To reduce excessive phosphorus in plants or the soil they grow in, you can plant cereal fall cover crops such as rye, oats, wheat, or barley.
Utilizing Cover Crops for Phosphorus Reduction
One effective method to help remove excessive phosphorus from the soil, which then influences phosphorus levels available to plants, is by using cereal fall cover crops.
How it Works:
Plants naturally absorb nutrients, including phosphorus, from the soil as they grow. By planting certain cover crops, you can encourage them to take up excess phosphorus present in the soil.
Steps for Using Cereal Cover Crops:
- Plant the Cover Crop: In the fall, plant a cereal cover crop like:
- Rye
- Oats
- Wheat
- Barley
- Allow Growth: Let the cover crop grow throughout the fall and potentially into the spring. As it grows, its roots absorb phosphorus from the soil.
- Remove the Crop: Before planting your main garden or crop in the spring, it is crucial that the entire cereal cover crop is physically pulled up by the roots.
- Discard: The removed plant material, now containing the absorbed phosphorus, must be discarded away from the garden area to effectively remove the phosphorus from the system.
This process uses the plant's natural nutrient uptake ability as a way to "mine" excess phosphorus from the soil, thereby reducing its availability to subsequent crops.
