Wheat (Triticum aestivum) is a cool-season annual grass, efective as a cover crop for weed suppression, erosion control, and as a livestock grazing supplement. (Photo by Jason Johnson) Planting information from Midwest Cover Crop Council (midwestcovercrops.org).

It’s important to understand how to grow wheat, how to handle threats to your crop, and the benefits wheat can provide as a cover crop. This is all information you’ll want to know before you start growing this plant.

Sep 23, 2024 · A winter wheat cover crop can improve the nutrient cycling of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. To promote nitrogen uptake, it is essential to get early growth in the fall before the freezing winter temperatures take hold.

Dec 1, 2021 · Learn how to grow winter wheat to improve soil conditions, repair exposed areas, and minimize erosion. Winter wheat cover crops are designed to lessen erosion from runoff of water and wind and to retain the soil.

Wheat (Triticum aestivum) is a cool-season annual grass, efective as a cover crop for weed suppression, erosion control, and as a livestock grazing supplement. (Photo by Jason Johnson)

A wheat cover crop stabilizes the soil during high rainfall months and increases soil productivity by increasing organic matter and biological activity. Wheat is especially beneficial when the residue is left on the soil surface and the following summer crop is planted using no-till practices.

Apr 4, 2023 · Wheat is effective for weed suppression, but it is less effective than other cool-season cereals because it doesn’t produce as much biomass. Wheat may reduce sclerotinia and is a non-host for sugar beet cyst nematode, soybean cyst nematode, and root knot nematode.

Cover crops can provide forage for livestock, improve soil quality, and help manage excess water. This chapter provides an overview of cover crops and basic information needed to determine what and when to plant. The smaller the seed size, the longer it will take for the plant to put on substantial growth.

According to NAWG’s policy guidelines, winter wheat, planted in the fall and harvested the following summer, provides a living cover and root system over winter, similar to a cover crop. In fact, winter wheat is a cover crop under NRCS conservation practice standard 340 for cover crops, but it cannot be harvested.

Mar 12, 2025 · Wheat + vetch cover crop aerially seeded into standing soybean. The cover crop was seeded in September allowing it to begin growing prior to the November soybean harvest (Photo credit Sarah Hirsh). As with cash crops, cover crop stand and performance will be better when seeds are planted directly into the soil. However, sometimes modifying cash ...