Gardeners can put the �dormant� season of their gardens to good use by planting cover crops. Cover crops can revitalize their garden soil during the fall and winter so it will be replenished with nutrients for spring planting. By planting cover crop seeds in Colorado, gardeners can prepare their garden plots for a fruitful season ahead. Cover crops are fairly easy to plant and require little maintenance and care. The following cover crop options work well for a vegetable gardener�s small scale needs.
Annual Rye Grass
When it comes to controlling weeds, grasses are more effective and germinate quicker. Annual rye grass is a popular choice for vegetable gardens. Gardeners can spread this cover crop seed before or after harvesting their vegetables, to suit their needs. The grass can then be cut and turned under in the spring to capture the nutrients within the soil.
As grass cover crops do little to increase nitrogen content in soil, gardeners may want to pair grass Colorado seeds with legumes to get the full benefits of nutrients in the soil.
Buckwheat
Different cover crops have different strengths that gardeners can capitalize on to enhance their gardens. Buckwheat plants are great at stimulating the soil and controlling weeds. Because this non legume �smother crop� has sensitivity to cold weather, it�s best planted in summer – late May to late August. Gardeners should then wait at least 40 days before integrating the crop back into the soil.
Hairy Vetch
From the legume family, hairy vetch is a resilient cover crop that�s easy to grow in all kinds of soils and climates. Its nitrogen fixing properties are greatly valued by vegetable gardeners in enriching their soil. To get the most from this cover crop, gardeners should seed their gardens at the end of summer or beginning of fall and then till the crop under in the spring. Another alternative would be to mow the crop and plant vegetables seeds inside the mulch several weeks later.
Red Clover
Red clover is another legume cover crop best known for its nitrogen and biomass benefits. Unlike many cover crops which are planted after harvest, red clover cover crop seeds can be planted alongside the vegetables as they grow, anytime between spring and fall, to enrich the soil and enhance vegetable growth.
By taking advantage of cover crops, gardeners can reap the rewards of a more productive and fruitful garden.
Susan Suarez 