Cover crops

Cover crops serve a number of functions in the garden. They add organic matter, improve the soil's texture and structure, improve the fertility, help prevent erosion and attract pollinating insects. Find out about cover crop planting times in this article.

WE MAY DRIVE red equipment, but green is our favorite color by far. A perfectly plowed field has nothing on the brilliant green mat dotted with hairy vetch flowers that dominates our tractor cab view when my cousin, Tim Imhoff, and I seed our crops.

Soil Health Partnership data shows learning curve associated with cover crop adoption.

Cover crops are not just for farmers. Home gardeners can also use this winter cover to improve soil nutrients, prevent weeds, and stop erosion. Legumes and grains are popular cover crops, and triticale as a cover crop is great too. Learn more about it here.

After harvesting your garden vegetables, adding a fall cover crop can build soil, protect from soil loss, and assist in weed and pest control for the next growing season. Learn when to plant and how to manage cover crops for the maximum benefit of your growing space.

I don’t know why homesteading makes me so impulsive… Whether we’re talking about my propensity to impulse-buy farm animals, or my tendency to fire up a canning project in the middle of a busy morning when I have no business standing there peeling peaches, I guess I just have to blame it on my […]

Cover crops: The only plants you’ll be happy to kill. Click through to see the full version of this infographic.

Planting cover crops benefits your garden in many ways, beyond just soil improvement. Weed suppression, attracting pollinators, and nutrients for next season are some examples.

Cover crops can improve soil and suppress weeds. From winter rye to clover, here are 13 of the best cover crops for small-scale farmers.