09/25/2026
ADVANTAGES OF COVER CROPS and NO DIG (non-tilled) beds - Even with 7.74 inches of rain so far in September (5.21 inches above the average rainfall the past 30 years), or 141% above average rainfall), and our hot and cold temperature dips, you can see the advantages of the No Dig (compost) bed on the left vs the Tilled bed on the right of our North Central Region SARE's grant beds with the fall cover crop mix germination from Walnut Creek Seeds, as these beds were cleared and planted at the same time. You'll see how in the No Dig compost beds (left), the cover crop has already established itself well and is uniform, whereas in the Tilled beds, they are barely germinating yet, and the excess rain has moved and pooled the seeds in low lying sections, resulting in patches and empty spaces.
The same cover crop applied to both beds, is a mix of cowpea, mung bean, oilseed radish, Ethiopian cabbage, pearl millet, and oats and is best planted mid-August to mid-September, so we terminated our pepper plants, cleaned up the beds, and Taylor broadcasted our cover crop seeds by hand last week.
Cover crops are a great way to bring back the balance and health of the soil over the fall and winter months, that have been depleted of nutrients from the spring and summer potato and pepper crops we grew and harvested for ourselves, and can reduce or eliminate the need to purchase fertilizers in the spring.
I like thinking of cover crops as planting food and harvests for the soil microbes instead. It puts a protective blanket of plants over the garden, saving me from the labor / time of having to w**d. The soil is never left naked where it is exposed to rains or winds that can wash away the topsoil and nutrients, which helps in situations like we're having this fall with flooding and erosion of the land.
As cover crop plants grow through the autumn months, the diverse root systems grow deep down to break apart hard topsoil and reduces compaction, which can improve air and water movement, further improving soil health and resilience.
I like this particular cover crop mix as it is easy to apply, and will die back with a winter freeze (no management needed), returning a natural layer of surface residue nutrients to feed the soil microbes and build soil health which are vital to the health and resiliency of whatever grows in it.
This is a much healthier way for us and the planet, to improve soil health vs our conventional tilled, GMO mono-crops, application of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, farming practices, that kill soil microbes and depletes soil health, which is turning our soils into deserts.
Can you share your experience of cover crops? Species, when you planted, observations, challenges? Cover crops are new for me, but I'm seeing the many advantages of them.
