Aerial Seeding

Late August to early October is the ideal time for seeding cover crops.  Some potential benefits of planting cover crops are as follows:

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• Retain soil nutrients - cover crops tie up soil nutrients as they grow and ultimately release them for following crops to use
• Prevent soil erosion - cover crops help hold soil in place, reduce crusting, and protect against erosion due to rain and wind
• Build soil organic matter - cover crop biomass contributes to soil organic matter, which helps to improve soil structure, water infiltration, limit soil evaporation, along with water-holding and nutrient-supply capacity
• Break soil compaction - cover crop roots can act as "living plows", breaking up compacted soil layers
• Suppress weeds - cover crops shade the soil, which can reduce weed germination and growth.
• Provide additional forage - in some areas, it may be possible to graze, hay or chop cover crops before terminating in the spring.