The Power of Cover Crops

There is nothing worse than working hard to sprout and plant seeds only to yield no quality fruit. 

This fall I am planting peas, dandelions and mustard as my main cover crops in my raised beds and backyard orchard to prevent soil pathogens, add nutrients and aerate the soil. Additionally, cover crops attract beneficial insects and provide nectar for pollinators such as native bees during fall and winter! 

The restorative qualities of cover crops make them worth trying in any garden.

It’s so easy to plant cover crops in early fall since it’s still sunny and mother nature will water and maintain your cover crops. Once your crop sprouts, just turn the soil and voila you just naturally fertilized your soil!

Cover crops are Mother Nature’s little helpers. Cover crops improve the soil’s health which is a plant’s immune system. Healthy soil prevents plant diseases such as wilt and deters pests. 

Both beds with annuals like tomatoes and perennials like strawberries can benefit from cover crops. 

Recap: Cover crops put nutrients back in the soil to help the vigor of subsequent crops to avoid, pests, disease and stunted growth. 

Benefits of Cover Crops

• Aerate soil;
• Prevent soil compaction, erosion, and desertification;
• Replenish nitrogen;
• Weed suppression;
• Nutrient capture;
• Reduce soil pathogens
• Nectar source for pollinators.

My Favorite Cover Crops

There are many types of cover crops which fulfill different purposes.

1. Buckwheat - adds phosphorus, suppresses weeds, loosens soil, feeds pollinators, and attracts beneficial insects.
2. Calendula - Detoxes soil and feeds pollinators and other beneficial insects.
3. Chamomile - Suppresses weeds, attracts beneficials and deters pests. 
4. Clover - adds nitrogen.
5. Radish - loosens and aerates the soil.
6. Snow Peas - Adds nitrogen and deters cabbage moths. Delicious too!
7. Marigolds - Aerate the soil and deters nematodes “eel bugs” yuck!
8. Mustard - Attracts pollinators, deters nematodes and controls soil fungi. 
9. Dandelions - Aerates and balances soil’s acidity levels.

Happy gardening,

Laura