The use of cover crop mixtures is becoming an increasingly common practice among Polish farmers. This is due to the fact that farms are increasingly deciding to specialize and grow a specific or specialized group of plants. High fertilization costs also force meticulous care of the soil and the search for solutions to reduce expenses on mineral fertilizers. These types of activities force farmers to pay special attention to soil fertility and to introduce changes in crop rotation, which will prevent soil sterilization. High production costs also force us to pay more and more attention to soil culture and the costs of fertilization. Cover crop mixtures are commonly used for this purpose.

What is a cover crop mixture?

The catch crop mixture is a specially prepared seed material whose primary task is to improve the quality of the soil. The cover crop mixture usually has a varied composition, which means that their roots are able to grow very densely and deeply into the soil, thus significantly improving its quality and fertility. Please remember that improving the soil structure also means lower cultivation costs.

Types of cover crop mixtures

There are various types of cover crop mixtures available on the market that can fulfill various tasks. The basic type of cover crop mixture is a universal mixture, which includes plants that turn green quickly (buckwheat, blue phacelia, white mustard, oilseed radish).

In addition to universal mixtures, farmers can also purchase mixtures dedicated to specific plants, supplementing the soil with selected elements and minerals or supporting the fight against parasites. For example, if the soil is exposed to nematode attack, a nematicidal mixture is used, which contains mustard or bitter lupine.

If we cultivate corn intensively, the cover crop mixture should contain legumes. Thanks to their long roots, these plants improve the soil structure and additionally fix nitrogen from the air. Such a mixture should include fodder peas, lupins, field beans, vetches, serradella and Alexandrian clover.

Advantages of using cover crop mixtures

The use of cover crop mixtures has several main positive benefits. The first and most important is to supply the soil with nutrients. The role of cover crops is also to improve water retention in the soil and reduce soil erosion, which is possible because the roots of cover crops prevent soil from being washed away.

Cover crops can also be used to prevent weeds, the presence of other plants in the soil deprives weeds of the space necessary to develop. There are also cover crop mixtures available on the market, which, thanks to deep rooting, support soil aeration.

Rules for sowing cover crop mixtures

Cover crop mixtures should be sown immediately after harvesting the main crop. This prevents competition between the cover crop mixture and self-sowing plants or weeds. The sowing depth of cover crop mixtures is small and is usually from 2 to 3 centimeters.

Of course, the appropriate selection of the mixture is also very important, but apart from its selection, the sowing technique, the appropriate sowing date, the environmental conditions in a given area or in a given period, etc. also matter.

We cordially invite you to familiarize yourself with our offer of cover crop mixtures.
If you have any questions or doubts, we provide professional assistance.