As the growing season winds down, your garden can still thrive. Instead of leaving your soil bare or wondering what to plant next, you can enjoy a bountiful harvest and enrich your soil at the same time. Here’s how to plan for Short & Long Term Garden Success!.
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Why Choose Between Fall Crops and Cover Crops?
Why settle for one when you can do both? Fall crops like arugula, radishes, and kale keep your harvest going as the temperature drops. At the same time, cover crops such as crimson clover, hairy vetch, or winter rye protect and nourish your soil. By combining these strategies, you create a garden that works hard for you year-round.
Maximize Your Soil’s Health for Garden Success
Cover crops play a crucial role in maintaining soil fertility. As they grow, their roots aerate the soil, preventing compaction and reducing erosion. Legumes like Austrian winter peas add nitrogen to the soil, while grasses such as oats improve organic matter. Chop and drop these crops at the end of the season, and they transform into nutrient-rich mulch, ready for your next planting.
Start with Undercropping for Garden Success
Undercropping is a simple way to prepare your garden for fall. Scatter cover crop seeds beneath your mature plants before they’re finished. As the season ends, cut the mature plants at the base, leaving the undercrop to thrive. For example, plant crimson clover beneath tall crops like leeks or fava beans. By the time the frost arrives, your cover crop will already be established.
Don’t Overthink Planting
Planting cover crops is easy and forgiving. Sprinkle seeds evenly over your garden at about one ounce per 50 square feet. Water them well and keep the soil moist to encourage germination. There’s no need for precision—just spread the seeds, and let nature do the rest.
Enjoy the Best of Both Worlds
Combining fall crops with cover crops gives you a garden that produces food while preparing for the next growing season. You’ll enjoy fresh, cool-weather vegetables and improve your soil’s structure and fertility at the same time. This dual approach means less work for you in the long run and a healthier garden year after year.
Maximizing your garden’s potential doesn’t have to be an either-or decision. With fall crops and cover crops working together, you’ll harvest more, enrich your soil, and create a sustainable garden system. Ready to give it a try? Your garden—and its soil—will thank you.
Would you rather watch than read
‘Plan for Short & Long Term Garden Success’?
Watch the video below instead!
