When and how cover crops should be established depends on what a grower wishes to accomplish by their use. Four common methods are used for establishment. Overseeding is when cover-crop seed is placed between rows of a growing crop. In frost seeding, the cover crop is seeded into an established crop in late winter to early spring. Cover crops can be drilled or spread into crop residue following harvest.
Aerial application is another option.
Cover crops should be managed in a way that prevents them from becoming weeds. They must be controlled in spring, to prevent them from competing with the crop. A grower can choose cultural, mechanical, or chemical methods to manage a cover crop. Several cover crop species, such as oilseed radish, cannot survive Michigan winters, and can be allowed to die naturally. Mold-board plowing is a traditional mechanical control method.