Cover crops are fast growing plants, usually grains, legumes or grasses, that are utilized by farmers and gardeners for one or more of their beneficial qualities and not usually intended as food crops.

Some of the benefits of cover crops are:

• Weed control
  • Cover crops are fast growers so they are able to beat out weeds on the surface.
• Disease/Pest control
  • Cover crops replace the diseased organisms that pests usually feed off of. This beneficial feature is also preventative.
• Soil enrichment
  • When cover crops decay they leave behind organic matter.
  • Some cover crops have strong roots that help to break up tough soils.

• Buckwheat
• Ladino Clover
• Red Clover
• White Dutch Clover
• Groundhog Radish
• Hairy Vetch
• Purple Top Turnip
• Sugar Beets
• Winter Rye
• Winter Wheat