The Lincoln Times

The farmer, who starts getting ready for a crop a month or two before time to plant it, is usually the one who makes the best crops.

Early planting is important for all crops but it is almost imperative for Austrian winter peas, vetch, and crimson clover, says Enos Blair, extension agronomist at State College.

When these crops are planted on time they do their growing during the part of the year when the land is not needed for anything else. But when planted too late, these winter legumes have to use too much of the warm spring weather, when the grower cannot afford to have them taking up the room.

Therefore, he has to plow them up before they have time to do the soil any good. The result is that much seed and work have been thrown away.

"It takes a thick cover of winter legume vegetation about a foot deep to really do the soil any good," Blair says. "The benefit from nitrogen and organic matter is in direct proportion to the amount of material turned under. To be practical, winter legumes have to make their growth two weeks before time to plant corn or whatever crop is to follow them. They will do this in North Carolina if they are planted early in September rather than in October and November.

Austrian winter peas planted September 1 will be almost knee high by the first of April. If planted October 15, they will be only five or six inches high, and will not have covered the ground. If planting is delayed until late November or early December as some farmers do, they will be only two or three inches high on April 1.

The same is true of vetch and crimson clover.

As to planting before September 1 this can be done in the mountains, but hot, dry weather will generally kill the plants as soon as they come up in other parts of the state.

"If you want a good winter legume crop it is time now to begin looking for your seed," says Blair. "It will take 35 pounds per acre for the Austrian winter peas, 25 pounds for vetch and 25 pounds for crimson clover."