BERSEEM CLOVER*
SAINFOIN*
• Fast-growing annual for quick biomass • Fixes up to 100 lbs N at flowering. • Slightly more cold tolerant than crimson: can potentially overwinter • Excellent early fall cover crop potential after silage corn, small grains or early soybeans. $ / lb
1-249 lbs
250 - 999 lbs
1,000-1,999 lbs
>2,000 lbs
Conv.
$2.16
$2.04
$1.94
$1.84
• Non-bloating legume; highly drought tolerant, excellent choice in a rangeland mix or as stand-alone replacement for alfalfa • Deep-rooting system breaks up soil compaction and increases water infiltration • Performs best on well drained or sandy soils; will not perform well on wet soils (prone to root/crown rot) • May contain high amounts of hard seed Organic: $2.20/lb • $110 / 50 lb bag Conventional: $2.20/lb • $110 / 50 lb bag
FROSTY BERSEEM CLOVER
• Bred for later maturity, cold tolerance, productivity, and nutritional value • Multi-cut variety; can deliver multiple harvests • Aggressive growth, establishes quickly • Produces good biomass amounts quickly and fixes up to 100 lbs. N/acre at flowering • Excellent palatability; cows selectively graze for it with no recorded cases of bloat • Slightly more cold tolerant than crimson clover but usually winterkills $ / lb
1-249 lbs
250 - 999 lbs
1,000-1,999 lbs
>2,000 lbs
Conv.
$2.90
$2.84
$2.78
$2.72
WHITE SWEET LUPIN*
• Cool-season cover crop legume with upright showy flowers and hollow stems • Aggressive taproot builds soil structure deep in the profile; makes immobile P, Mn, and other nutrients available to following crop • Easy to control by mechanical tillage, excellent N fixation potential • Avoid heavy clay soils or waterlogged soils. Well suited for lighter soils Conventional: $1.80/lb • $99 / 55 lb bag
SEEDING RATE (LBS/ACRE) IN MIX
APPROX. SEEDS/LB
SEEDING DATE RANGE
SEEDING DEPTH
WINTER KILL2
TOTAL N (LBS/ ACRE/YR)3
40-45
2-5
18,500
April-May, Aug-Sept
¼ inch
YES
50-100
25-30
35-40
10-15
16,000
Aug-Oct
½ - 1 inch
YES2
70-200
SUBTERRANEAN CLOVER*
15-20
25-30
8-10
70,000
Aug-Sept
¼ - ½ inch
YES
70-100
PURPLE BOUNTY HAIRY VETCH
25-30
35-40
10-15
16,000
Aug-Oct
½ - 1 inch
NO
70-200
CHICKLING VETCH*
60-70
NA
20-40
2,600
March-May
1-1 ½ inch
YES
80-100
COMMON VETCH*
50-60
70-80
25-30
4,200
Aug-Sept
½ -1 inch
YES
50-120
AUSTRIAN WINTER PEAS*
60-75
NA
25-50
3,900
Aug-Sept
1-2 inch
YES
70-150
2-3 inch
YES
70-150
DRILLED
BROADCAST1/ AERIAL
SAINFOIN*
30-34
HAIRY VETCH*
SPECIES NAME
2
125-175
NA
50-75
2,000
March-May, Aug-Sept
MAMMOTH RED CLOVER*
8-12
15-18
2-5
272,000
Feb-May, Aug
¼ - ½ inch
NO
70-150
YELLOW BLOSSOM SWEET CLOVER*
8-12
15
2-5
259,000
Feb-May, Aug
¼ - ½ inch
NO
100-200
LENTILS*
40-50
60-75
20-30
15,000
March-May, July-Sept
½ - 1 ½ inch
YES
20-30
WHITE SWEET LUPIN*
50-75
NA
25-35
4,000
March-May
¼ - ¾ inch
YES
100-200
25-50
1,400
March-April, Aug- Mid-Sept
1-3 inch
YES
50-140
SPRING PEAS*
FABA BEANS*
100-150
NA
CRIMSON CLOVER*
12-20
25-30
2-5
150,000
June-Sept
¼ - ½ inch
YES
55-130
IRON & CLAY COWPEAS
50-75
NA
25-35
3,000
June-Aug
½ - 1 inch
YES
150
SUNN HEMP*
15-20
NA
4-8
11,000
June-Aug
½ -1 inch
YES
100-140
5-8
6-9
2-3
500,000
March-May, July-Sept
¼ inch
YES2
50-100
FROSTY BERSEEM CLOVER
12-15
15-20
2-5
200,000
Mid-May-Aug
¼ - ½ inch
YES2
55-100
BERSEEM CLOVER*
12-15
15-20
2-5
200,000
Mid-May-Aug
¼ - ½ inch
YES
55-100
BALANSA CLOVER*
2
INCORPORATING BROADCAST SEED BY DRAGGING OR LIGHTLY DISKING WILL INCREASE SUCCESSFUL GERMINATION. WINTERKILL SUCCESS WILL VARY. TYPICALLY DEPENDENT ON SEVERITY OF WINTER AND SNOW COVER. 3TOTAL N IS DEPENDENT ON SEVERAL FACTORS INCLUDING SOIL TEMPERATURE, HOW LONG CROP IS ALLOWED TO GROW, ETC. 1
