Good article on tomatoes and cover crops

[jcm05]

www.ars.usda.gov/is/np/SustainableTomatoes2007/TomatoPub.pdf

[lee]

Nice article.

Looks like something I might want to try for next year. I think Territorial Seed has a good stock of hairy vetch and other mulches/green manures to buy. Only 4 weeks to get ready to plant at my place.


I do wonder how having the winter mulch will effect insect populations.
I had a nasty infestation of worms (fruit worms mostly) this year, and
would like a nice hard winter to kill 'em off. Would the winter mulch
provide too much of a winter blanket to keep them from being killed off?

Lee

[rintintin]

Cover crops serve many functions. They prevent wind/water erosion, their roots help loosen compacted soils, provide good organic matter to plow under in early spring, and since vetch is a legume, it will provide a lot of free nitrogen to your soil. It may help protect bad bugs, but also will provide more early habitat for beneficial insects, and birds. Put a bird bath there, and the spring birds will enjoy helping you with your worm problem.

You will be building your soil (organicly) instead of having winter rains compact it. It will also block most of your weeds from seeing enough sun to sprout. One of the best investments you can make in your garden. The small cost of seeds will repay you many times over.

[michelle8]

I think I'm gonna try it in my little garden and see how it does. According to the chart, I need to plant my Oct.13th. Which will work for me.

[lee]

Put a bird bath there, and the spring birds will enjoy helping you with your worm problem.

That won't do any good for me. The neighbor has about 10+ feeders
in the backyard that keep the birds well fed without them having to
scavenge for worms....

Or course, I've got a good mix of spiders, mantis, toads, and a lizard that I spotted yesterday. Perhaps a nice warm habitat for them all
winter will help with the worms next year......

Lee

[rintintin]

For small scale planting, Seeds of Change has a very nice selection of cover crop seeds. If you are dealing with more than a few thousand sq ft, contact your County Extension Agent (or PM me). If you are serious about cover crops check out this pub. It is by Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SARE), funded by USDA
www.sare.org/publications/covercrops/index.shtml
It is a 248 page book about cover crops, and is FREE to read in it's entirety on the web. At the bottom left of the Nav bar is a link "Printable Copy". I used that to print a full copy to my HD. It will not let me go back & re use it...I am not certain if they killed that link, or the cookie they gave me won't allow a 2nd copy. Give it a try, as it is the Bible of cover crops!
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