What are Cover Crops? Do you need them?

Cover crops are plants grown primarily to benefit your soil rather than produce a harvest. They can protect bare ground, add organic matter, suppress weeds, and, depending on what you plant, help improve soil structure or manage nitrogen. That may even mean fewer soil supplements later!

Some cover crops are edible, too. A plant that protects the soil, improves the garden, and potentially feeds you? Now we’re just showing off.

People often plant cover crops to protect garden beds over winter, but that’s not their only use. If you have a larger garden or homestead, you may also want to give a row or section a break during the regular growing season. Instead of leaving that soil bare, you can put it to work growing a cover crop.

Are Cover Crops Right for You?

If you have a small garden that’s constantly in use, you probably don’t need to grow cover crops at all.

But there are situations where they can be useful even in a small garden.

For example, corn is a heavy nitrogen feeder. After growing corn, you could add a nitrogen-rich soil amendment, such as blood meal. Or you could plant an appropriate cover crop that can help add nitrogen back into the system.

The cover crop has a few extra tricks up its sleeve. While it’s growing, it can also protect bare soil from erosion, add organic matter, help prevent weeds, and, depending on what you choose, provide flowers for pollinators or even something edible for you.

Do you HAVE to use cover crops? Nope.

Can they be a useful tool when they fit your garden? Absolutely.

Why Would You Use Cover Crops?

That depends on what your soil needs and what you’re planning to grow next. Cover crops can be used for several different jobs:

• Help loosen or improve compacted soil
• Add organic matter
• Protect bare soil from wind and rain erosion
• Suppress weeds
• Help manage nutrients
• Add nitrogen when using appropriate legumes
• Reduce nutrient loss between growing seasons
• Provide habitat or food for pollinators
• Give unused garden space something productive to do
• In some cases, provide an edible crop

The important part is choosing the cover crop for the job you need it to do.

Cool-Weather vs. Warm-Weather Cover Crops

Cover crops aren’t just for winter.

Warm-season and cool-season options are available, so choose one that fits your weather and your goal.

For example, some are particularly good at adding biomass, some have deep roots that help improve compacted soil, and legumes can help with nitrogen. Some can even provide an edible harvest.

Here are some common options for each season:

Cool-Season Cover Crops
Cover Crop	Main Benefit	Extra Benefits & Uses
Field Peas	Fixes nitrogen	Shoots, tendrils, and peas can be edible depending on variety
Daikon / Tillage Radish	Helps break up compacted soil	Roots and greens are edible if using a food variety
Winter Rye	Protects soil & adds organic matter	Extensive roots improve soil structure; mature grain is edible
Hairy Vetch	Fixes nitrogen & adds organic matter	Great soil builder; not a food crop
Red Clover	Fixes nitrogen	Supports pollinators; flowers and leaves are edible
Crimson Clover	Fixes nitrogen	Supports pollinators; flowers and leaves are edible

Photo courtesy of SeedsNow!

Warm-Season Cover Crops
Cover Crop	Main Benefit	Extra Benefits & Uses
Buckwheat	Quickly adds organic matter & scavenges nutrients	Excellent for pollinators; seeds can be harvested for food
Cowpeas	Fix nitrogen	Beans/peas are edible when using edible varieties
Sunn Hemp	Fixes nitrogen & produces lots of biomass	Fast-growing soil builder; not a food crop
Sorghum-Sudangrass	Huge biomass & powerful roots help compacted soil	Excellent weed suppression; not generally grown as a human food crop
Soybeans	Fix nitrogen	Edible when an appropriate food/edamame variety is planted

Photo courtesy of SeedsNow!

Make Your Cover Crops Useful a Second Time

The benefits don’t necessarily end when you’re ready to plant something else.

Once a cover crop has done its job, you can add the plant material to your compost pile. Depending on the crop and your gardening style, you can sometimes just cut or mow it down, leaving the roots in place while the tops remain on the soil surface.

Those roots and plant materials eventually break down, returning organic matter to the soil. Basically, the cover crop gets one last job before retirement. Not a bad little employee!

Looking for Cover Crop Seeds?

If you’re not sure where to buy cover crop seeds, I’ve got you! SeedsNow! is a small, family-owned company that carries a huge variety of seeds, including cover crops. Search “cover crops” on their site, and you’ll find plenty of options for different seasons and garden goals.

Plus, I love supporting a smaller company when I can instead of the larger corporations. Hits ya right in the feels.

Use code SAVE10NOW to save 10% on your order!!

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