Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education

Grants And Education To Advance Innovations In Sustainable Agriculture

Project Overview

FNE02-433
Project Type: Farmer
Funds awarded in 2002: $6,630.00
Projected End Date: 12/31/2002
Region: Northeast
State: Massachusetts
Project Leader:
Cary Quigley

Sustainable Practices for the Field Grown Perennial Cut Flower Grower

Commodities

  • Additional Plants: ornamentals

Practices

  • Crop Production: conservation tillage
  • Education and Training: farmer to farmer, technical assistance
  • Production Systems: general crop production
  • Soil Management: green manures, organic matter, soil quality/health
  • Sustainable Communities: sustainability measures

Proposal summary:

In perennial cut-flower production, attempts to control weeds often interfere with attempts to amend the soil, and soil amendments often encourage more weeds. To address these interlocking problems, the farmer will experiment with different cover crops to see which ones encourage good perennial growth with minimal competition, focusing on field peas, clover, buckwheat, vetch, and alfalfa. Plant health will be evaluated, and the project results will be offered to other growers as a potential alternative to using herbicides and landscape cloth.

Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.