Buckwheat Cover Crop Handbook
Bringing idle land into production
The goal is to bring land into production, especially for vegetables—a high-value crop with low tolerance for weeds. Land that has been idle usually has good soil aggregates, but organic matter needs to break down and weed seed bank needs to be reduced.
Early plan:
For most idle ground, use a double crop for best weed suppression.
- Spring: Till field when moisture is ideal for working the soil.
- Mid-May: Harrow at about 2 weeks to break clumps and kill weed seedlings.
- Late May: Harrow after soil is 65°. Sow buckwheat at 70 lb per acre (broadcast and scratched in) or 50 lb per acre (drilled). Don’t leave gaps for weeds to grow.
- Early July: Incorporate buckwheat 6 weeks after sowing and reseed a few days later. Or Late July: Incorporate buckwheat 8 weeks after sowing. Let volunteers establish.
- Fall: Sow winter cover crop into frost-killed buckwheat, or lightly incorporate live buckwheat. If possible, avoid tilling by using no-till drill or broadcasting on surface. Buckwheat should leave the ground mellow enough that the cover crop will take without tillage.
Late plan:
For soil that dries slowly in the spring.
Gentle soil handling is followed by a single crop of buckwheat with an option to harvest for grain.
- June: Till field when the moisture is ideal for working the soil.
- June and early July: Allow residue to decompose for 3-4 weeks. Harrow at about 2 weeks to break clumps and kill weed seedlings.
- Early to Mid-July: Sow buckwheat at 70 lb per acre (broadcast and scratched in) or 50 lb per acre (drilled). Don’t leave gaps for weeds to grow.
- Mid to Late August: Mow six weeks after sowing, or harvest for grain 10 weeks after sowing.
- Late August to early September (October if harvesting grain): Sow winter cover crop into combined or frost-killed buckwheat; or lightly incorporate live buckwheat and wait one week. Sow winter cover crop with no-till drill or broadcasting on the surface. Buckwheat should leave the ground mellow enough that the cover crop will take with minimal tillage.