Cover Crop Benefits

Cover crops prevent erosion, suppress weeds, improve soil structure, increase organic matter, and provide nitrogen. Strategic use of cover crops is fundamental to successful organic farming, building soil health while reducing purchased inputs.

Legume Cover Crops

Clovers fix moderate nitrogen (40-100 lbs/acre) and tolerate low fertility. Crimson clover grows quickly in fall, overwinters, and produces biomass for spring termination. Red and white clovers establish more slowly but persist longer.

Hairy vetch fixes high nitrogen (80-150 lbs/acre) and overwinters reliably. Plant in early fall for spring biomass production. Winter-killed in extreme cold climates, so select varieties appropriate for your region.

Grass Cover Crops

Cereal rye grows vigorously in cool weather, overwinters readily, and produces massive biomass. Excellent for weed suppression and erosion control. Residues can suppress weeds through allelopathy but may tie up nitrogen during decomposition.

Annual ryegrass establishes quickly, produces moderate biomass, and dies with hard freezes. Good for short-window fall plantings. Perennial ryegrass persists and works well for long-term living mulches.

Broadleaf Cover Crops

Buckwheat grows rapidly in warm weather, producing biomass in 30-40 days. Use for quick summer cover between spring and fall crops. Attractive flowers support beneficial insects. Frost-kills easily for clean termination.

Brassicas (mustards, radishes, turnips) scavenge nutrients from deep soil layers, suppress weeds, and may reduce soil-borne diseases through biofumigation. Daikon radish breaks up compaction with large taproot.

Cover Crop Mixtures

Diverse mixes provide complementary benefits - grasses for biomass and carbon, legumes for nitrogen, and broadleaves for deep nutrient cycling. Pre-mixed cocktails are available or create custom blends for specific goals.

Balance seeding rates when mixing species to prevent dominant plants from outcompeting others. Reduce individual species rates by proportion of mix - if normally seeding 60 lbs rye, use 30 lbs in 50/50 mix with vetch.