Cover Crops

Why should you trouble yourself with planting cover crops? As their name implies, they provide cover that reduces winter erosion. What else are they good for? They tie up nitrogen that might remain in the soil. The nitrogen in the cover crop will slow release in the coming year thus providing the added bonus of putting nitrogen in the soil when the crop needs it. Root systems from cover crops can help reduce the negative effects of compaction. The roots can also penetrate restrictive layers such as E horizons and claypans. Annual Ryegrass is the leading cover crop at this time. My friend Dan Towery is a leading expert on annual ryegrass. Check out his blog. http://www.rgcc-blog.com/tag/dan-towery