Soil & compost
How much cover crop seed do I need?
Seeding rates in pounds per thousand square feet for rye, oats, buckwheat, winter peas, hairy vetch and the clovers.
How this works
Broadcast rates per 1000 sq ft from the SARE cover-crop handbook. Sow rye or oats after fall cleanup, buckwheat in summer gaps, clovers and vetch where next year's heavy feeders go. Rake seed in lightly and keep it damp a week.
Questions people ask
When should I sow a winter cover crop?
Four to six weeks before your first hard freeze so it roots before dormancy. Winter rye is the most forgiving if you are late; it germinates down to about 34F.
Which cover crop is best for a first-time garden?
Winter rye for weed suppression and biomass, or buckwheat if it is summer and you want one you can cut in six weeks.
Do I have to till a cover crop in?
No. Cut it at flowering and leave it as mulch, or crimp it flat. Rye especially regrows if you cut it before it flowers.