IN YOUR ORCHARD
THE BEE BOX The “when?” and “how?” of cover crop termination is one of the most frequently asked questions by growers using cover crops in almonds in late winter. Terminate too soon and you may not accomplish your soil health goals, but terminate too late, and you may have to deal with excess plant residues at harvest. Discovering the happy medium comes with experience. Termination timing can rarely be determined by the calendar as no two growing seasons are alike. Deciding how you will terminate your cover crop can also affect timing as well. The most common method of cover crop termination is mowing, but there are alternative approaches, like crimping, that are showing great promise in improving soil health while not interfering with almond harvest.
One successful long time cover crop user who is enrolled in the Blue Diamond Growers Advancing Markets for Producers (AMP) grant terminates their cover crop with a multiprong plan: crimp the cover crop first, possibly crimping again or utilizing a high mowing then short mowing the dry residue multiple times over the summer to minimize the particle size at harvest. This has resulted in improved soil structure, increased water holding capacity, improved tree resiliency, and hasn’t interfered with harvest. View a Project Apis m . video describing termination practices here: bit.ly/4ckvo8o. The decision on when to terminate cover crops is a balancing act between maximizing soil health benefits and minimizing risks to the cash crop. You can terminate your cover crop at any time of the season, but when is
the best time? This decision should be based on an intersection of several factors, including the goals of using that cover crop mix, your termination method, and how much plant residue you can stand at harvest. When using a cover crop for a specific reason like the Seeds For Bees™ Pollinator Brassica Mix for honey bee support, we’d recommend terminating after rented hives have been removed. The brassica flowers supported the honey bees while they were on site, and the orchard has achieved maximum biomass while the plants are still green enough to readily break down. In a more diverse cover crop, like the Seeds For Bees™ Nitro builder mix, we recommend waiting to start termination until small grain seed heads appear. This will allow the legumes and other plants in the mix to reach maximum biomass while
Mowing once in April
Residue in August
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ALMOND FACTS
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