This publication assists western Oregon farmers and agricultural professionals in determining the nitrogen fertilizer replacement value of winter cover crops. Includes information on plant-available nitrogen (PAN) basics; a site-specific, step-by-step method to estimate PAN; Willamette Valley case studies; and appendices summarizing Willamette Valley cover crop research that supports these PAN estimates.
Link: https://catalog.extension.oregonstate.edu/pnw636
This Extension publication reviews baseline N mineralization which refers to plant-available nitrogen release that accompanies the decomposition of soil organic matter. The rate of baseline soil N mineralization is governed by the quantity and quality of soil organic matter, as modified by soil moisture and temperature. Baseline soil N mineralization typically supplies about half of crop N uptake. Soils that have been heavily manured for many years or are naturally very high in soil organic matter can supply most of the N required for crop production. Several laboratory tests for N mineralization are available, but most are useful only as … Read the rest
This fact sheet is one of a three-part series on cover crops for home gardeners. It focuses on choosing the best cover crops for gardens in Washington and Oregon, west of the Cascades. A companion fact sheet, Cover Crops for Home Gardens East of the Cascades, focuses on choosing the best cover crops for gardens in Washington and Oregon, east of the Cascades. The third fact sheet in this series, Methods for Successful Cover Crop Management in Your Home Garden, covers the management of garden cover crops, including planning, planting, managing nutrients, and terminating plants.
Access the fact … Read the rest
This publication provides description and attributes of a range of cover crops for the Pacific Northwest that could be used to support pollinator habitat and address other conservation objectives such as erosion control, nutrient management and weed suppression.… Read the rest
This page provides a brief overview of cover crops and introduces the many covercrop resources available from SARE – Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education. The other publicationsintroduced on this page cover a range of topics including economics, soil health, selection, rotations and management. … Read the rest
This publication is a general, but though resource for using cover crops. It includes chapters on the various roles of cover crops (ex: fertility and pest management) and including cover crops in rotations. The book provides details on many species including grasses, grains, brassicas and mustards, and legumes.
This free seed program encourages the use of cover crops to increase the density, diversity, and duration of bee forage in California orchards, farms, and vineyards, while improving soil health. The seed mixes are designed to bloom at critical times of the year when natural forage is scarce but managed and native bees are active… Read the rest
This technical note offers an adaptive management approach that will enable growers to use a datadriven process to refine the application of conservation practices to better adapt to conditions encountered on their farms.… Read the rest
This tool was developed by the Natural Resources Conservation Service to help farmers and conservation planners in Idaho, Oregon and Washington select cover crop species adapted to their climate, soils and cover cropping goals.
The purpose of this guide sheet is to provide guidance to plan and implement adaptive management of the NRCS Conservation Practice Standard (CPS) Code 340, Cover Crop.
