How do you treat crops that overlap calendar years?
COMET-Farm cannot support growing more than one crop at the same tie on the same parcel/field. It is important to enter both planting date and the termination date. If you are choosing a cover crop that is planted without an active termination date, the model will continue with the cover crop and terminate if there is a specified event (i.e. tillage or another planting date).
Example set up with a cover crop:
- Corn
- Planted: May 1, 2000
- Intensive Tillage (planting implement): May 1, 2000. This could also occur prior to the plant date so long as it does not overlap with any previously planted crops.
- If a crop is planted in any way (i.e. not broadcast seeded) you will need to enter a tillage date. A tillage (including intensive till, reduced till, strip till, ridge till, mulch till) and either broad spectrum herbicide or crimping will kill the standing crop IF the event date occurs between the day of plant and harvest. The tillage event can occur before the planting date or after the final harvest event, but be aware it does not interfere with any subsequent or previously planted crops.
- Harvest: Sept 15, 2000
- Winter Wheat
- Planted: Sept 20, 2000
- Intensive Tillage (planting implement) : Sept 20, 2000
- Harvest: April 25, 2001
- Soybean
- Planted May 1, 2001
- Intensive Tillage (planting implement): May 1, 2001
- Harvest: Sept 1, 2001.
COMET-Farm cannot support growing more than one crop at the same tie on the same parcel/field. If you do have multiple crops growing at the same time in the same field, you will need to set up your fields in a creative manner. Please send a message in the "contact us" field describing your growing situation.