Precision Planted Tillage Radish Cover Crop

[Steakmaker]

If you want to see them planted a variety of different ways come to SC Minnesota. Some were planted in rows, some drilled, some broadcast then cultivated or rolled. Some planted with a companion crop.

[SideHill3X]

Have been planting cover crops with corn planter/splitter for 3 years now. Try to follow combine with tiller radishes on 30" centers where we will plant corn no till the next spring. Hence we plant cover crop with GPS guidance so we can follow back in the spring, directly on the radish rows. Purpose is to take up residual fertility and break up hardpan. We also use a splitter and plant a mixture of clover, ryegrass and tricale on 30" centers between the radishes. Planting legumes to manufacture additional nitrogen for the radishes to take up. Frost usually kills the radishes till spring, but will usually get growth till Christmas.

It is not unusual to see the sprayer following the combine the next day, to burndown any weed pressure and the planter following in a day or two.

Using Kinze meters in the planter and the splitter allows us to run at two different seeding rates, since 2 different seed transmissions. Have also used finger pickup to plant a pea.

southeastern Pennsylvania

[jling01]

I was thinking about doing this also, possibly next year into wheat stubble as shaggy said.  I've got a 1780 planter as well, do you think that milo plates would work for the radish seed?

[Shaggy98]

I doubt it Jling, I've seen the seed and it is extremely small. Would probably be drawn right thru the milo plate or get lodged in the openings. Just my guess.

[jling01]

That was kind of my thought as well, although the radish seed i used last year seemed fairly close to milo.

Guess i will just have to check, haven't seen any half way decent milo around my part of the world for quite a few years lol

[Shaggy98]

Come to Central Kansas, it almost has to be the milo capitol of the world this year.