One of the most neglected aspects of no-tillage seems to be the proper use of cover crops. Unfortunately, many farmers simply take this part of the total program for granted and unnecessary mistakes are often made.

Our No-Till Farmer editors recently asked several university agronomists for their ideas on the most common mistakes that no-till farmers make with cover crops. Here are their ideas on things you need to avoid:

1 Failure to seed a cover crop.

This results in costly soil erosion, moisture loss and poor weed control in the following no-till crop, says Morris Bitzer, University of Kentucky crops man. As farmers gain more experience with no-tillage, they realize the importance and benefits of seeding a cover crop.

2 Seeding cover crops too late.

Poor planning results in the summer crop remaining in the field too long. By using earlier-season soybean varieties or corn hybrids, the crop can be removed in time to get a cover crop seeded.

3 Poor cover-crop stands.

Better soil preparation and proper depth of discing can reduce this problem.

Bitzer suggests using higher seeding rates with late cover-crop seeding, as well as the proper amount of nitrogen, to help establish a fall-seeded crop.

“This would include the failure to adjust the pH for the legume cover crop,” says Bill Lewis, North Carolina State University weed man. “Fall moisture may also be more critical for legume seed establishment.

“The time over which legumes can be established is less than that for a small grain…