Mixed species crops are proving to be a handy tool for mixed farming enterprises, who are looking for a boost in production and soil health while limiting inputs. A diverse range of seed mixes available suggests there is lots of opportunities for farmers to experiment with and find what works for them.

Mixed species cover crops provide a range of benefits that include improved soil biology and structure, as well as an increase in soil organic carbon, which is becoming an increasingly important topic. One of many examples is, by using a tillage radish in a mix, the root system of the radish is different to other crop types and will use its’ larger taproots to break up soil compaction and increase aeration where other crops may not.  An effective cover crop should also benefit the following years crops by reducing weed and disease pressures. It can also provide a lot of benefit for livestock production by producing large amounts of quick feed, while still improving the soil health and allowing other pastures to rest and recover.

Southern Farming Systems in conjunction with CCMA, Upper Barwon Landcare, Irrewarra Farmcare and Geelong Landcare Network recently hosted an event in Beeac where over 50 farmers and industry representatives attended, keen to hear more about how they could incorporate a mixed species cover crop in their systems. The event covered topics such as soil carbon, cover cropping and a demonstration of machinery that can be used to sow mixed species crops.

Grant Sims, from Down under Covers gave a presentation on the world of cover crops and said how important it was to understand the biology of your soil and how the different species of plants in cover crops can work together to unlock more of those nutrients that are locked up in the soil.

The interaction between mixed species and the strategies needed to grow them may seem complicated and there is still a lot to learn about how we can use cover crops to benefit our farming systems. However, a key theme from the speakers at the event was that you don’t have to change everything overnight and it is important that you experiment with different mixes and strategies to find what will benefit your specific system.

Image: Attendees of the cover cropping event in Beaac inspecting a mixed species cover crop  Source: J Wettenhall, SFS

By James Palmer, Graduate Research & Extension