SYRACUSE, N.Y. — It is spring in New York and the flowers are starting to bloom in earnest. In recent years, many direct market farms have been adding cut market flowers to their product line-up. The benefits of cover crops for other agricultural systems have included better weed management and improved yields with improved quality. However, the benefits of cover crops in cut flower production have not been fully explored. To support the needs of this growing product, NYFVI is funding a project by Cornell Cooperative Extension to help define the best practices in this area.
The project will evaluate which cover crops work best in providing weed suppression and improved soil health in cut flower production. The study will take place on five flower farms in the Capitol Region and will test both winter and summer cover crops. Summer cover crops will be grown between rows of flower crops during the growing season, and the winter cover crops will be planted in growing beds after the season ends and serve as a mulch for the next season’s flower crops.
Project leader Jingjing Yin said of the project, “Weed and soil health management are two big challenges in cut flower production. Most growers rely on landscape fabric for weed suppression. It is not sustainable, is labor-intensive, and is costly. Growers are eager to find sustainable and cost-efficient alternatives. Meanwhile, inflation and supply chain issues have affected fertilizer costs. Growers are interested in adopting new strategies to reduce fertilizer inputs while improving soil health and crop quality. Cover crops provide a wide range of benefits to agricultural systems including cutting fertilizer costs, reducing the need for herbicides and pesticides, improving yields, preventing soil erosion, conserving soil moisture and protecting water quality. Therefore, the objectives of this project are 1) to evaluate the potential of various summer cover crop species for weed suppression and improving soil health when grown concurrently with cut flowers; 2) to evaluate the potential of various winter cover crop species for scavenging nutrients and serving as mulches for next season’s flowers; 3) to share the best practices of using cover crops in cut flower production systems with NYS cut flower growers.”
The trial results will be shared through two in-depth field days and webinars. A factsheet will also be created offering practical suggestions on using summer and winter cover crops for weed control and improving soil health in cut flower production. In addition to improving crop yields and quality, the project seeks to reduce the cost of weed control measures and reduce fertilizer inputs.
The New York Farm Viability Institute is a nonprofit grantmaking organization. The organization runs a competitive grant program that seeks to fund agricultural research and education projects that will create and share knowledge to improve the economic viability of New York’s farmers. If you are a New York farmer and would like to get involved in our review process, please reach out to Aileen Randolph at [email protected].
–New York Farm Viability Institute
