Albert Lea Seed House 2017 Cover Crop Seed Guide | Page 2

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February 1 to June 30
Monday – Friday: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
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July 1 to January 31
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We Know That Cover Crops Can Work
For You!
It is all about the soil. Cover crops protect and
build your most valuable farm resource: your
soil. Healthy soil keeps your farm profitable,
insulates you from weather extremes, keeps
surface waters clean, and builds your farm for
future generations
However, there is not a one-size-fits-all approach
to cover cropping. We know the way you farm is
not how your neighbors farm. We take time to
work with you individually, ask the right questions,
and come up with seed options that will match
your farming system and your goals.
We believe in cover cropping and we can help
them work for you.
Shipping
1) We ship with UPS, SpeeDee Delivery, and
Common Carrier throughout the country.
2) We can help determine the best way to ship.
Shipping rates are affected by weight and
destination.
3) We attempt to ship in-stock orders within 48
hours of receiving your of payment but cannot
guarantee delivery dates or times.
4) There is a minimum $4 per package handling charge
for orders shipped with UPS or SpeeDee Delivery.
All prices are subject to change without notice. Please call ahead to
check availability before arriving for pickup or shipment.
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Important Considerations When
Choosing Cover Crops
• Start small to increase your knowledge base and
familiarity with cover crops before scaling up.
• A good place to start is winterkilled cover crops;
they require the least spring management.
• Varying the maturities of your cash crops or
including a 3rd crop in your rotation can provide
a wider window of opportunity to successfully
seed cover crops.
• Check chemical rotation restrictions.
• Pay attention to combine settings & how you
manage your residue (e.g. chopper heads often
leave residue that shades-out fall-seeded cover crops)
• What cash crops are you seeding the cover crops
into/after? What crop will come next?
• Consider how you will plant the cover crops?
What equipment do you have or can you access?
• Think through fall, spring & summer
management operations and how that can be
integrated with cover crops seeding.
• Remember to contact your insurance provider
before proceeding with your cover crop plan.
• Conduct a test plot on your own farm to
experiment with different mixes/species.
Cover Crop Seeding 101
• In general, the more diversity you can plant,
the better the chance of success. We strongly
recommend mixes over individual species in
most cases.
• When seeding cover crops you want to ensure
good seed-to-soil contact, proper seeding depth,
and adequate soil preparation.
• As much as possible try to time cover crop
seeding with a forecasted rain
• Carefully monitor your herbicide program to
ensure no carryover effect on cover crops
• If broadcasting or aerial seeding cover crops,
increase seeding rates by 25-30%
• When using cover crops for forage, increase
seeding rates by 50%
• Some crops (like cover crop radish) can be
precision planted on rows; lowering overall
seeding rates