What do you use for cover crop?

Mikedin · Sep 1, 2022

Trying to build my microbes up,

Used FF dry amendments in coast of Maine stonington blend with vermiculite, coast of Maine earthworm castings, some perlite, and some great white Myco being added to top (got here late)

Seedlings are just coming up and would like to add a cover crop I’ll be able to mulch when first top dress comes up

What’s everyone’s recommendations!

Link to my grow journal if anyone wants to see progress so far

https://www.thcfarmer.com/threads/mikedin’s-grow-journal-2-let’s-go.141633/post-2841651

GrimReffer · Sep 14, 2022

Mikedin said:
Trying to build my microbes up,

Used FF dry amendments in coast of Maine stonington blend with vermiculite, coast of Maine earthworm castings, some perlite, and some great white Myco being added to top (got here late)

Seedlings are just coming up and would like to add a cover crop I’ll be able to mulch when first top dress comes up

What’s everyone’s recommendations!

Link to my grow journal if anyone wants to see progress so far

https://www.thcfarmer.com/threads/mikedin’s-grow-journal-2-let’s-go.141633/post-2841651

I’m super interested in trying clover

ritoMox · Sep 14, 2022

Mikedin said:
Trying to build my microbes up,

Used FF dry amendments in coast of Maine stonington blend with vermiculite, coast of Maine earthworm castings, some perlite, and some great white Myco being added to top (got here late)

Seedlings are just coming up and would like to add a cover crop I’ll be able to mulch when first top dress comes up

What’s everyone’s recommendations!

Link to my grow journal if anyone wants to see progress so far

https://www.thcfarmer.com/threads/mikedin’s-grow-journal-2-let’s-go.141633/post-2841651

If you watch the video in my post HERE, that lady said don't waste your time with cover crops in smaller pots.

Homesteader · Sep 14, 2022

Clover is not really the greatest like people say. If you want something that does what clover does but better, then try soy bean... Much faster growth and the nodules will develop in less than a few months unlike clover which could take a year and it isn't as much.

Dill......Radish and ginger is what I use. Occasionally I throw in brassicas

Glomus · Sep 14, 2022

Homesteader said:
Clover is not really the greatest like people say. If you want something that does what clover does but better, then try soy bean... Much faster growth and the nodules will develop in less than a few months unlike clover which could take a year and it isn't as much.

Dill......Radish and ginger is what I use. Occasionally I throw in brassicas

To follow up with that neem seed cover can help with pests. I use a cover crop mix with the nitrogen fixers from the local feed supply. Sometimes I let weeds grow, and remove the ones I don't want. I'm out doors and get wild stinging nettle, miners lettuce, dill and a few others.

Glomus · Sep 14, 2022

Mikedin said:
Trying to build my microbes up,

Used FF dry amendments in coast of Maine stonington blend with vermiculite, coast of Maine earthworm castings, some perlite, and some great white Myco being added to top (got here late)

Seedlings are just coming up and would like to add a cover crop I’ll be able to mulch when first top dress comes up

What’s everyone’s recommendations!

Link to my grow journal if anyone wants to see progress so far

https://www.thcfarmer.com/threads/mikedin’s-grow-journal-2-let’s-go.141633/post-2841651

Love your soil recipe, I feel like products like Great White are fine to just water in, people dusting the root balls meh, I feel thats a waste unless your using a product that has only one strain of spores in it. Great White has all the beneficial microbes you need to support the germination and infection of the Mycorrhizae. I just water in shortly after I transplant and/or soak the paper towel, for seeds, with a solution of it. Vermiculite is awesome, adds silicates, and makes the soil act as if was inoculated as far as moisture balance and probably supports the environment for Mycorrhizae to thrive and stay alive. I wonder if the Mycorrhizae helps break it down too?

Mikedin · Sep 14, 2022

Glomus said:
To follow up with that neem seed cover can help with pests. I use a cover crop mix with the nitrogen fixers from the local feed supply. Sometimes I let weeds grow, and remove the ones I don't want. I'm out doors and get wild stinging nettle, miners lettuce, dill and a few others.

Here’s what I used bought a 1 lb bag to try it out

sambapati · Sep 14, 2022

Mikedin said:
Here’s what I used bought a 1 lb bag to try it out

I'd like to try that on my lawn in the front under the trees where nothing grows...freennuk is formidable, I put it on my breakfast cereal.

Mikedin · Sep 14, 2022

sambapati said:
I'd like to try that on my lawn in the front under the trees where nothing grows...freennuk is formidable, I put it on my breakfast cereal.

Haha yeah that’s not a bad idea lol I have a lot of bare spots in the yard under trees too

GrimReffer · Sep 14, 2022

Homesteader said:
Clover is not really the greatest like people say. If you want something that does what clover does but better, then try soy bean... Much faster growth and the nodules will develop in less than a few months unlike clover which could take a year and it isn't as much.

Dill......Radish and ginger is what I use. Occasionally I throw in brassicas

Interesting! I like this idea. I use to crop farm and we would use radishes for a cover crop on our fields. The would do 2 things, leave a lot of good nutrients and then when they died and rotted away it aerated the field.

