WCS Garden Summer Mix
The WCS Garden Summer Mix is a complex cover crop mix designed to protect and rejuvenate fallow ground through the summer for planting of late cool season vegetables or fall cover crop. This mix will prevent erosion, provide organic matter for macro and micro organisms, fix nitrogen and provide for some pollinators. All components are untreated and non-GMO for organic gardeners.
Planting
Plant after last frost and when soil temperatures are above 65F. Combine seeds with provided inoculant and plant within 30 days of mixing. Lightly broadcast the seeds and work into the top one half inch of soil or cover with mulch or compost. Hand held broadcast spreaders are ideal for application. Drop spreaders are not recommended with the varied seed sizes. Seeds should have moisture equivalent to 1” of rainfall per week until seedlings are established. Do not fertilize cover crops as this slows down the nitrogen fixation of the legumes. If you have seed left over, reseal the bag and store seed in cool location out of the sun. If planting after 30 days, the inoculant will no longer be viable and you should purchase fresh for your cover crop to fix nitrogen effectively.
We are able to provide replacement packets.
Management
In the fall or prior to going to seed, pull any above ground radish tubers before mulch mowing, cutting or tilling remaining plants. If living covers are allowed to, they will reseed. Residue may be left on ground as a mulch to plant through or composted.
Follow with cool season vegetables or cover crops. If planted later in the summer and there is no danger of going to seed prior to first frost, or if you want to cut seed heads, you may leave the Summer Cover mix to winter kill. In the spring simply knock down any standing stalks and plant through residue.
Until cover crops have been in use for several years and your soil structure is rehabilitated and healthy levels of microorganisms are present, expect to water and fertilize vegetables at current levels, cutting back as soil health and organic matter levels improve.
Remember
Tilling will accelerate loss of nitrogen and consumption of organic matter by soil bacteria and will retard soil health.
Avoid tilling whenever possible. Never leave your soil naked!
Ideally you should test soil for nutrient levels and organic matter content every 3 to 5 years.
Note: Micronoc inoculant contains a broad spectrum of nitrogen fixing rhizobia bacteria as each legume requires a different strain.
Micronoc also contains mycorrhizal fungi to aid plants root nutrient uptake. This product is OMRI approved for use in organic gardens.
