A cover crop is a plant that is grown primarily to benefit the soil and the successful growth of future crops. Cover crops are planted to cover the soil rather than for the purpose of being harvested. They are different from cash crops, which are grown for profit. Cover crops are used to manage soil erosion, soil fertility, soil quality, water, weeds, pests, diseases, biodiversity, and wildlife. They can be used to slow erosion, improve soil health, enhance water availability, smother weeds, help control pests and diseases, increase biodiversity, and bring a host of other benefits to the farm or garden.
Cover crops are nurse crops in that they increase the survival of the main crop being harvested, and are often grown over the winter. They can be used to control erosion, suppress weeds, reduce soil compaction, increase moisture and nutrient content of soil, improve yield potential, attract pollinators, and provide habitat for beneficial insects and wildlife as well as food to animals. Cover crops can also be used to break up compacted soils.
Cover crops can be planted in gardens or on farms. They should be viewed as a long-term investment in improved soil health and farm management. Cover crops can begin to pay for themselves in the first year of use, or it may take a few years for them to lead to a net positive return. Certain cover crops have the unique ability to “fix” nutrients like nitrogen from the atmosphere and return them to the soil, making them an indispensable tool in maintaining and increasing soil fertility without chemical use.
Cover crops are an integral part of organic no-till farming, and they help return nutrients to the soil and create a weed-suppressing mulch. Cover crops also help the soil bind together, preventing erosion and runoff, while building more pathways for nutrients. They encourage the soil to hold more water, so plants fare better during droughts and are more resistant to pests and disease. Cover crops are also an important tool in weed and pest management. Certain covers are great at outcompeting and smothering weeds or impacting the soil microclimate so that it is more difficult for weeds to survive.
In summary, cover crops are plants that are grown to benefit the soil and the successful growth of future crops. They are used to manage soil erosion, soil fertility, soil quality, water, weeds, pests, diseases, biodiversity, and wildlife. Cover crops can be planted in gardens or on farms, and they should be viewed as a long-term investment in improved soil health and farm management.
