Cover crops have a proven ability to suppress winter annual and early season weeds, but are less effective at controlling problem summertime weeds like waterhemp and Palmer amaranth, according to weed science experts.

“To plan for the greatest weed management benefit with cover crops, you should start by knowing when your key weed species of concern germinate and emerge,” said Kansas State University agronomist Anita Dille. “Living cover crops or cover crop residues will smother and out-compete weeds for light, water and nutrients.”

Cover crops are most likely to control winter annual weeds ...