Cover Crops

Cover Crops

After feeding your family all summer long, perhaps you feel it's time to feed your soil. Cover crops are ideal for putting nutrients back into your soil and keeping weed growth to a minimum. In fact, cover crops can be used in summer or winter, and different reasons for using them include (reference):

Add Nitrogen
Erosion Protection
Stabilize Soil Aggregates
Reduce Surface Hardness
Break Up Deep Compaction
Increase Organic Matter
Reduce Weeds
Reduce Root Rot
Attract Beneficial Insects

Some resources that may help:

Cover Cropping in Home Vegetable Gardens, University of California Publication
Youtube video on harvesting a winter cover crop
Cover Crops for Home Gardens West of the Cascades, Washington State University Extension Fact Sheet