12 • Albert Lea Seed Cover Crop Catalog
2
WWW.ALSEED.COM
Legume Cover Crops
AUSTRIAN WINTER PEAS*
FABA BEANS*
• Viney, fall-seeded, winter annual legume excellent for use as cover crop or forage crop • Can produce up to 1-2 tons dry matter/acre and fix 90-150 lbs. N/acre • High quality forage with protein content of 14% to 20% • Plant in late summer/early fall to maximize biomass accumulation be fore freeze up • Not reliably winter hardy in MN/WI/SD
• Tall, bushy annual legume thrives under cool, wet conditions; not tolerant to heat & drought, somewhat frost tolerant • Can produce 3.5-6 tons/A DM as a cover crop & can fix up to 140 lbs N/A. • Large taproot breaks up compaction • Slow to emerge due to large seed: plant early • Use for hay or silage; good forage quality
Organic: Ask
Conventional: SOLD OUT
Conventional: $28 / 50 lb bag
Conventional 70% Germination: $0.64/lb
DS ADMIRAL FIELD PEAS
• Proven dual-purpose pea for grain or forage • Upright, tall, and better standing than most other varieties • Broadly adapted with consistent above-average yields • Unmatched food quality because of near-perfect round shape
IRON & CLAY COWPEAS
• Vigorous-growing summer annual legume that thrives in hot, wet conditions • Excellent drought stress tolerance (better than soybeans) and fixes up to 150 lbs. N/A • Ready to plowdown 60-90 days after planting • Plant in summer after soil temperatures are >65°F Conventional: $58 / 50 lb bag
Conventional: $20 / 50 lb bag
4010 FIELD PEAS*
• Leafy, speckled, forage-specific pea • Excellent forage quality for grazing or cut forage in the fall or spring; best companion seeded with a small grain for optimum tonnage • Significantly more biomass than DS Admiral Organic: $26 / 50 lb bag
YELLOW PEAS*
• Economical option for organic cover cropping and for forage or grain • Excellent standing
Sunn Hemp:
Biomass & Weed Control
Organic: $24 / 50 lb bag
SUNN HEMP*
AVONDALE LENTILS
• Short-growing, cool season legume very well suited for cover cropping • Shorter stature than peas but very good drought and frost tolerance • Smaller seed size ideal for aerial application into standing crops, will winterkill in the Upper Midwest and can be spring planted • Suited for all soil types including dry soil • Fixes moderate amounts of N
• Tall-growing, warm-season annual legume with tremendous biomass and N-fixing capacity • Quick growing, very heat and drought tolerant has the potential to put on over 5,000 lbs. of biomass in 60 days. Thrives on poor soils • Plant when soil temperatures are >65°F. Requires same inoculant as cowpeas • Terminate crop at first flower to avoid fibrous stalks Conventional: $1.50/lb • $75 / 50 lb bag
Conventional: $0.96/lb • $48 / 50 lb bag
(800) 352-5247 CALL TO PLACE YOUR ORDER * = Variety Not Stated
Albert Lea Seed Cover Crop Catalog • 13
Brassica Cover Crops
PURPLE TOP TURNIP
• Hardy, leafy, large-rooted brassica that produces abundant biomass above and below ground • Excellent fall grazing potential • Good competitor with weeds • Scavenges N and other nutrients to prevent leaching Organic: $2.80/lb • $140 / 50 lb bag Conventional: $1.60/lb • $80 / 50 lb bag
TAPMASTER BRAND RADISH*
• Daikon bred for long taproot to break up plowpan & loosen soil • Excellent scavenger of N, P & Ca • Non-bolting if planted in the fall 250-499 lbs
500 - 1,999 lbs
2,000+ lbs
$2.40/lb
$2.20/lb
$2.00/lb
$1.88/lb
$3.20/lb
$3.00/lb
$2.80/lb
$2.68/lb
Conventional Organic
NEW!
