Cover Crops

One option for improving the soil is to grow a cover crop. The benefits of a cover or green manure crops are:

Increasing organic matter in the soil
Protecting the soil from wind and water erosion during fallow periods
Smothering unwanted weeds
Aerating compacted soil

Crops are divided into warm and cool season categories based on the optimum times to plant and grow. Prior to flowering and seed production, mow the cover crop, allow it to dry on the soil surface, and till the crop into the soil. Green manure crops are tilled in before they dry.

Cover Crops to Improve the Soil and Reduce Erosion

Crop Season Seeding Rate/1,000 Sq. Ft.

Barley Cool 4 to 6 pounds

Buckwheat Warm 1 to 3 pounds

Clover Cool 1/2 to 1 pound

Hybrid sudangrass Warm 3/4 to 1 pound

Oats Cool 3 to 4 pounds

Ryegrass Cool 1 to 2 pounds

Southern peas Warm 2 to 4 pounds

Soybeans Warm 2 to 3 pounds

Vetch Cool 1 to 2 pounds

Consumer Horticulture | Quick Reference