Cover Crop Superheroes

Fall is coming to a close and many of our warm season crops have finished growing. What shall we do with our gardens next?

Some gardeners might plant cool season vegetables (like broccoli, radish, peas, and kale) while others might plant a cover crop in their gardens.

WHAT IS A COVER CROP?

Cover crops are like superheroes of the garden! They protect our soil and can almost magically improve its quality in a few months! Cover crops are planted as seeds, watered, and allowed to grow for one to three months. Before they produce seeds of their own, the grown plants are chopped and mixed into the soil. When the plants break down, they release nutrients into the soil. Many farmers use this method (instead of adding synthetic fertilizers) to replenish soil after growing a food crop.

Cover crops are DEFENDERS OF THE GARDEN. They...

PROTECT the soil from erosion due to wind and rain
PREVENT INVASION from pesky weeds
REPLENISH the soil with nutrients
ENRICH the soil with organic material
DEFEND against some garden pests
and IMPROVE soil texture!

Check out this Cover Crop Superheroes video!

Cover Crop Superheroes!

Farmer Jenn is back and has some superhero friends to introduce to you!

Watch this video and decide which cover crop you would use in your garden.

Photos of Some Cover Crops!

Crimson Clover

beautiful, low growing, adds organic material, adds nitrogen (fuel for your plants)
Photo by Steve Prior, USDA

Peas and Oats

dense growth, prevents weeds, adds organic material and nitrogen
Shutterstock

Buckwheat

very fast growth, adds organic material
Shutterstock

Winter Wheat

Same wheat you eat! Does not encourage growth of root knot nematodes, adds organic material
Ms.Sheryl@Pioneer Garden

Oilseed radish

loosens soil, adds organic material
Photo by Dr. Ray Weil, University of Maryland.

Vetch

nitrogen (fuel for your plants), adds organic material
Photo by Scott Bauer, USDA

If you are interested in planting a cover crop, seeds can be purchased at https://www.groworganic.com or https://www.johnnyseeds.com or Be sure you purchase the right seed for the season! Have fun and please email Farmer Jenn at birchlanegardens@gmail.com if you have any questions.