Cover crops are grown to protect the soil and store nutrients left behind by the cash crop. While above ground growth is important to protect soil from erosion due to rain drop splash, root growth below ground is important for improving soil characteristics in the root zone. 

There has been considerable interest in growing oilseed radish as a cover crop in Wisconsin due to claimed benefits such as alleviating soil compaction and scavenging excess plant nutrients. 

The benefits of using legumes in crop rotations is well established. This study explored a cover crop system utilizing annual clovers in Wisconsin that takes advantage of shorter season crops (i.e. winter wheat, vegetable crops), to enhance rotational impacts, to provide nitrogen credits to the next year’s crop, and to grow additional biomass that potentially […]

Cover crop species recommendations change depending on whether you are in Northern or Southern Wisconsin. Northern Wisconsin Cover Crop Options Small grains / grasses Cereal rye is the only option for seeding cover crops after corn for grain in Northern WI but it should be planted by late October. Much later than this and rye […]

Cover crop species recommendations change depending on where you are.  The map below is divided between Northern and Southern Wisconsin – click one of the maps below to view the recommendations for that area.   Northern Wisconsin Cover Crop Options Small grains / grasses Cereal rye is the most reliable option for seeding grass cover crops […]

One of the most important times to use cover crops is after corn harvested as silage leaving very little residue and the soil vulnerable to erosion in the winter and subsequent spring. There are many ways to plant cover crops, please go to this page to look at planting recommendations. Cover crop species recommendations change depending […]

Wisconsin’s short growing season doesn’t provide a lot of time for growing cover crops.  However, the early harvest of winter wheat allows an excellent window for cover crops to grow, protect the soil and provide other benefits. Cover crop recommendations typically change depending on where you are in Wisconsin but because of the early harvest […]

UW-Madison Extension experts discuss selecting cover crops and questions that you should be to ask yourself to help clarify your goals for using cover crops.

Cover crops can provide many benefits for the soil in crop productions systems.  Benefits can include conserving soil and water as well as improving the soil. Reduced Erosion An obvious effect of growing cover crops is covering the soil surface, which can significantly reduce the potential for wind and water erosion. This is particularly true […]