First time hearing about cover crops? What age are you living in?! Cover crops have been a part of the Agri buzz for years, but are now beginning to gain real popularity. If you believe you can’t benefit from them because you’re only growing a small garden in your backyard – think again.
Here are the three main reasons you should consider making space for these hard-working garden helpers in your calendar!
Cover crops suppress weeds
They do that in many ways, but most importantly – by competing with weeds for space and nutrients, literally ‘suffocating’ unwanted intruders and not letting them occupy the space left behind after harvest or between different plants.
Different varieties can also hinder the development of weeds via allelopathic substances and fungi that are pathogenic to weed seedlings.
Read more about cover crops and weeds here.
Cover crops control pests and diseases
Also, they can reduce your pesticide bill by as much as 40%! People who are using cover crops consistently report that they see a decrease in the numbers of Colorado potato beetles, cucumber beetles, aphids, nematodes and early blight. Cover crops discourage the development of many pests and diseases, but you should also have in mind that the retained humidity can favor others – like slugs. A controlled and more targeted approach can handle this without any significant increase in your costs, losses and overall gardening time, though.
Cover crops improve soil quality
We spoke about improving soil health in this article, and we quickly mentioned cover crops, too. Now is the time to get to the details how and why this happens!
Introducing cover crops in your calendar helps maximize biomass production naturally, protecting the soil from erosion (wind and water) and preserving water for the plants up next on your list.
It’s important to note that benefits connected to improved soil quality become noticeable mainly in the long run. They are dependent on the goal you have set with cover crops, and may or may not affect your overall expenses (or return on investment if you’re selling your produce).
Cover crops: A Quick How-To
Ready to start? Here are the most basic steps, so you know what you’re dealing with:
> Prep the soil with gentle raking
> Spread the seeds of the chosen cover crop
> Rake them gently in to establish a good contact between the seed and the soil
Most types reach full maturity for 2-3 weeks. They’re low maintenance, with some mowing required to keep them from overgrowing. Water if needed (during severe droughts).
When’s the right time to say goodbye your cover crop? Before it sets seed – make sure you kill it at this point to make the most of its presence and to prevent it from taking over your whole garden. Cut to the ground, wait for stems to dry for a few days and rake them in. The soil will get a generous amount of biomass and will be grateful for your precious gift.
If you’re wondering what cover crops will work best for your garden, stay tuned. Choosing the right ones is a topic for a whole new blog post!
In the meantime, do share your experience!
Sources: Rodale’s Organic Life // Soil Quality
