What is a good cover crop to sow on the garden after the crops are harvested? It is too late here in Ontario for a second planting of anything but I'd like to turn under the soil and plant something to help keep the weeds back and to nourish the soil.

-- Cathy N. (keeper8@attcanada.ca), September 07, 2001

Answers

Fall peas would be good. They're moderately frost tolerant and they add nitrogen to the soil.

If it's a spot where you won't be planting stuff until after the last frost next spring, you could plant hairy vetch. It grows a little this fall and lot in early spring.

-- Paul Wheaton (paul@javaranch.com), September 07, 2001.

Hi Cathy, I have also read that buckwheat is good also. It chokes out the weeds and you turn it over in the spring and it naturally composts and adds green manure.

-- Karen (db0421@yahoo.com), September 07, 2001.

Buckwheat is good for the summer. But it is not frost tolerant.

-- Paul Wheaton (paul@javaranch.com), September 08, 2001.

Would rye work?

-- DW (djwallace@ctos.com), September 08, 2001.

I've tried annual rye and it is good in the fall and buckwheat is good in the summer.Don

donschwartz2002@yahoo.com

-- don schwartz (donschwartz2002@yahoo.com), September 10, 2001.

We seed buckwheat in time for strong growth before the first frost, and then mulch it in come spring - it's great and the bees love it if it flowers.

-- DavidL from Mass. (owlhouse2@cs.com), September 12, 2001.