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  • From: Pam Twin Oaks <pam AT twinoaks.org>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Oats and Peas Cover Crop
  • Date: Sun, 22 Aug 2010 14:18:36 -0400

Tom in Joppa, MD asked: "I'm looking for hands-on information about using oats and peas (or any other
winterkilled cover crop mix). My ideal winter killed cover crop would produce the most biomass possible
while being able to be sown as late as possible, meaning October. This is for a zone 7 farm with an October 15 frost date.
So, what varieties do you use? When's the latest you've planted? And what's your frost date? Does it effectively winter kill?"

Tom, we're zone 7ish with a first frost date of October 15 too (central Virginia). Oats have completely winter-killed every year in the past 19 except once, when they got partially killed. It's good to have a back-up plan in case. I have usually used Feed oats from the local co-op.

About peas - Austrian Winter Peas are very cold-hardy, don't plant those if you want winter-kill. There are Miami peas, but I haven't tried them. Soybeans are cheap and frost sensitive, we use those for summer cover crops and winter-killed cover. (Be aware that non-organic soybeans will probably be GMO). Allow about 6 weeks or more for the soybeans to grow before the frost. Gosh, it's time to think about that, isn't it?!

Pam, Twin Oaks Community, VA


Zone 7ish

  • Re: [Market-farming] Oats and Peas Cover Crop, Pam Twin Oaks, 08/22/2010

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