Cover Crops
Cover crops are generally grasses, legumes, forbs, or other herbaceous plants that are established on crop fields that would otherwise be barren for some part of the year. The most common period of time during which cover crops are used in this area is during the winter.
Fields that are left without a vegetative cover going into the winter are more susceptible to erosion and nutrients leaching out of the soil. In addition, the establishment of a cover crop can promote nitrogen fixation, increase soil organic matter, suppress weeds, and manage soil moisture. Rye, wheat, and barley are the most popular winter cover crops in Montgomery County.
In the spring, cover crops can be terminated by harvest, frost, mowing, tillage, and/or herbicides depending on the type of plants used and the objectives of the individual farmer.
