Aerial seeding of cover crops

[gil.gullickson]

All,

One of the objections I've run into for cover crops in corn-soybean rotations is how do you get them seeded? I've talked to farmers who have aerial seeded into corn in August, but it seems like rain is then needed to incorpoate the cover crop seed into the ground.

Have any of you had any experience with it? Know anyone who has? 

Thanks,

Gil Gullickson

Crops Technology Editor

Successful Farming 

[Wind]

I had rye grain aerial seeded the third week in Aug last year in corn.  It rained over an inch that night and  above normal rain fall through Oct.  Well established before Winter.  I sprayed R-up, used vertical tillage once, then drill beans mid May.  The plane missed a few acres on one side and a little off target on the neighbor's side.  Yes, it needs to rain after you have it seeded.  Timing the plane and the rain may not always work.

CIA. 

[crophugger]

Aerial seeded cereal rye radishes turnips into irrigated corn on July 22 that was cut for silage by the wheel tracks it brew real good for about 5 or 6 feet in or other areas that let the sunlight in but where the corn was thick there was too much competition or not enough sun light. Plan this year is to try straight rye.

[tree fmr]

Have used aerial seeding a few times. Like others said, only time it grew was if it rained right away and stayed moist.