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What “cover crops” could home gardeners consider in the fall?
August 15, 2016 – Cover crops aren’t just for farmers. The Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) August 15th Soils Matter blog post explains how home gardeners can use the benefits of cover crops to improve their own space.
“The choice of a single cover crop species or mix of several species, as well as planting and management of cover crops, depend on the desired outcome and the individual gardener’s goal,” says Kelley House, soil scientist. House offers several options for home gardeners to consider, from radishes and green manures to pollinator-friendly crops.
Cover crops do three things, according to House:
- Help prevent erosion and topsoil loss.
- Provide organic matter to the soil the following spring.
- Break up soil compaction.
To read the entire blog post, visit http://soilsmatter.wordpress.com.
Follow SSSA on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SSSA.soils, Twitter at SSSA_Soils. SSSA has soils information on www.soils.org/discover-soils, for teachers at www.soils4teachers.org, and for students through 12th grade, www.soils4kids.org.