Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Green Manures and Cover Crops
You can grow certain green plants, usually in the fall, and then cut
and till them into the soil the following spring. This kind of plant is
usually called a cover crop. Green manure is an easy and economical
way of adding organic matter to the soil. As the green matter
decomposes, it adds texture and nutrients back into your soil. A
cover crop will:
•
Enhance the soil structure and drainage
•
Protect bare soil from being blown away by the wind
•
Keep important nutrients from being leached away by rain
•
Loosen the soil
•
Help control weeds
•
Help break pest cycles
•
Provide you with your own mulch and compost material
Vetch, fava beans, winter field peas, clover, and fall rye can be
grown to increase the nitrogen content in your soil. They are called
nitrogen fixers
, which means their roots will hold nitrogen and then
release it into the soil once the plant is tilled under. Buckwheat and
phacelias are often used to suppress weeds and are great to plant if
you are just starting a new garden site or your old site has gotten
overgrown with weeds.
You can plant a cover crop at any time, but most gardeners plant
theirs after they have harvested their main crop. Before planting,
make sure the bed is clean. Roughly rake over the area in order to
break up the first few inches of soil. Then broadcast the seed and
keep it well watered if the weather is warm and dry.
It is easiest to turn over a cover crop if the plants are not too high,
so dig them in once they reach six to eight inches high. If they grow
taller, cut the plant a few inches from the soil and use the material
