Cover crop and rotation results...for 2020 potatoes

[Meadowlark]

This thread illustrates an example of my cover crop and rotation program in the production of the 2020 potato crop for our family. The result was 228 pounds of potatoes from 20 pounds of seed potatoes....all organically grown. As an aside, 240 pounds of onions were also produced from the same cover/rotation sequence in the adjoining row.

Back pre-COVID-19, I began the preparation for the 2020 potato crop by planting a heavy cover crop of black eyed peas in the summer of 2019. See to the left in the photo below.

This cover was then turned under in fall of 2019 leaving three rows ready for planting 1) 2020 onions 2) 2020 potatoes and 3) a companion planting of sweet peas for the potatoes.

The 20 pounds of seed potatoes were planted Feb. 14 2020 with a companion planting of sweet peas. They pushed up in three weeks and thrived together.

The potatoes were harvested May 2020. A total of 228 pounds of new potatoes were produced from the original 20 pounds of seed potato....a production ratio of 11.4.
The row was then disked under and field peas planted to rejuvenate and replenish the soil to begin another cycle of planting and cover and rotation. .

Meanwhile, the 2021 potato crop is already in preparation with its cover in place until next year.

 

[skinyea]

I know you guys must be tired of asking my questions on cover crops..... black eyed peas cover crop. you don't harvest the peas? you turn them under to me means you till them into the soil.

 

[Durgan]

Meadowlark,

Do you have any labor help? Your place looks like paradise to me.

 

[Meadowlark]

I know you guys must be tired of asking my questions on cover crops..... black eyed peas cover crop. you don't harvest the peas? you turn them under to me means you till them into the soil.

Not at all tired of questions....ask away freely.

Peas planted early in the summer in my garden are normally allowed to mature with minimal harvesting. At maturity, I shred the stand of peas allowing the seeds to scatter and regenerate the entire stand expanding each time. I do this as many times as the weather allows. Often, a stand of peas planted early can be shredded multiple times offering at least three generations of cover each one providing tremendous soil building.

The shredding is very easy and quick...much less time than it takes to mow a lawn. A late planting of peas will almost always be harvested as it can't regenerate because of frosts. In that case, yes they are turned under aka tilled into the soil where a crop will follow or a cool/cold weather cover crop planted.

Attached is an example of a second generation stand of peas. You can see where the original first generation was planted and how the shredded peas have spread and regenerated themselves. If you look closely you can seed individual seeds ready to germinate or already germinating. Free seed, free green manure, free soil building, free weed control that money simply can't buy. That stand covered the entire area shown as "bare" soil and was shredded again for a third generation cover crop before frost. Tons and tons of soil building.

 

[Meadowlark]

Meadowlark,

Do you have any labor help? Your place looks like paradise to me.

No human help but I fully take advantage of my equipment. I lay out the garden to fit my equipment. I have mentioned in the past that it is much easier to work a large garden laid out properly with equipment than it is to work a small raised bed manually. I can cultivate my entire 40 x 100 ft garden in less than 15 minutes with a pleasant ride on my tractor with cultivator attached. The use of cover crops and rotation also helps significantly with the reduction in labor. A healthy soil takes orders of magnitude less work to produce a crop as a starving soil.

I do very little manual labor in the garden and what little is done is just mine. As long as I can get on my tractor, I'll be gardening.

Thank you for your question and comment.

 

[headfullofbees]

No human help but I fully take advantage of my equipment. I lay out the garden to fit my equipment. I have mentioned in the past that it is much easier to work a large garden laid out properly with equipment than it is to work a small raised bed manually. I can cultivate my entire 40 x 100 ft garden in less than 15 minutes with a pleasant ride on my tractor with cultivator attached. The use of cover crops and rotation also helps significantly with the reduction in labor. A healthy soil takes orders of magnitude less work to produce a crop as a starving soil.

I do very little manual labor in the garden and what little is done is just mine. As long as I can get on my tractor, I'll be gardening.

Thank you for your question and comment.

I'm so jealous.
In the UK, the tomato season doesn't properly start for another month, and I'm spitting feathers.

 

[skinyea]

Not at all tired of questions....ask away freely.

Peas planted early in the summer in my garden are normally allowed to mature with minimal harvesting. At maturity, I shred the stand of peas allowing the seeds to scatter and regenerate the entire stand expanding each time. I do this as many times as the weather allows. Often, a stand of peas planted early can be shredded multiple times offering at least three generations of cover each one providing tremendous soil building.

The shredding is very easy and quick...much less time than it takes to mow a lawn. A late planting of peas will almost always be harvested as it can't regenerate because of frosts. In that case, yes they are turned under aka tilled into the soil where a crop will follow or a cool/cold weather cover crop planted.

Attached is an example of a second generation stand of peas. You can see where the original first generation was planted and how the shredded peas have spread and regenerated themselves. If you look closely you can seed individual seeds ready to germinate or already germinating. Free seed, free green manure, free soil building, free weed control that money simply can't buy. That stand covered the entire area shown as "bare" soil and was shredded again for a third generation cover crop before frost. Tons and tons of soil building.

View attachment 65516

 

[skinyea]

you are living my dream

 

[SubbuPD]

This thread illustrates an example of my cover crop and rotation program in the production of the 2020 potato crop for our family. The result was 228 pounds of potatoes from 20 pounds of seed potatoes....all organically grown. As an aside, 240 pounds of onions were also produced from the same cover/rotation sequence in the adjoining row.

Back pre-COVID-19, I began the preparation for the 2020 potato crop by planting a heavy cover crop of black eyed peas in the summer of 2019. See to the left in the photo below.

View attachment 65494

This cover was then turned under in fall of 2019 leaving three rows ready for planting 1) 2020 onions 2) 2020 potatoes and 3) a companion planting of sweet peas for the potatoes.

View attachment 65495

The 20 pounds of seed potatoes were planted Feb. 14 2020 with a companion planting of sweet peas. They pushed up in three weeks and thrived together.

View attachment 65497

The potatoes were harvested May 2020. A total of 228 pounds of new potatoes were produced from the original 20 pounds of seed potato....a production ratio of 11.4.
The row was then disked under and field peas planted to rejuvenate and replenish the soil to begin another cycle of planting and cover and rotation. .

View attachment 65498

Meanwhile, the 2021 potato crop is already in preparation with its cover in place until next year.

View attachment 65499

228 pounds of potatoes from 20 pounds of seed potatoes . Pretty Awesome