December 2023 - 81

PLANT & SOIL HEALTH
The Fauquier Education Farm in
Warrenton, Virginia utilizes three
cover crops: annual rye, crimson
clover and vetch. Photo by
Debbie Eisele.
rate, which will reduce your costs
and plant competition.
For example, when sorghum
sudangrass (aka Sudex) was part of
a summer annual cover crop mix, it
grew fast in warm weather, tillered,
and was often too competitive with
other plants. This is one example
discussed in Bybee-Finley's et al.
article (2022). Also, if a legume seed
cost is too high, you may want to
reduce its seed rate, but note that
legumes are often less competitive
when there is adequate nitrogen in
the soil because legumes grow best
in lower nitrogen soil.
Some plants are more competitive
when grown as a sole crop
(intraspecific competition) but
less competitive when grown in a
mixture of species (interspecific
competition), such as pearl millet.
This species " plays well with others "
and can fill in the gaps.
Plant growth rates
Choose cover crops species that
can grow well in your environment
and at the time of year they are
planted. Selecting species with
different physical traits often
provides different functions. For
example, some cover crops (such as
Daikon radish) produce a tap root and
help with soil drainage. Plants with
fibrous roots such as cereal rye will
help reduce erosion. When grown
together, they can fill the space
collectively, above and below ground.
This aspect is a key reason to grow
mixes, as they increase soil cover
and weed competition in addition to
providing their own contributions.
Strive to adjust the rate for each
species to obtain a more even
stand and get the most out of your
investment. This approach will
increase effectiveness of the mix and
may even reduce seed cost. Threeand
four-way mixes are the most
practical number of species to include
and can address several goals in
one season. This has been shown in
several field research studies.
Incorporating these considerations
when choosing seed rate and seed
mixes may not produce a perfect cover
crop, but be a great improvement
over using one-crop species and
single seed-planting rate.
2023
Digital Seed
Varieties Guide
BROUGHT
TO YOU BY
VGN
SUPPLIER LISTINGS
SECTION - PAGE 4
VIDEO SPOTLIGHT
SECTION - PAGE 10
CATALOG SPOTLIGHT
SECTION - PAGE 11
The 2023 Digital Seed Varieties Guide
provides growers with the latest information and newest varieties from
leading industry suppliers to help grow what your customers want.
ยป
Download your copy at
VegetableGrowersNews.com/Seed-Guide
Or scan the QR Code for instant access.
VEGETABLEGROWERSNEWS.COM | 81
SEED GUIDE
2023
http://www.VegetableGrowersNews.com/Seed-Guide http://www.VEGETABLEGROWERSNEWS.COM

December 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of December 2023

Editor's Letter
Watermelon Pressures
Battling food insecurities
40 Under 40 Class of 2023
Michigan Vegetable Council's proactive approach
2023: Year in review
Great Lakes EXPO News: Mastering pest management
Great Lakes EXPO News: Stop the Rot project
2024 Buyers' Guide
Consider automatic irrigation control systems
Autonomous tech invades the 'salad bowl'
Robotic risk
Robots perform field work
Cover crop mixes
Farm Market & Agritourism: Revolutionize customer relationships
Ag Labor Review: DOL's end run
Business: Effective succession planning
Classifieds
Advertiser Index
December 2023 - 1
December 2023 - 2
December 2023 - 3
December 2023 - Editor's Letter
December 2023 - 5
December 2023 - Watermelon Pressures
December 2023 - 7
December 2023 - 8
December 2023 - 9
December 2023 - 10
December 2023 - 11
December 2023 - Battling food insecurities
December 2023 - 13
December 2023 - 14
December 2023 - 15
December 2023 - 16
December 2023 - 40 Under 40 Class of 2023
December 2023 - 18
December 2023 - 19
December 2023 - 20
December 2023 - 21
December 2023 - 22
December 2023 - 23
December 2023 - 24
December 2023 - 25
December 2023 - 26
December 2023 - 27
December 2023 - 28
December 2023 - 29
December 2023 - Michigan Vegetable Council's proactive approach
December 2023 - 31
December 2023 - 32
December 2023 - 33
December 2023 - 2023: Year in review
December 2023 - 35
December 2023 - 36
December 2023 - 37
December 2023 - Great Lakes EXPO News: Mastering pest management
December 2023 - 39
December 2023 - 40
December 2023 - Great Lakes EXPO News: Stop the Rot project
December 2023 - 42
December 2023 - 2024 Buyers' Guide
December 2023 - 44
December 2023 - 45
December 2023 - 46
December 2023 - 47
December 2023 - 48
December 2023 - 49
December 2023 - 50
December 2023 - 51
December 2023 - 52
December 2023 - 53
December 2023 - 54
December 2023 - 55
December 2023 - 56
December 2023 - 57
December 2023 - 58
December 2023 - 59
December 2023 - 60
December 2023 - 61
December 2023 - 62
December 2023 - 63
December 2023 - 64
December 2023 - 65
December 2023 - 66
December 2023 - Consider automatic irrigation control systems
December 2023 - Autonomous tech invades the 'salad bowl'
December 2023 - 69
December 2023 - 70
December 2023 - 71
December 2023 - Robotic risk
December 2023 - 73
December 2023 - 74
December 2023 - 75
December 2023 - Robots perform field work
December 2023 - 77
December 2023 - 78
December 2023 - 79
December 2023 - Cover crop mixes
December 2023 - 81
December 2023 - Farm Market & Agritourism: Revolutionize customer relationships
December 2023 - 83
December 2023 - Ag Labor Review: DOL's end run
December 2023 - 85
December 2023 - Business: Effective succession planning
December 2023 - 87
December 2023 - Classifieds
December 2023 - 89
December 2023 - Advertiser Index
December 2023 - 91
December 2023 - 92
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/july-august-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/may-june-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/april-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/march-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/february-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/vgn-digital-seed-guide-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/january-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/buyers-guide-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/december-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/november-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/september-october-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/july-august
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/may-june-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/april-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/march-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/vgn-digital-seed-guide-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/february-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/january-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/december-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/buyers-guide-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/november-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/september-october-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/august-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/july-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/june-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/may-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/march-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/february-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/seedguide-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/buyersguide-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/january-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/december-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/november-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/october-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/september-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/august-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/july-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/june-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/may-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/april-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/march-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/february-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/seedguide-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/buyersguide-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/january-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/december-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/november-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/october-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/september-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/august-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/july-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/june-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/may-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/april-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/march-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/february-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/buyersguide-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/january-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/december-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/november-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/october-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/september-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/august-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/july-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/june-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/may-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/april-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/march-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/february-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/buyersguide-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/VGN/january-2019
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com