Cover Crop Topic Room
Cover crops are one of the most effective ways to improve soil health, reduce off-farm inputs and protect natural resources. The following is a collection of educational materials developed out of decades of SARE-funded cover crop research.
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Selection and Management
Better understand how legumes, grasses, brassicas and other cover crop species can contribute to your operation.
Economics
Cover crops can improve the bottom line in many ways, by reducing fertilizer needs, lowering weed and pest pressure, improving yields and more.
Establishment
Timely establishment of cover crops in the late summer and early fall is one of the most critical factors in having success with them.
Rotations
Success with cover crops relies on carefully planning how to fit them into your cash crop rotation.
Soil and Fertility Management
From cycling nutrients to reducing erosion to breaking compaction, cover crops offer a host of benefits to soil and fertility.
Water Management
Because they improve infiltration and blanket the soil, cover crops have been shown to preserve, not deplete, soil moisture for following cash crops.
Pest Management
Smother winter weeds and break pest cycles by planting the right cover crop species.
No-Till
Soil health benefits are often enhanced when using cover crops in combination with no-till.
Miscellaneous
Innovative SARE-funded research in miscellaneous topics related to cover crops.
Complete List
View a list of all the resources in this topic room.
