LEADER CONSULTING REMINDS:
THE TIME FOR SOWING CATCH CROPS HAS COME
After harvesting cereal and other winter or early spring crops, rather than letting the land evaporate inefficiently until spring and multiply weedy vegetation, erode and sputter, we can insert a wide range of catch crops into the rotation regardless of the technologies we apply.
Sowing catch crops not only reduces soil erosion and nutrient leaching into groundwater and surface water, but also improves soil structure, supplies nutrients to the soil and supports biological activity in the soil. This in turn leads to increased yields of the main crops.
Sowing a variety of mixtures
Because mixtures make better use of available resources than pure crops, they grow - even under adverse conditions - more reliably, faster and better. Therefore, mixtures always bring greater benefits in building organic mass, nutrient storage and weed suppression.
In a diverse mixture there is always less risk to individual plants as they protect each other and make better use of the given climatic conditions.
Such a plant 'community' attracts a variety of beneficial insects that can help in pest control.
The biggest advantage of mixtures is that different types of roots reach different depths, thus naturally cultivating several soil layers at the same time and maintaining soil fertility.
The productivity of the soil depends not least on the root mass that can develop in a particular place under certain conditions. The more roots have the opportunity to develop, the more energy can be transferred to the soil.
It is important how the roots are positioned in the soil: the better the distribution of roots in the surface and deep soil layers, the more the condition of the soil and the utilisation of water and nutrients entering it are improved.
Monitoring for diseases in the rotation
In order not to increase the infectious background of diseases in the main crops, it is advisable to have intercrops from another family. This principle should be observed not only in cruciferous crops ( rapeseed, sinapis, turnip) but also in cereals, legumes and other crops. When mixtures are composed of different plant species and families, the risk of susceptibility to diseases and their transmission to the main crops is reduced.
Mixtures and sowing dates
Greening mixtures should be used not only for the relevance of green programmes but also to increase soil productivity. In drought-prone areas, it is better to use fast-growing crops such as sinapis, buckwheat, phacelia and turnips, which are not adversely affected by drought conditions. Leguminous crops can also be part of the mixtures: they improve the quality of green manure and biological activity, fix nitrogen from the air, and also participate in the construction of the soil structure and pore system. In trials with legumes (e.g. peavines, vetch, Egyptian clover), an increase in the volume of the coarse pores in particular was observed, which increased permeability.
Timely sowing and appropriate density
The rainfall and erosion processes in spring each year show the importance of erosion protection. Lush vegetative cover builds good soil structure and is a good basis for erosion-reducing mulch or direct seeding the following spring. Therefore, after harvesting cereals, areas should be grassed as soon as possible. With a roughly shaped soil bed, you achieve optimum erosion protection right from the start and reduce nutrient leakage into ground and surface water. Greening also contributes greatly to improving soil composition, fertility and biodiversity.
Sowing catch crops is an efficient and easy practice to maintain a sustainable crop rotation, which is also applicable in drought conditions.
Importance of catch crops in dry conditions
Catch crops make the most important contribution to the environment by protecting against nitrate infiltration into groundwater and protecting against erosion. This is particularly important in drier areas. Thus, nitrogen not used by the main crop in dry years does not go into the groundwater, but remains available through the cover crop for the next crop in the rotation.
In areas threatened by severe erosion, cover crops in combination with mulch or direct drilling are the only option for conserving fertile topsoil. It should be added that erosion - water and wind - is everywhere, but depending on soil type, area, slope, climate, etc., it is expressed in varying degrees - from slight to very drastic.
Efficient use of winter rainfall
Winter rainfall is usually sufficient to replenish the reserves of even the deepest soils from summer-autumn consumption. Intercropping primarily improves soil water uptake and retention. The roots form numerous coarse pores in the soil through which water can pass as the snow melts. The level of soil evaporation decreases with the onset of spring. Land covered with plant debris is usually wetter than bare ground.
AS THE EXCLUSIVE IMPORTER OF CATCH CROP SEEDS UNDER THE BRAND NAME "SAATBAU LINZ", LEADER CONSULTING OFFERS A WIDE RANGE OF CROPS AND SPECIAL PROFESSIONAL MIXTURES FOR GREENING.