Kirk V. Iversen, Auburn University
Ronnie M. Barentine, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension
Successful conservation tillage systems always have crops growing in the fields. Cover crops and cash crops follow each other and sometimes overlap. When summer crops are maturing or have just been harvested, it is time to plant winter cover crops. In the spring, the winter cover crop is terminated three to four weeks before the summer cash crops are planted. Soil and plant sampling, scouting, planning and equipment maintenance occur year-round. Seed, fertilizer and chemicals are ordered when the best selection and price are available. This chapter presents a generalized season-by-season task list for conservation tillage system management. It is a starting point for developing a farm calendar that considers local conditions.