Planting a “cover Crop” This Fall to Protect Your Garden for the Winter
When the season changes and your summer plants disappear, your soil needs some kind of protection from the coming cold weather. Strong winds, cold temperatures, sleet and snow can damage the soil that most of us are unaware of.
However, instead of covering it with a tarp, you should try a natural remedy that can also help enrich your soil during those colder months. Here’s how to plant cover crops to save the soil from a harsh winter.
What is a cover crop?
The name is easy to apply, but it is a crop that covers the ground for protection.Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) defines a cover crop as “a plant that is used primarily to slow erosion, improve soil health, increase water availability, suppress weeds, help control pests and diseases, increase biodiversity, and spread many plants “. other benefits. “While SARE is a cover crop for farmers and larger tracts of farmland, planting a protective plant over your home garden is not a bad idea.
When the growing season is over, your backyard garden is likely to be left empty, and planting a cover crop will prevent soil erosion from rain and snow, as well as preserve soil nutrients for the winter. This method also benefits warmer climates by protecting the land from severe drought. According to a USDA / Natural Resources Conservation Service report, “[sometimes] a cover crop regime increases soil organic matter, resulting in improved soil structure, stability, and increased retention of moisture and nutrients for plant growth.”
Usually, when you use a cover crop, you will have stronger soil next spring.
What types of cover crops to plant in the fall
There are many ground cover plants that do a variety of things. For general canopy protection, ryegrass is a good choice. It is planted in the cooler months so that it grows thick and strong, but dies in winter; the grass provides protection from the cold, and when the warmer months roll around, your soil is ready to plant.
Winter rye multiplies quickly and adapts to any type of soil. The plant’s extensive roots keep weeds from growing, and vegetable and berry specialist Vern Grubinger says that “the deep roots of winter rye help prevent compaction in the fields we cultivate annually.” However, these are aggressive winter crops, so be sure to plant them on ours shortly before the first fall frost. Otherwise, they can take root too quickly, overtaking your entire garden sooner than you want.
Raspberry clover is another good option with nice bunches of red, cone-shaped flowers. Raspberry clover is a nitrogen-rich legume that No-Till Farmer estimates it yields on average “70-150 N [nitrogen] lbs.” This cover crop is ideal for controlling weeds and attracting pollinators to your garden. They can sow seeds easily, however, so be sure to mow them before they reach full bloom. Cover crops die in colder temperatures, making them great for those living in warmer climates.
And if you really want to cultivate the soil on compacted soil, use an oil radish . Its roots can break through the toughest clays, naturally aerating your soil, making it ready for future planting.
How to plant no-til cover crops
No-till is the recommended method for planting cover crops. Begin by raking the area lightly to mix the topsoil. Then spread the seeds over the area as if you were sowing a new lawn. Old World Garden Farms suggests scattering from half a pound to one full pound for every 40 square feet. After placing the seeds, lightly scoop them up again to facilitate the germination process. Then apply a half-inch layer of straw to the seeds and soil and you’re done. The cover crop should start germinating in seven to ten days and you will be protected during the season.