It’s fall and our vegetable gardens are winding down for the season. Now is the time to invest a little extra effort into preparing your soil for next year. Whether your garden is large or small, it will benefit immensely from the addition of rich, nutritious compost and a winter cover crop.

BENEFITS OF COVER CROPS

A cover crop is a fast-growing, low-maintenance crop that, along with compost is used to nourish and protect your garden soil throughout the winter months and prepare your growing area for a bountiful spring harvest. The benefits include…

• Stabilizing soil and preventing erosion
• Adding organic matter back into the soil to nurture later crops
• Adding nutrients to the soil that have been used by previous crops
• Suppressing diseases that can wither new crops even before they start
• Repressing weeds that will take over a garden
• Improving soil structure with aeration and better drainage
• Encouraging beneficial insects that will help later crops

RECOMMENDED COVER CROPS

Some cover crops are preferable over others and their selection is based on soil type, garden zone, growing season, and ease of use. The most popular recommended cover crops are oats, rye, and wheat.