The first signs of the fall season are upon us as leaves begin to turn color and early morning fog is slower to dissipate. You just have to look into farmers fields to see that the urgency of fall harvest is in full swing. But still the farmers work is not complete. Rather than leaving the field open and subject to the ravages of the winter, many growers are busy providing a covering blanket to nurture and support their fields from soil loss via wind and water, and to capture remaining nutrients within the soil. With the huge increase in the number of home vegetable gardens this year, gardeners should also be thinking about how to protect their sites and build soil fertility and quality for next year.
As organic growers we like to see something growing in the soil at all times. As they say Mother Nature loathes a void. Now that we have taken the crops from the earth, it is time to give back, to repair and nurture the soils into providing great food for us again in future years. Cover crops play a significant role in meeting these goals. We typically refer to cover crops that are returned to the soil as green manure crops.
For several weeks now growers in eastern Washington have sown their fields to fall and over wintering green manure crops as summer crop harvests are completed. That task will continue for just a few more weeks until the shorter days and cooler temperatures do not allow for sufficient crop growth prior to winter. The primary aims of growing a cover crop are to
- reduce soil erosion due to wind and water
- provide food and habitat for fauna and flora
- capture soil nutrients within the crop rooting zone and retain these for the following season
- help break up compacted soils
- build soil structure and quality
- add soil nitrogen by including legume species
- help suppress weeds, pests and diseases.
By carefully selecting the right species for your location, season, crop rotation and intended goal, you can go a long way to preparing your soil for next season's crop, while at the same time giving back to mother nature and the environment.
For details on suitable cover crops in your area search for articles from your university extension office or check out these resources:
http://www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/ccrop/
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/covercrop.html
http://www.sare.org/publications/covercrops/covercrops.pdf
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