LSU Garden News: Are Cover Crops And Crop Rotation Beneficial For Home Gardeners?

When the Southern Cover Crops Council recently held its annual conference in Baton Rouge, I was fortunate enough to participate in discussions with growers and specialty crops (vegetables, fruits, nuts, and nurseries).

In the history of agriculture, cover crops were once a common practice. But by the 1950s, conventional farming in the US had been largely abandoned in favor of synthetic fertilizers alone.

Cover crops have been used throughout history, with Greek and Roman farmers using granular covers in their vineyards to improve soil quality. By the 1700s, Europeans were using lupines to improve sandy soils, and by the 1800s, ground cover was popular among American farmers.

Today, we are again seeing an increase in the use of coating processing systems. What is coverage? Cover crops are planted to protect and enrich the soil and are planted between cash crops to prevent nutrient loss from the soil through water movement, prevent soil erosion, and provide green manure.

Cover crops are usually fast-growing crops such as cabbage, forage, cereals, herbs, and legumes, and are sown in late spring or fall (a tillage is a farming method in which the soil remains moist for one or more seasons). in bed

Plants are used to restore soil health by adding organic matter to the soil, thereby improving overall soil structure and increasing its fertility.

Ground cover crops are often called "green manures" because they create a living cover that helps keep the soil healthy until the next growing season. These plants act as living mulch and protect the soil from erosion. Some examples of commonly used cover crops are buckwheat, barley, alfalfa, flax, millet, mixed mustard, oats, rapeseed, canola, rye, radish, oats, and winter peas.

Since cover crops are still a useful practice in regenerative agriculture and horticulture, these methods can be used in even the smallest gardens. In addition to increasing soil fertility and reducing soil erosion and nutrient leaching, cover crops reduce compaction, reduce weeds, and increase water and air movement through the soil. They also promote increased activity of earthworms and beneficial microorganisms, and provide habitat and food (nectar and pollen) for beneficial insects and pollinators.

Seed mixes are readily available at garden centers, hardware stores, and online. Here at Sportsman's Paradise, you'll find the best selection of hunting and outdoor stores; they are often exchanged for deer.

Cover crops can be used in any garden, from 4-by-4-foot beds to large farms. Plant cover crops any time of the year after harvest and be sure to choose seasonal varieties. If you are planting in the fall for winter cover, you need to plant at least four weeks before winter.

When nitrogen needs to be added to the soil, legumes such as alfalfa, peanuts and soybeans fix the nitrogen with the help of bacteria living in their roots. Recommended legumes for use in the home garden are Bersey alfalfa and raspberries, which grow quickly in late spring or fall and can be turned into the ground in the spring. In addition, the hairy rose can be planted in spring or fall.

If your soil is compacted, you can use grain or barley to increase the tiller. Many types of annuals and oats are cool-weather crops with fibrous roots that help loosen the soil. Radishes and radishes also help break up heavily compacted soil.

If nitrogen and organic matter are limited and you're in a pinch, use a mix of nuts and seeds. There are many ground cover plant combinations on the market that are sold as mixes with at least one type of grass and one type of legume.

To plant, spread the seeds over the area to be covered, cover with soil and water. You can also apply a layer of straw to protect the area from runoff from wind and heavy rain. The amount of seed to plant varies by species, but usually cover crops are seeded at 2 to 3 pounds per 1,000 square feet. Follow the recommendations on the seed label.

Cover crops can be cut and incorporated into the soil at the end of the growing season. They cut the plants and turn them into soil very quickly. The mulch will decompose in about two to three weeks, and then you can plant the next crop of vegetables for harvest or use the plot for ornamental plants.