J.dub · Sep 30, 2022

For my outdoor this year, I planted borage/starflower once I transplanted into final containers for three reasons:
The pollinators are running security for free around the clock, lol, keeping the pest and fungus security on lockdown. I also have basil and other garden crops nearby that also have beneficial terps, insects etc, keeping the garden in a symbiotic world of its own.
This was an outdoor-specific choice, and I digress -- the 2nd reason I went with borage was so that when I harvest, I can use the borage and hemp plant material, and combine it with the leftover mulch I already have, and dry everything out. This will make an excellent mulch that I'll use for my indoor grow final containers, which I just started germinating seeds for. The 3rd reason is that I've always used my leftover cannabis roots to make a salve for my ma; she finds the balm great for her fibromyalgia and arthritis, and borage oil and material is supposed to be great for the skin and an anti-inflammatory as well. I love you, ma! Hahaha

I also have seeds for days. Just this morning while tending the garden, I collected a few, along with some basil for seeds as well.

For my indoor, my plan is, after removing all the roots and any worms from the outdoor harvest's final containers, do a really light topsoil/no-till re-amend of these containers, and then sprout some barley into grass as a beginning cover crop. Once this goes a few inches, I'll chop this down into the topsoil and rich mulch layer, to have a slow-release "tea" and food for the living soil and worms. After identifying females, the ladies will be transplanted right into an already booming world to help her along.
I really enjoy this way of growing, and get pretty good results, and as long as I keep up with the cleanliness and keep enviro and DLI dialed in, can make living soil with cover crops a great indoor method as well.

sambapati · Sep 30, 2022

J.dub said:
For my outdoor this year, I planted borage/starflower once I transplanted into final containers for three reasons:
The pollinators are running security for free around the clock, lol, keeping the pest and fungus security on lockdown. I also have basil and other garden crops nearby that also have beneficial terps, insects etc, keeping the garden in a symbiotic world of its own.
This was an outdoor-specific choice, and I digress -- the 2nd reason I went with borage was so that when I harvest, I can use the borage and hemp plant material, and combine it with the leftover mulch I already have, and dry everything out. This will make an excellent mulch that I'll use for my indoor grow final containers, which I just started germinating seeds for. The 3rd reason is that I've always used my leftover cannabis roots to make a salve for my ma; she finds the balm great for her fibromyalgia and arthritis, and borage oil and material is supposed to be great for the skin and an anti-inflammatory as well. I love you, ma! Hahaha

I also have seeds for days. Just this morning while tending the garden, I collected a few, along with some basil for seeds as well.

View attachment 1287476 View attachment 1287478[ATTACH type="full" Excellent post and good 'how to' advicewidth="333px"]1287477[/ATTACH]

For my indoor, my plan is, after removing all the roots and any worms from the outdoor harvest's final containers, do a really light topsoil/no-till re-amend of these containers, and then sprout some barley into grass as a beginning cover crop. Once this goes a few inches, I'll chop this down into the topsoil and rich mulch layer, to have a slow-release "tea" and food for the living soil and worms. After identifying females, the ladies will be transplanted right into an already booming world to help her along.
I really enjoy this way of growing, and get pretty good results, and as long as I keep up with the cleanliness and keep enviro and DLI dialed in, can make living soil with cover crops a great indoor method as well.

Perrin6363 · Apr 29, 2023

I have been considering lately what to do about the cover crop question.

I'm new to organics and living soil and I'm getting ready to start my first run in a 2x4 bed.

I've read some stuff that makes a lot of sense about them not really having a place indoors. Mostly due to increased pest pressure, labor savings of not running them, if you're you're getting a soil test and amending based on that then it's another variable to consider. Also it would be considered more companion planting rather than a traditional cover crop that you would sow when your cash crop wasn't in the soil.

I wasn't planning on running a cover crop, but lately I've been thinking all those extra roots and rhizosphere is going to add to the biology of my new living soil. I want to get the soil life going as quickly as I can. Most of the reasons behind not doing were with a commercial facility in mind. I think in my situation, for me, the benefit is there.

I read that clover is worse for pest pressure. Dichondra is good but you don't get the N fixing. Which can just be added through amendments. What are you all running for a cover crop now a days?

sambapati · Apr 29, 2023

Perrin6363 said:
I have been considering lately what to do about the cover crop question.

I'm new to organics and living soil and I'm getting ready to start my first run in a 2x4 bed.

I've read some stuff that makes a lot of sense about them not really having a place indoors. Mostly due to increased pest pressure, labor savings of not running them, if you're you're getting a soil test and amending based on that then it's another variable to consider. Also it would be considered more companion planting rather than a traditional cover crop that you would sow when your cash crop wasn't in the soil.

I wasn't planning on running a cover crop, but lately I've been thinking all those extra roots and rhizosphere is going to add to the biology of my new living soil. I want to get the soil life going as quickly as I can. Most of the reasons behind not doing were with a commercial facility in mind. I think in my situation, for me, the benefit is there.

I read that clover is worse for pest pressure. Dichondra is good but you don't get the N fixing. Which can just be added through amendments. What are you all running for a cover crop now a days?

Italian basil did really well as a companion plant for me, started indoors from seed and now outside with dill another companion. Alfalfa sprouts are adding much to the soil's developmet. Dill has a wonderfull aroma and flowers w/o being pushy.

What do you use for cover crop?

What do you use for cover crop?

Mikedin

Living Soil Student

GrimReffer

ritoMox

Homesteader

Glomus

Glomus

Mikedin

Living Soil Student

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sambapati

Mikedin

Living Soil Student

GrimReffer

J.dub

sambapati

Perrin6363

sambapati

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What do you use for cover crop?

What do you use for cover crop?

Mikedin

Living Soil Student

GrimReffer

ritoMox

Homesteader

Glomus

Glomus

Mikedin

Living Soil Student

Attachments

sambapati

Mikedin

Living Soil Student

GrimReffer

J.dub

sambapati

Perrin6363

sambapati

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