<250 lbs
BARKANT TURNIP
• Improved forage turnip with high yields and good top growth • Diploid variety with good resistance to bolting and very good disease resistance • High sugar content provides winter hardiness and improved palatability • Produces up to 4-6 tons/acre of dry matter under good grazing management • Mature crop in 60-90 days • Excellent for stockpiling and strip grazing, and good option for pasture renovation Conventional: $2.00/lb • $50 / 25 lb bag
COVER CROP RADISH*
• Vigorous taproot growth accumulates leachable nutrients, protects soil, improves infiltration, and mitigates compaction • Adapted to most soil types; avoid wet areas • Plants break down completely by spring; no need for fall or spring tillage. • Winterkills in the Upper Midwest • Not for spring planting; will bolt and produce seed
Conventional
CARWOODI OILSEED RADISH
• Developed for nematode suppression • Branching root system excellent at trapping nitrates • More lateral roots than daikon radish, concentrated closer to soil surface • Allow 60 days for biomass production Conventional: $2.40/lb • $120 / 50 lb bag
<250
250-499 lbs
500 1,999 lbs
2,000+ lbs
$2.00/lb
$1.80/lb
$1.62/lb
$1.52/lb
FORAGE KALE*
• Economical, cold-tolerant choice for grazing • Highly palatable and can be grazed late into fall • Frost-tolerant Conventional: $2.80/lb • $140 / 50 lb bag
SEEDING RATE (LBS/ACRE) DRILLED
BROADCAST1/ AERIAL
IN MIX
APPROX. SEEDS/LB
SEEDING DATE RANGE
SEEDING DEPTH
WINTER KILL2
WINTER CAMELINA
3-5
5-6
1-2
400,000
Sept - Oct
¼ in.
NO
PURPLE TOP TURNIP
3-5
5-6
1-2
220,000
March-May, July-Sept
¼ - ½ in.
YES2
CARWOODI OILSEED RADISH
6-8
8-9
2-3
25,000
Aug-Sept
¼ - ½ in.
YES2
COVER CROP RADISH*
6-8
8-9
2-3
25,000
Aug-Sept
¼ - ½ in.
YES2
TAPMASTER TILLAGE RADISH
6-8
8-9
2-3
25,000
Aug-Sept
¼ - ½ in.
YES2
DWARF ESSEX RAPE
4-7
7-9
1-2
145,000
March-May, July-Sept
¼ - ½ in.
YES2
FORAGE KALE*
3-4
4-5
1-2
144,000
March-May, July-Sept
¼ - ½ in.
YES2
YELLOW MUSTARD*
15-20
20-25
3-5
180,000
Feb-April, Aug-Sept
¼ - ¾ in.
YES
PACIFIC GOLD MUSTARD
15-20
20-25
3-5
180,000
Feb-April, Aug-Sept
¼ - ¾ in.
YES
SPECIES NAME
INCORPORATING BROADCAST SEED BY DRAGGING OR LIGHTLY DISKING WILL INCREASE SUCCESSFUL GERMINATION. WINTER KILL SUCCESS WILL VARY. TYPICALLY DEPENDENT ON SEVERITY OF WINTER AND SNOW COVER.
1 2
14 • Albert Lea Seed Cover Crop Catalog
WWW.ALSEED.COM
Brassica Cover Crops
PACIFIC GOLD MUSTARD
• Certified, non-GMO variety of brown mustard bred specifically for cover cropping • Excellent biomass production and rapid growth. Good competitive ability with weeds • High levels of plant glucosinolates can reduce pathogenic soil fungi and nematodes. Chop or mow the mustard prior to incorporation to maximize effect. • Does not thrive in cover crop mixtures • Control plant before seed to avoid volunteer weeds Conventional: $2.80/lb • $140 / 50 lb bag
YELLOW MUSTARD*
• Economical choice for cover cropping • Good fit if frost-seeded before soybeans or flown in fall • Very fast growing, potential for smother crop • Does not thrive in cover crop mixtures • Control plant at first flower to avoid seed set, which may lead to unwanted volunteers
BARSICA FORAGE RAPE
• Tall variety with high yields • Resistant to lodging and to powdery mildew • Multiple graze forage with excellent feed values • Highly palatable and nutritious • Great source of protein & energy • Performs better than radishes for aerial application in dry soil conditions Conventional: $1.60/lb • $50 / 80 lb bag
NEW!
