The Importance of Cover Crops in Plain English

When contemplating starting my garden, I asked myself what is the most important thing I can do to ensure that my future crops are the healthiest they can be?
Well in order to have healthy crops, one must have healthy soil. One of the biggest contributors to disease is a plant growing in unhealthy unbalanced soil. So how do we balance the soil?
If you have ever walked through the woods or in a natural untouched prairie land, you will notice that the ground is always covered. It may not always have the same covering on it but natures always finds a way to protect the earth from drying out and losing valuable soil nutrition to the elements. We can replicate nature by practicing Back to Eden or lasagne method of gardening but this just isn't enough unless you have many many years to wait for all that organic matter to break down. There must be a better way! Well there is. Plant cover crops in your soil which can be done in the off- season, ie: fall to winter over or/and in the Spring after your main crop is established.
My Plan is to plant as many cover crops as I can from August to September . The crops I am planting will all die back over the winter which will give it a nice mulch bed in which to plant my garden.

Benefits of Cover Crops

• Moisture retention- It not only makes it so you will rarely have to water but it also prevents rain water from splashing up onto you plant.
• Soil splash= disease for your plants
• Legumes supply Nitrogen to plants
• Improves soil tilth and water infiltration to your plants through the root system
• Reduction in Diseases and Nematodes
• Weed Control
• Some cover crops trap nitrates to prevent leaching

Planting into Cover Crops

Now its spring, what do I do with the cover crop? It is preferable to roll the cover crop if possible or trim the crop down to the ground. Then, lay the foilage onto the ground as a mulch bed
If planting a fall crop, depending on your zone, the crop could die back over the winter so you will not have to kill it off by other means. It becomes a perfect mulch bed.
Using an open spade, create an opening in which to place your transplant.
If this is within your first couple of years, you will most likely still need to add compost or other organic matter along with some fish emulsion or other organic fertilizer. Never use chemical fertilizer as this teaches your plants to be "lazy" and the cover crops will not pull up the Nitrogen as they were designed to do!

How To Select a Mix

• Diversity is KEY!
• Use a diverse number of crops because only God can guarantee the weather!
• Mix grasses, brassicas, legumes, and broadleaf crops
• Use at least 8 different types of crops with at least 3 of them being legumes since they are the Queens at collecting Nitrogen for your plants.
• Walnut Creek Seed company (www.walnutcreekseeds.com/Gardening-Mixes.html) has a great mix for your homesteading/backyard garden needs. Many of the other sites either don't specialize in cover crops or are meant for large scale production.

What Next?

• Expect Failure and Learn From It!
• Get yourself organized
• Plan everything way ahead, ie: 2-3 years because it will take this long of being diligent with cover crops to see a huge difference in the soil.
• Start a gardening journal to keep track what you have done and what you have learned!
• Seek mentors in your community who are like minded. If new to an area, start with garden clubs; nurseries often have classes. -
  There is one in my area that offers a ladies night class offering wine, cheese, and gardening knowledge!
• Remember to bring in diversity= resilience