Being any type of farmer is like going to Vegas, you may win and you may lose. TnM planting is dependent to a large degree on a couple of things. You must first have done a few years of crop rotation to build up proper thatch, and a timely rain can sure make it more successful.
My farm is just a few miles from the Great Eastern Divide. It’s a dry, shale barren type of soils that exhibit low moisture thruout the year, even to the extent that Cacti are found on the eastern slopes. Add to that my farm is mostly south facing slopes that are baked by the sun. I’m used to dealing with low moisture.
But, When I think might be chance of rain, then I try my best to get my seed down. I know even a minimal few showers will allow the thatch to hold moisture for imbibition and germination of my seed. I don’t pay much attention to the weather man, more so watch for an advancing front that perhaps when it hits my mountains, they will squeeze what ever moisture they can from it.
So today was that day. Brassicas need be in for me by end of July for them to perform. Off to my local feed store and bought my seed and fert. Dwarf Essex Rape, Purple Top Turnips, and Jackhammer Radish for 2 plots. $20. Nothing against buying online but no way can do that cheap, and why not support the local guy?? Plus you get to talk sports, politics, and weather while getting your bargain. I’d pay extra to support local.
Spread the small seed with my Solo Spreader and the Urea with ATV pull behind spreader. Did 3# of each / ac. Spread 100# Urea and will do that again in a month. I don’t always do the fert, and sometimes also add 19-19-19 but with rotations, fert is not nearly as necessary. Ran bushhog over again chopping up the thatch and allowing the tractor tires to compact the seed.
And indeed a few showers passed thru the evening. Gotta love it after sweating like a mule in this heat.
The upper plot was as you can see nearly 80% WC so I chose not to spray and terminate such a good plot. I just overseeded into the standing clover. Had it not had a heavy growth of WR from last year that I allowed to remain and selfterminate, I assure you on this dry ridge top, this clover would not look so great in the dry year.
If you look at my hand pic, you can see even without rain the soil beneath good thatch is moist and will ball up. Yet the soil not covered so well is dry and loose. Such an advantage of no till and also good cover crops protect us both from drought and monsoon.
And doesn’t that last pic look as if its a planted yard that’s been covered in straw?? Perfect scenario.