From driggs@cce.cornell.eduMon Apr 24 12:32:36 1995
Date: Mon, 24 Apr 1995 11:53:40 -0400 (EDT)
From: Dale Riggs <driggs@cce.cornell.edu>
To: alice jones <ajones@unlinfo.unl.edu>
Cc: XPWY@musicb.mcgill.ca, sanet-mg@ces.ncsu.edu
Subject: Re: cover crop quextion

For those of you looking for information about alternative pumpkin
production techniques, I have done three years of research on using rye
mulches for pumpkin weed control.  We use standard winter rye, seeded the
previous fall, kill it in the spring, and
 then plant directly into it.  If you'd like a copy of the results, send
me your "snail-mail" address and I'll get a copy to you.

 On Fri, 21 Apr 1995,
alice jones wrote:

> Sylvie:  A similar question just came up here in Nebraska for pumpkin 
> production.  I do not have any research data to support my approach 
> but I do have a lot of experience and observations.  This spring we 
> are solid seeding winter wheat and then planting pumpkin about two 
> months later.  The winter wheat needs to vernalize to tiller, elongate
> and produce seed.  Since we plant it in the spring it just grows a few
> inches high like any other grass.  We have used this approach for 
> years in my home state of Montana where winter wheat was spring 
> planted into alleyways of field plots to provide a nice clean walking 
> environment for people attending field days.
> 
> We don't have any information on any cultural practice or produciton 
> considerations for this approach in pumpkins but it is worth a try.  
> Furthermore, it will winterkill on its own and provide a nice ground 
> cover for erosion control.
> 
> Good Luck
> 
> Alice J. Jones, PhD
> Ext. Erosion Control Specialist
> Univ. Nebraska
> Lincoln, NE 68583-0910
> 402-472-1500
> 402-472-7904 (fax)
> ajones@unlinfo.unl.edu
> > 
> > We are interested in finding a cover crop which can be used in
> > rhubarb production. This cover crop would be used during the
> > first year (implantation of the rhubarb) to reduce soil erosion
> > but mostly to compete perrenial weed grass (quackgrass). We are
> > aiming to use the cover crop to prevent perrenial colonization of the
> > field until rhubarb is able to compete, after a year. Did anyone
> > have tried species in that situation, when and how was it seeded
> > and what were the results ?  The species would have to be winter killed
> > after the season of implantation, so no mecanical control is required
> > the following year.
> > Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated
> > 
> > Eric Leger, agr. Bassin Versant
> > 
> 



Dale Riggs
Area Extension Specialist
Vegetable Crops
Albany Regional Office
146 State St.
Albany NY  12207 
(518)462-2553
FAX (518)426-3316


