b'COVER CROP CORNERINTERCROPPING AND COVER CROPPING:HOW THEY WORK WITH PLANT SYNERGIESNATURE IS INTELLIGENT. In nature, plants haveWhen looking at synergies by growing evolved and coevolved without any humanmore than one functional plant group, one assistance. Through the soil, microbes,needs to understand what each group does. insects, animals, and climate, these plants developed relationships with their environ- Plant Mix Designment, creating an efficient system of survival.When designing a plant mix, goals are very The soils develop signals from the ecosystemimportant, as is knowing where your soils are we refer to as soil, triggering different plantshealth-wise. For intercropping with a goal of Kevin Elmy to grow and thrive. low or no synthetic inputs, an easy button is is founder of Cover CropsOne of the keys of intercropping is theto grow a grass with a legume like oats and Canada. His book Coveruse of synergetic plants, meaning plants thatpeas. To take it to the next level, flax and Cropping in Westernplay nice with each other.Phacelia can be added. Canada is availableMost native stands that are properlyAdding a Brassica to a mix would require through Friesen Press,managed will consist of each of the func- a higher nitrogen supply rate. Remember, Amazon, and digitallytional plant groups, but each have their ownBrassicas are nutrient scavengers so will through Apple Books,ecological advantage, so they will grow incompete with your grasses, non-Brassicas Kindle, and Google Play.specific areas or conditions.and forbs. Pea-ola, peas and canola, has been For more info on CoverLegumes are dominant in a stand early ingrown in Western Canada for 40 years and is Crops Canada visitthe soil developmental stages. They providean easy way to grow canola without a large covercrops.ca nitrogen to the system and once the nitrogenfertilizer invoice. cycle has started, natural soil-borne nitrogenSeed size is the other key, unless the plan fixers are established. When the natural nitro- is to feed the mixture. For selling individual gen cycle falters, legumes jump back into thespecies from the mix, they need to be able plant mix to get nitrogen produced for theto be separated. The least expensive way to ecosystem.separate is by seed size, but separation can Brassicas like to grow in disturbed areasalso be done by seed weight density. with high levels of free nutrients, normally inMore producers are using a stripper header a soil that is bacteria-dominated. As a rule,which allows taller species to be used, like they are competitors in the system, tying upPersian clover. Flax is another crop where nutrients. They require a plant that will feedadding lower growing species helps with sup-them, such as a legume. Grasses and forbs inpressing weeds and a legume will help supply a system dominated by brassicas will strugglemore nitrogen. Adding a winter cereal along to get nutrients. Brassicas have an acidic rootwith subterranean clover creates ground cover system so rely less on mycorrhizal fungi. in the flax.Non-brassica species are a very diverseCare needs to be taken with fall rye if group and this includes plants like beets, sun- using other cereal cash crops. It can overwin-flowers, flax and buckwheat. Many of the plantster, creating grain contamination.in the non-brassica group are mycorrhizalBrassicas are nutrient scavengers, so care fungi-friendly so tend to play nice in mixes.needs to be taken when including them in There are some inherent issues with somea blend as they will continue to accumulate of the species. Sunflowers and flax can benutrients competing with the other species.later maturing, and buckwheat is very earlyCare must also be taken in keeping the maturing. Research is now showing thatplant densities in the right ratios that match some of these non-Brassica plants are able towhat the soil can supply in terms of nutrients control the available boron for some plants, soand water. their maturity is sped up or slowed down toRemember to work with natures intelli-match maturities of other species in the mix. gence. 44GERMINATION.CAMARCH 2022'