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Choosing Crops To Plant This Season

Jun. 3 2020 Seasonal By ___

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What crops you can plant on your land depends a great deal upon the region, since different soils are more suitable for different kinds of plants. Another major factor that affects what you can plant and when is the weather. If you’re wondering what you can plant right now, you have to take some factors into consideration.

At Central Arkansas Mahindra, we love to help our clients make the most of their land and their machines, so we’ve compiled this informative guide on spring planting. If you’d like to learn more or are looking for quality farm equipment in Little Rock, AR to help you out, contact our sales department for more help. We’re proud to be the Mahindra® dealer for all our friends from Sherwood, Conway and Hot Springs!

Consider Your Land

The kind of land you’re working on plays a very big part in deciding the crops and plants you can grow. If you’ve got a small box garden, you’ll have some limitations compared to a big field. You may, however, be able to plant a number of different vegetables side by side so you can enjoy a variety of produce. 

Larger fields can be a little trickier when deciding what to grow. You need to test the soil to see which crops are compatible with it and then prep the field properly for planting. Understanding the limitations of your workspace can play a big role in the crops you choose.

Your Experience

There are some crops that require very little effort to grow. Others will need some dedicated effort. If you’re new to growing crops, it’s better to start with some of the simpler and easier plants. These will grow no matter how the weather patterns turn out for the growing season. 

Once you’ve got some experience under your belt, you can expand your operation to include more particular crops that will put you in a niche market. As you check out your options, see what’s involved in growing a particular crop and decide if you’re ready to try it out.

Crop Rotation

If you’re working on large fields, you should know that it’s very risky to keep planting the same crop again and again in your fields. This takes a real toll on your soil because it keeps being drained of its essential nutrients that the crop requires. This makes the soil more prone to soil erosion. 

If you don’t rotate your crops, you give certain pests and plant disease plenty of time to settle in in an overly consistent environment. For a time, these issues were rectified by fallowing (not growing anything for a year to replenish nutrients), but you can improve productivity by growing different crops that keep the soil fertile. 

The general idea is to change the crop family of a particular piece of land once every 1-3 years. The science behind crop rotation is more complicated than we can list out here, but if you’re just looking for the breakdown of family rotation, follow the example below:

  • Brassicas: kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts

  • Potato family: tomatoes, peppers, potatoes

  • Roots: carrots, celery, fennel

  • Marrow and/or beetroot: cucumber, beets, squash spinach

  • Legumes: beans, peas, cover crops (such as alfalfa)

Different types of crops take different types of nutrients from the soil; they also help to replenish other nutrients. Whatever crops you choose, figure out what family they’ll fall in, what they do for the soil, and which crops you’ll want to follow up with, and use this information to create your ideal crop rotation calendar.

Successful Arkansas Crops

With all this in mind, it’s time to talk about real crops you can grow in Arkansas. Here are some of the most commonly grown ones:

  • Rice

  • Corn

  • Edamame

  • Cotton

  • Wheat

If you choose these crops, you’ll be among friends who can offer lots of great advice and you’ll have easier access to the tools you need to succeed. 

Of course, you don’t have to focus exclusively on these crops. Some other great options include: 

  • Peanuts

  • Grain Sorghum

  • Tomatoes

  • Hay

  • Beets

  • Cabbage

  • Carrots

  • Lettuce

  • Onions

Finally, if you know what you’re doing and are ready to put in the time and effort, you can grow a wide variety of crops. Just make sure you have enough information about the crop you're planning to plant. If you’d like to talk to some experts or are looking for farm equipment in Little Rock, AR, get in touch with us at Central Arkansas Mahindra. We’re the leading Mahindra dealer for all our patrons from Sherwood, Conway and Hot Springs!