One of the most reliable ways to establish a cover crop to provide soil protection over the winter months is to establish it with the growing maize crop. Left in place post-harvest these well-established cover crops protect the soil from erosion and mop up surplus nutrients.
If undersowing is not possible or desirable, then the After-maize cover crop mixture is a good option. This mixture is very fast to establish at a time of year when most mixtures struggle. The resulting crop provides good over winter ground cover and can go on to provide a valuable early silage cut.
All SAM2 winter cover crops must be established in time to provide good soil protection through the winter months of December, January and February.
SFI/CSS compatibility
| Arable crops |
Temp crops |
Horticultural |
Non horticultural |
Improved |
Low input |
| SAM 2 |
Y |
Y |
Y |
|
|
|
The seed mixtures have been designed to be compatible with a range of actions within the Countryside Stewardship Scheme (CSS) and the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI). However, these mixtures are no guarantee of compliance and should therefore be grown and managed in a way that can be reasonably expected to meet the aims of the action.