Catch Crops, Cover Crops and Green Manures are terms generally used to describe a crop that is sown between two cash crops. Broadly speaking they all help to improve soil structure, increase organic matter content and help with trafficability, but there are some key functional differences between each type of crop;

 

• Catch Crops capture excess nutrients leftover from the previous crop preventing nutrient leaching.

• Cover Crops cover the ground to reduce soil erosion and weed build-up.

• Green Manures provide nutrients for the following crop.

In Ireland there are 3 groups of plant species typically used in Catch Crop mixtures

1.Brassicas: typically used for soil conditioning, nutrient capture and as winter feed. They have rapid autumn growth, provide good ground cover, are deep rooting and suitable for late summer/early autumn sowing. Not to be used before or after brassicas in rotation. Common species include mustard, tillage raddish, leafy turnip and forage rape.

2. Legumes: primary function is to fix N for following crop and offset inorganic N requirement. Legumes tend to be deep-rooting and can also improve soil structure. Should ideally be sown in summer and can be slow to establish later in autumn. Rates of N fixation will be lower in winter. Common species include red clover, vetch and crimson clover.
3. Some alternative species that may be useful cover crops. Many of these species are not related to commercial crops grown in Ireland and therefore are ideal in rotation to break pest and disease cycles. Species include forage rye, Westerwold ryegrass, buckwheat and phacelia.

 

Choose a species or mixture based on your rotation and soil requirements e.g brassica species are not suitable where oilseed rape is in the rotation.

The success or failure of Catch Crops is largely based on sowing date and good establishment. Drilling as soon after harvest as possible will give your Catch Crop the best chance of establishment. No ploughing is needed for establishment and seed can be drilled or broadcast.

 

DLF’s Catch Crop Mixture Range

ACRES Grazer
A brassica mixture with excellent grazing potential
Fast establishment
Excellent ground cover
Quality forage
Prevents soil erosion and cycles nutrients

 

 

ACRES Regener8

Comprehensive soil conditioning mixture to enhance soil structure and increase OM content. Contains 8 species!

Diverse range of species with multiple functions

Ground cover and weed suppression

Prevent soil erosion

Enhance soil structure and quality

 

ACRES OSR Booster

The ultimate N fixing Cover Crop mixture

High legume content to feed following crop

Rapid establishment

Soil conditioning

Easy termination in spring