Cover Crops: Building Soil Health Between Harvests
As you pass by farm fields this autumn season, you may wonder why farmers are planting again, even though the harvest has come and gone.
This time of year, they are probably planting cover crops.
According to WVU Extension, “cover crops are plants grown to cover soil for specific purposes rather than for harvest. They protect the soil during the period between when one crop is harvested and the next is planted”.
Cover crops are typically planted early October through mid November, dependent on weather and timing of the previous crop’s harvest. Unlike primary crops, they are typically not grown for production or direct consumption. However, they can sometimes serve as cash crops or food sources for livestock and humans.
Author summary: Cover crops improve soil health between harvests.