Cover Crops

As we head into the end of the growing and gardening season, it’s important to show your garden some love after it has provided all season long for you and yours. My preferred cover crop mix is oats, field peas, and tillage radish – seeded in late August or early September. But whether you missed...

A hidden gem lies in the late season soil—cover crops. Their transformative power benefits farm operations large and small. And now, vegetable and flower gardeners are discovering their value in the home garden. No matter how small a gardening space you have, the effects of incorporating cover...

Illinois vegetable growers are entering the toughest six weeks of the year. Despite the seasonal demands, soil health depends on timely planning of a fall cover crop. A fall cover crop is planted in August, grows in fall, and terminates after several hard frosts in winter. Why plant a fall cover...

Do you struggle with weed control in the spring before planting your summer garden? Does your garden lose topsoil after a heavy rain due to slope? Would you like to improve soil structure and add organic matter to your garden? Backyard cover cropping is for you! At the time of...