Transcript
Welcome to Living on the Land, an award-winning source of useful information brought to you by your Oregon State University Extension Service.
Cover crops are temporary, unharvested crops that are grown to enrich and protect soil and to increase soil productivity. Cover crops have many benefits. They can reduce the need for fertilizer and pesticides on your farm or in your garden while adding nutrients in organic matter that make your soil more fertile. Cover crops can prevent soil erosion caused by water or wind, as well as outbreaks of pests, diseases, and weeds.
They help filter air and water and increase the soil's ability to store water. By providing resources for livestock, insects, wildlife, and organisms in the soil, cover crops also support biological diversity. Cover crops can be grown during an entire growing season or any time in the year when fields are left unseeded. No matter when you plant, it's important to treat your cover crop like a harvestable crop. Plant your first cover crops where you'll see them often. Neglect is the main reason why cover crops fail. For more information on planting your next cover crop, contact your local OSU Extension Service agent, your Soil and Water Conservation District, or your local Natural Resource Conservation Service.
This episodes discusses the benefits of cover crops—temporary, unharvested crops that enrich and protect soil. Cover crops reduce the need for fertilizers and pesticides, prevent soil erosion, and enhance water storage. They also support biological diversity and can be grown throughout the year. Emphasizing the importance of treating cover crops like harvestable ones, the episode encourages proactive management.
This is from the Living on the Land series. Download the related PDF - Living on the Land: Guide to Growing Cover Crops
The phrase “Living on The Land” is used with permission from Living on The Land Stewardship for Small Acreage, © 2008, UNCE/WSARE.
