Lou Lego of Elderberry Pond Country Foods in Auburn, New York, has come up with a new system of cover crops and plastic mulches that may just offer the best of both worlds. Lou alternates strips of living cover crops with strips of plastic mulch in a system that increases plant yield and quality while reducing the amount of labor and plastic waste associated with plastic mulch.

In fall, Lou seeds his fields with rye, then lays strips of plastic mulch where he wants his veggies to grow the next year. The rye germinates between the strips of plastic, but is suppressed beneath them. It grows a few inches tall in fall, holding the plastic in place and preventing winter erosion. In spring, the rye begins to grow rapidly, reaching about a foot in height by the time he is ready to transplant into the plastic mulch. The grain reduces the amount of sunlight that reaches the plastic mulch, extending its life. It also creates a sheltered environment for the new plants. In mid-June or early July, when the rye is starting to form seed, Lou cuts it with a walk-behind sickle bar mower.

The cover crop falls onto the plastic, further protecting it from the sun. In fall or early the next spring, he cleans up the rye mulch from the plastic and reseeds between the beds. A second crop from a different family can be planted in the plastic mulch. Ideally, the plastic can be used for up to three seasons with this system. He also has used spring-seeded covers such as oats, but finds that the unpredictability of spring weather makes establishment less certain. Lou cautions that soil needs to be in good shape, with plenty of organic matter and good fertility because it will be covered for several years.

Lou received a SARE grant last year for his hybrid mulch system. You can obtain a copy of his report from him at llego@baldcom.net or 315-252-3977.