Cool season cover crops offer numerous benefits for gardening and farming, especially in regions where summer conditions can be less favorable. These crops improve soil structure and fertility by adding organic matter, which enhances water infiltration and nutrient retention, crucial for subsequent crop growth.
They also establish quickly, effectively suppressing weeds by competing for light, water and nutrients, thereby reducing the need for herbicides.
Additionally, cover crops prevent soil erosion caused by wind and water during the fall and winter months, helping to maintain soil health. Many cool season cover crops, particularly legumes like clover and vetch, fix atmospheric nitrogen into the soil, reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers. They also help retain soil moisture, which benefits crops planted in the following growing season, especially in drier climates.
Furthermore, these cover crops can disrupt pest life cycles and reduce disease pressure by promoting beneficial insect populations and improving soil health. In summary, cool season cover crops enhance soil health, support sustainable farming practices, and can lead to higher yields in subsequent cropping seasons.
Cover crops are planted when the soil would otherwise be bare between crops or growing seasons and may be beneficial to soil, water and plant relationships as well as pest, pathogen and weed management.
September is a great time to establish cover crops for overwintering. Legumes (peas, beans, clover, vetch, alfalfa) have root nodules that contain N-fixing bacteria. This nitrogen will be available for later crops after the legume is incorporated into the soil. Many cover crops are grasses (cereal rye, barley, wheat and oats) that would be grain crops if grown to maturity. They are grown because they are economical, easily established, and can produce large amounts of plant material in a relatively short period of time. These crops stabilize the soil, prevent erosion and help break some plant disease or pest cycles, in addition to increasing organic matter.
Buckwheat and radishes are examples of cover crops that are neither a grass nor a legume. These crops can increase organic matter and improve soil structure. Some brassicas have biofumigation properties (decomposing tissue releases compounds to suppress pests or disease in the soil) when incorporated.