Need ideas for a cover crop...

[kinnisoj]

Okay here is the problem,my corn patch is once again being taken over by weeds. Mostly binder vines.My thought is to plant a thick cover crop in hopes to smother out the weeds making next year more enjoyable. And 2 improve the quality of the soil. Part of the corn patch was once a gravel road. Not high on the garden quality soil.
So any ideas? Any thoughts? Am I giving in to early in the season? Keep in mind I live in Southern Colorado,a very dry area. Thanks for your time J.

[Backyard Permaculture]

This may not apply to you, but is something I am planning to experiment with.

I plan on using Slave Labor.

OK, in this case, the slaves wear feathers.

Once the corn gets about knee high, I plan on surrounding the patch with my Chicken pen sections (see my photos) and turning a couple of chickens in there.

The corn plants should be too large to interest the chickensl But they will scratch up the weeds and help out fertilizing it.

Ron

[MoniDew]

you could try the three sisters approach, planting squash and beans in with your corn. beans are a nitrogen fixer, inproving your soil quality and squash covers and shades the soil so weeds don't have a chance.

[kitsapFG]

Are binder weeds the ones that spread by underground rizomes? If so, you will not be successful in growing much of anything (without constant hand weeding in that patch) until you take them out. If the infestation is bad enough you may need to do a soil sterilization process to rid the bed of them. Absent that buckwheat as a cover gcrop is an excellent one for weed suppression. It is super fast growing, has lush growth, and covers the bed in a canopy of leaves. When it begins to flower you need to turn it over into the soil and if you have enough growing season left - plant some more of it. Several successions of buckwheat is often all it takes to reduce the weed population in a garden bed (plus it's great as a green manure crop and builds fertility in the soil). Buckwheat will only grow during warm weather though - so it does not work as a fall or early spring cover crop.

[kinnisoj]

okay so we got Buckwheat, soil sterilizing, 3 sisters....that one sounds like the most fun, well I guess Im still not to sure. In on hand I'm thinking dont plant anything just have a cemical warfare with the weeds all summer on the other the buck wheat idea sounds good. Ill take some pics and keep you informed. Thank you again for your time J.