Life Happens!

Cover crops increase soil fertility by fixing nitrogen in partnership with Rhizobia bacteria. Leguminous plants such as clover and peas provide effective weed suppression capabilities as well. Select species that will winter kill in your zone and work well in crop rotation plans, such as grass-legume mixes in northern climates or low-growing clover or hairy vetch in warmer regions. Lettuce Home gardeners with limited growing space can still benefit from using cover crops as part of a rotation strategy. To start creating this system, homeowners must identify their goals for growing cover crops such as soil building, fertility improvement, weed

Weed smothering with tarps is an efficient, low-maintenance way to prepare your garden for planting. Tarps also help protect fragile soil ecosystems from disruption by mechanical devices like rototillers and ploughs. No-till methods rely on maintaining healthy soil structures to create quality topsoil, and tarps help increase plant-available nitrogen for crops. 1. Put the Tarp Over the Crop Tarps can quickly create garden beds in existing grassy areas or suppress weeds before planting new crops. For optimal results, choose dark-colored tarps which absorb heat and help maintain lower soil temperatures. Contrary to tillage, using tarps can save both fuel and

Cover crops such as yellow mustard can improve soil quality while simultaneously suppressing weeds non-toxically and loosening heavy, compacted soils. Brassica cover crops containing mustards and/or rapeseed can effectively inhibit the growth of pigweed, hairy nightshade, puncturevine, green foxtail grass and barnyard grass. Once in place they can be terminated in spring by spraying with an herbicide, or by mowing and/or tilling before they go to seed. Weed Suppression Under pressure from intense weed pressure, sunlight and nutrients become scarcer for other uses; stems of young vegetables become choked out; disease-causing organisms flourish; weeds that germinate from roots, rhizomes, tubers

Oats grow quickly in cool fall weather, making them an excellent way to cover ground newly planted with slow-growing vegetables like kale and spinach. They are also an effective choice for covering beds that have become overgrown with chickweed, henbit or other cool-weather weeds. As oats break down in spring, they release organic matter and nutrients for use by subsequent crops. Planting Time Oats grow quickly in the fall and produce a dense mat of residue to suppress weeds, while also providing an organic source of nitrogen for next year’s vegetable crops – eliminating costly and intensive nitrogen fertilizer applications.

Joe Thomas is known as one of the greatest outdoorsmen of his time and currently focuses on both big game hunting and food plot creation. This winter, he is using frost seeding techniques to establish clover in his food plots. Frost seeding is an effective and straightforward way to disseminate clover seeds during late winter and early spring, with natural freeze/thaw cycles dispersing and working the seed into the soil, creating optimal conditions for germination and better results. Frost Seeding Tips Frost seeding is an effective method to fill gaps and thin spots in your food plot, providing an extended