Cover Cropping

Cover crops are grown in fallow fields in order to help improve soil quality. There are many ways in which cover crops accomplish this goal. Many cover crops are planted to restore nutrients to the soil, such as nitrogen replenishing legumes.

Cover crops also help stop soil erosion and retain water in the soil. Cover crops can also help suppress weeds, providing a barrier between the invasive plants and a crop. Cover cropping is also helpful in pest control. Attractive plants (to pests) can be planted as a cover crop, thus luring the pests away from the valuable food crop.  Cover cropping is especially useful in organic farming.