# Cover Crop Year Questions



## Bishop (Apr 6, 2015)

I have about 10 acres of really hard ground with very low organic matter (1.6%). It is currently in soybeans.

I'm thinking of putting down Fall Rye after the beans in October, terminating the rye at the end of May, and then putting in Sorghum/Sudangrass. The rye and sorghum would both be cover crops, with nothing removed.

What I'm wondering is, when cutting (with a haybine) sorghum/sudangrass:

1) How hard is sorghum/sudangrass on the haybine?

2) Will it grow back through it's own residue or will I have to chop it?

3) If I terminate the sorg/sudan in the middle of September, will it be a problem planting winter wheat through the stubble with a notill drill a couple weeks later?

Anyone who has any experience, I'd appreciate some thoughts.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Mix in some groundhog radish and rapeseed as well with both your crops, cows will eat the foliage off both. We used to make sorghum/sudan all the time, not that hard on a haybine as long as you picked all the rocks.

Are you planning on simply mowing the sorghum/sudan with a haybine then leaving it? Thats gonna make a heck of a mat, sometimes ours would get taller than the tractor pulling the mower.


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## hillside hay (Feb 4, 2013)

I agree you will have to remove the Sorghum Sudan with some method. A herd of cows will make short work of it. If you seed in rows about 18-20 lbs per acre should give you adequate cover and not leave too much stubble to plant through. I use it almost as you are intending to do. I've been happy with it.


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## Bishop (Apr 6, 2015)

Not sure what to do yet with the growth. Early thoughts were to cut it, and then blow across the field with a forage harvester. I need organic matter, so I don't want to remove it, but am not sure yet how to deal with that much topgrowth.

I have heard you can cut sorghum x sudan at 3' - 4' and the top growth is easier to deal with, and it regrows quickly. I might try that. I have even heard of folks rototilling it and having it come back from the roots so I might just try disking it while it is standing and see what happens.

Either way, I'll probably end up cursing.


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## Three44s (May 21, 2016)

I second the notion of planting radish and/or turnips to loosen your hard soil.

As far as dealing with the Sudan sorghum volume take your growth down before it gets unmanageable to work in.

Best regards

Three 44s


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## hillside hay (Feb 4, 2013)

The root mass is pretty significant with SS. I would remove at least the first cut. The second and third flush if you really get it cut real fine with a flail shredder you should be able to plant through it. I remove all mine and just rely on the root mass and the bit that comes back and gets frost killed.


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