Bare soil between crops loses moisture, organic matter and structure. A cover crop keeps it working.
What they do
- Protect soil from wind, sun and rain.
- Suppress weeds by shading.
- Add organic matter and loosen soil with roots.
- Legumes (cowpea, vetch, clover) add nitrogen.
- Grasses (rye, sudangrass) scavenge leftover nutrients and produce lots of biomass.
Practical tips
Choose by season and what you need: legumes for nitrogen, grasses for biomass and weed control. Terminate before they set seed, incorporate or roll them, and allow a couple of weeks before sowing the main crop. Where water is scarce, use the shortest, lowest-water cover.
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