WINTER CAMELINA
• New brassica for cover cropping • Excellent winter hardiness, similar to winter rye. The only brassica that will consistently overwinter • Can be grown as winter annual oilseed for double cropping; harvest as an oilseed crop in late June Conventional: $2.80/lb
Winter camelina
Conventional: $1.20/lb • $60 / 50 lb bag
DWARF ESSEX RAPE
• Succulent, leafy & quick-growing • Good biomass accumulation; especially ideal for fall grazing. Leafier and taller than turnips • Rapid and vigorous growth, low cost, and high seeds/lb. • Performs better than radishes for aerial application in dry soil conditions Conventional: $1.00/lb • $50 / 50 lb bag
Growing Brassicas as Cover Crops The brassica plant family includes rapeseed, mustards, kale, and radishes – competitive cover crops that have shown promise for biological pest control, including for weed suppression and as a biofumigant. In addition to competing with weeds while growing, the brassicas (especially mustards) contain high levels of glucosinolates, which, after chopping and incorporating into the soil, help suppress soil-borne pathogenic fungi. This effect has been measured both in fall and spring mustard
seedings, but has been more consistent with fall plantings. Brassicas grow best on well-drained soils within a wide pH range (5.5 to 8.5). They are more difficult to establish on poorly drained soils. They may be planted in the fall or spring and thrive better in cooler temperatures than other cover crop choices. The minimum soil temperature for planting in the spring is 45°F. Temperatures for fall seeding should be below 85°F. Most brassicas can withstand fall temperatures down to about 25°F
before winterkilling. When seeding in the fall, allow time for growing degree day accumulation before frost. To achieve maximum biomass of mustards in the fall, plant July 28-August 6 in northern Minnesota and northern Wisconsin; August 7August 18 in southern Minnesota, and southern Wisconsin, and northern Iowa; and August 1928 in southern Iowa, northern Illinois, and northern Indiana. Use similar planting dates for radishes, rapeseed, and kale.
(800) 352-5247 CALL TO PLACE YOUR ORDER * = Variety Not Stated
Albert Lea Seed Cover Crop Catalog • 15
1414 W. Main Street, P.O. Box 127 Albert Lea, MN 56007
Cover Crops and Prevented Planting Options What Are Your Objectives? MINIMIZE COST
• Oats • Annual Ryegrass • Dwarf Essex Rape
BUILD SOIL / CAPTURE NUTRIENTS
• Oats or Annual Ryegrass + TapMaster or Cover Crop Radish • SummerMax CC6 • Sorghum-Sudangrass
FIX NITROGEN / BUILD SOIL
• TapMaster Radish + Crimson Clover • NitroMax CC1 • Crimson Clover + Oats • Berseem Clover + Oats • Yellow Blossom Sweet Clover + Oats • Plowdown Blend CC9
BALEAGE / GREEN CHOP /SILAGE
GRAZING – LATE FALL FORAGE
(After Sept. 1)
(Seed in August for later fall grazing)
• Forage Sorghum • Sorghum Sudan • Piper Sudangrass
DRY HAY / BALEAGE / SILAGE (After Sept. 1)
• • • • •
Pearl Millet Japanese Millet Foxtail Millet Proso Millet Teff Grass
LATE FALL FORAGE FOR BALEAGE, SILAGE, OR POSSIBLE HAY PRODUCTION (Seed in Aug. for later fall harvest)
• • • • •
Italian Ryegrass Oats Oats & Peas Barley & Peas NitroMax CC1
www.alseed.com • 1-800-352-5247
• Turnips (Purple Top or Grazing) • Kale (Dwarf Siberian) • Forage Rape: Dwarf Essex or Barsica Forage Rape • Oats • Oats & Turnips • Winter Rye / Winter Wheat / Winter Triticale • GrazeMax CC4
Call Us to Find the Right Options for Your Prevented Plant Needs