Interseeding Summer Cover Crops Between Vegetable Beds, Trial Results
Chuck Bornt, Team Leader, Extension Vegetable Specialist
Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture
Managing weeds between vegetable beds remains an on-going issue for vegetable growers, both organic and conventional. It is common practice for vegetable growers to transplant crops into beds covered with black plastic mulch. This strategy provides excellent weed control in the planted row but leaves soil between beds exposed and vulnerable to erosion, compaction, and weed growth. Conventional growers often use herbicides for weed control, but herbicides applied at crop establishment do not provide season long control. Organic growers can mow or use tillage to control weeds, but this can be difficult between beds with plastic mulch and the soil is continuously disturbed decreasing soil health over time. Planting cover crops to protect and improve soil health is not new and the potential benefits of cover crops are well known.
Apples
Apricots
Asparagus
Beets
Blueberries
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Cherries
Cucumbers
Dry Beans
Eggplant
Ethnic Vegetables
Garlic
Grapes
Horseradish
Kohlrabi
Leeks
Lettuce / Leafy Greens
Melons
Nectarines
Onions
Parsnips
Peaches
Pears
Peas
Peppers
Plums
Potatoes
Pumpkins / Gourds
Radishes
Raspberries / Blackberries
Rhubarb
Rutabaga
Snap Beans
Squash - Summer
Squash- Winter
Strawberries
Sweet Corn
Sweet Potatoes
Tomatoes
Turnips
Upcoming Events
2026 Northeast Extension Fruit Consortium Winter Webinar Series
February 4, 2026 : Management of Up and Coming Strawberry Diseases in the Northeastern United States
Session 1: Management of Up and Coming Strawberry Diseases in the Northeastern United States
February 11, 2026 : Kiwiberry Production in the Northeast
Session 2: Kiwiberry Production in the Northeast
February 18, 2026 : Heat Mitigation- Sunburn and Fruit Coloring
Session 3: Heat Mitigation- Sunburn and Fruit Coloring
February 25, 2026 : The Dating Game- Updates in Lepidopteran Mating Disruption
Session 4: The Dating Game- Updates in Lepidopteran Mating Disruption
March 4, 2026 : USEPA Endangered Species Act Strategies and Pesticide Use
Session 5: USEPA Endangered Species Act Strategies and Pesticide Use
March 11, 2026 : Practical Drought Management for Fruit Growers
Session 6: Practical Drought Management for Fruit Growers
Managing the Invasive Swede Midge Webinar
March 6, 2026 : Managing the Invasive Swede Midge Webinar
Swede midge is an invasive fly that causes serious economic losses to brassica crops. Due to its small size and hidden feeding habits, swede midge is often called an "invisible pest" and damage may be misdiagnosed. In this webinar, we will review the swede midge life cycle and crop damage symptoms, current management recommendations, new research findings, and highlights from on-farm case studies with a focus on organic management.
New Farm Manager Skills Day - Get the Tools You Need to Grow Your People (Hudson Valley)
March 10, 2026 : New Farm Manager Skills Day - Get the Tools You Need to Grow Your People
Millbrook, NY
Are you moving into a supervisory farm management role this season and want to get off to a good start? Are you an experienced manager who wants to connect with other "people" managers and work on your skills? This one-day workshop is for you!