Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... For an Earth-friendly garden, keep a succession of plants in the soil by planting cover crops. These are plants grown to improve the soil rather than for ...

PLYMOUTH NOTCH — Buckwheat used to be called the “lazy farmer’s crop.” It would grow anywhere, the soil didn’t have to be that fertile, and farmers could plant it in June and still harvest a good crop ...

Maybe after you finish your vegetable harvest, you mentally say, “I’m done this year,” and wait to start again next year. But a cover crop could benefit you in several ways. By researching now, you ...

Have you heard of cover crops? While farmers usually use these during the off-season to protect soil, gardeners usually overlook this tool. Healthy soil is the backbone of every thriving garden and ...

What are cover crops and why would I want to use them in my home garden? We all know that the foundation of a great garden is healthy, nutrient-rich soil. There are many ways to improve the ...

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach and the United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service are collaborating on a series of cover crop fact sheets for Iowa ...

Cover crops are important in areas cultivated year after year. They reduce soil erosion and improve its overall health. As spring heats the soil, cover crops suppress weeds, and as they grow, they ...