One of my favorite organic gardening techniques has to be cover cropping. Though I am definitely not a topic expert, it is one of those practices that is so easy yet so beneficial.
After you have cleaned out your end-of-season vegetable garden, consider planting a cover crop. Common cover crops include rye, millet or clover. Just sow the seed into the soil, let it grow throughout the fall/winter months, and then simply dig and turn the crop over in late winter/early spring.
Benefits of cover cropping:
1. Increases soil microbial activity;
2. Provides nutrient enhancement as the nutrients become available during decomposition of the cover crop;
3. Increases rooting action because the crop loosens and aerates the soil;
4. Helps with weed suppression: Weeds flourish in bare soil. Cover crops take up space and light, shading the soil and reducing opportunity for weeds to establish. Rye and millet provide the most effective weed control;
5. Helps with water conservation because the soil cover reduces soil crusting and surface water runoff.
Sep 13
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