IN YOUR ORCHARD
THE BEE BOX A Guide to Planting and Calibrating Cover Crops in Orchards Cover crops provide a variety of benefits to farms, crops, and pollinators. However, proper cover crop establishment is vital for cover crop performance. Careful calibration of planting equipment is arguably tedious but will have a long-lasting impact on the stand. In permanent crops like orchards, cover crops are typically planted on a portion of the total acreage, not the entire field. This planted area is the total land minus the space occupied by tree rows (berms). While maximum soil health benefits are achieved when all the soil is covered, practical considerations in permanent crop production often lead to patterns like open middles or narrow plantings.
The cover crop planted area is usually determined by the planter width and the width of the drive row. For example, if trees are on 22-foot centers and you use a 10-foot-wide drill then divide 10 by 22 and multiply by 100, which equals 45%. This percentage is further altered if a grower decides to plant every other row: Planting every middle covers 45% of the total orchard area Planting every other middle covers 22% Calculations, often called Cover Crop Math, are used to determine the amount of seed to order. Simply multiply the planted acreage (e.g., 45% of your total acres) by your anticipated seeding rate. Note that drill seeding rates are generally lower than broadcast rates due to more uniform seed placement and higher germination rates.
Seed for Bees® provides suggested planting rates for their seed blends which are available on their webpage.
Planting Methods: Broadcast vs. Drill Planting a cover crop involves distributing seed across the area and ensuring good seed-to-soil contact for germination. The two primary methods are broadcast seeding and drill seeding. Broadcast seeders are popular for their simplicity, low cost, and adaptability. Seed falls from a hopper onto a spinning plate that propels it in a wide arc. Seed flow is controlled by a metering gate or shutter. They require very little horsepower, and some models can be pulled by a quad or ATV. They work well with smaller seeds like brassicas and clovers, while PTO-powered tractor-
PTO Broadcaster
Drill with fenders for use in orchards
Pull Behind Broadcaster
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ALMOND FACTS
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