As a homesteader and home gardener working with a small space, I am always looking for sustainable ways to maximize my garden production. The more I can get out of my little garden, the better! Everything starts with soil health. Healthy soil produces healthy plants. It really is that simple, and that complicated. The thing is, soil is a complicated beast and, if you let it, it will take over your gardening life! I’ve tried a number of things over the years, some more successfully than others, but nothing seems to have quite as big an impact with as little effort as planting a cover crop.

When attempting to improve their soil, most people wouldn’t think of planting additional crops, especially if those crops are not things you would typically eat. However, planting a cover crop is one of the simplest, most effective ways of boosting the health of your soil.

What is a cover crop?

A cover crop is a crop planted en masse to cover and protect the soil after the gardening season has ended. Cover crops are usually made up of plants that you wouldn’t typically eat, but they come with a myriad of benefits that more than outweigh the effort involved.

There are many different types of cover crops, each with their own benefits & drawbacks. The most common cover crop varieties have extensive root systems which both prevent erosion and improve the physical condition of the soil. A good cover crop can also increase crop yields, add organic matter to the soil, increase resilience, enhance water availability, help control pests & disease, increase biodiversity and more!

Imagine a super powered helper working hard to improve your soil while you and your garden rest. That, my friends, is a cover crop

Why plant a cover crop?

Do you remember learning about the Dust Bowl? The dust bowl was a series of huge dust storms that severely damaged the ecology and agriculture of the American and Canadian prairies during the 1930s and literally drove people from their homes. There were a number of factors that contributed to the phenomenon but basically there was a really intense, years-long drought combined with some unsustainable farming practices that lead to massive wind erosion in the region. The topsoil was essentially decimated.

When soil is covered with healthy, happy plants, the roots of those plants help to hold that soil in place, which in turn helps to prevent erosion. Furthermore, when a nice, healthy layer of plant life cover the soil, wind is forced up and over the plants and/or slowed as it travels through, thus wind erosion is thwarted.

Planting a cover crop in your garden can provide protection for your garden soil against both wind erosion and water erosion. It is called a cover crop for a reason, it is a crop that literally covers the soil, providing protection.

Cover crops help your soil absorb rain and irrigation, as well as improve water retention in your soil. So, not only do they prevent wind erosion, but water erosion too. Plus, their extensive root systems can also loosen compacted soil and reduce the need for tilling.

A good cover crop can do more than protect your soil, it can also act as a green manure. Everything that grows pulls nutrients from the soil, those nutrients are transferred from the soil into the plant and, in the case of a garden or a farm, consumed by us. When we talk about the health of the garden, it all starts with the health of the soil. As a green manure, a good cover crop prevents nutrient depletion by adding essential minerals back into the soil. Some cover crops are especially good at fixing nitrogen, others are good at sequestering carbon, both of which are essential for soil and crop health.

There are few things less appealing to pollinators and other beneficial insects than bare soil. Cover crops can provide food and habitat for pollinators, particularly when other crops are not available. I was shocked at the increase in pollinator activity I saw in my garden after planting a cover crop for the first time!

Supporting the health of your soil has a big payoff when harvest rolls around as it can increase crop yield WITHOUT adding artificially derived chemical fertilizers. Attracting pollinators, preventing erosion, increasing water retention…all have a positive effect on the yield of your garden.

What should I plant?

Good question. There are a number of possible crops to serve this purpose, the most popular being legumes, clover, rye grass, and buckwheat.

• Legumes are nitrogen fixers. This means they pull nitrogen out of the atmosphere (air) and “fix” it in the soil making it readily available for the next crop. Winter annual legumes must be planted earlier than other cover crops in order to establish well enough to overwinter.
• Clover is technically a legume so it is also a nitrogen fixer. Clover can serve as row cover providing weed suppression and attracting beneficial insects if left in and around beds. As they are lower in carbon and higher in nitrogen, clover does not increase organic matter in the soil as well as other options
• Annual rye grass is helpful in breaking up dense, hard soils. It is used as feed for livestock and deer love to graze on it. Rye grass does self-seed easily and can compete with primary crops if not well managed.
• Buckwheat is an excellent option for weed suppression because it germinates quickly and forms a dense canopy that can smother most weeds and it does well even in poor soils. Buckwheat is not drought resistant, nor is it frost tolerant

When choosing a cover crop, consider the needs of your garden and soil. Which of the available options will provide the benefits you are looking for? Which varieties will grow best in your area? Are there any drawbacks that outweigh the benefits for you?

If you are still on the fence, consider planting a mix. Many seed suppliers have cover crop seed mixes available to take the guesswork out of planting. Unless you are trying to harvest and use your cover crop, you will probably be fine with just about any of these options.

I use crimson clover in my garden. I know it grows well in my area, it requires almost no effort to maintain, usually overwinters just fine, is useful as forage for pollinators (my bees love it!), and it looks great!

Ultimately, the use of a cover crop is a long-term investment in soil health, the benefits of which far outweigh the perceived drawbacks. Consider taking advantage of one in your garden this year!

How to plant a cover crop

Since a cover crop is meant to cover the soil, the best way to plant is broadcast sowing. Broadcast sowing is a planting method by which seeds are scattered across a relatively large area. Seeds should then be raked into the soil to increase seed-to-soil contact and thus increase germination potential.