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Crop rotation and the use of cover crops are key tools for sustainable farming practices and have been used by farmers for centuries. These techniques can aid in developing more resilient and environmentally friendly agricultural systems that are capable of enhancing soil health, managing pests and diseases, and improving crop yields for a successful harvests.
The crops in the field go round and round
Crop rotation is defined as the practice of growing different crops in specific sequences within the same patch of land, which are systematically harvested over defined periods of time. It is a fundamental practice that was followed by many civilizations across history. Agricultural societies like the Mesopotamians, Egyptians, and Chinese often alternated crops like barley, wheat, and legumes to improve soil fertility, but it was the Romans and Greeks who really understood the importance of this practice. Many European farmers followed the Roman system of “food, feed, fallow”, in which one field was designated a food crop, such as wheat or corn, another field was dedicated to feed crops like livestock forage, and a third one was left fallow as a way of providing a resting period to the soil. Another technique used in the European Middle Ages was the Three-Field System, in which one field was planted with a cereal crop, another with a legume crop, and the third one was left fallow. Same as with the “food, feed, fallow” system, the fallow field was used to provide respite to the soil to regain its fertility, but the legume crop was strategically used to incorporate nitrogen into it so as to benefit the next crop.
Most notably, Mesoamerican cultures, particularly from the Yucatan Peninsula, had the practice of “Milpa,” a form of crop rotation that remains an influential concept around Central and South America to this day, and it is promoted as a great alternative to soil restoration. Milpa, from the Nahuatl mil-pa meaning “cultivated field,” involved a cycle of 2 years of cultivation and eight years of fallow with a combination of crops, typically maize, beans, and squash. In this cycle, each crop has its distinct role: maize provided structural support for beans, which in turn fix nitrogen in the soil. Squash plants created shade and ground cover, reducing weed growth and maintaining soil moisture. The fallow period would allow vegetation to naturally regenerate for a lasting, sustained yield in healthy soil.
So, where do cover crops come in?
Cover crops are considered more of a complementary practice to support crop rotation, but they can be extremely beneficial to soil health. Although they are not rotated the same way as the “cash crops”— which are the crops that are grown for sale in the market— cover crops play a key role in enhancing soil health during fallow periods or periods when the crash crop is not on the ground.
Depending on the type of cover crop selected, the soil can receive a number of benefits. Farmers can select their preferred cover cop based on the particular soil requirements among some options such as:
- Cereal rye: this cereal can be used to smother weeds through a process called “allelopathy,” a chemical interference process in which a plant disturbs the growth of other plants by inhibiting its germination and growth. Cereal rye also monopolizes resources, growing rapidly and densely, also acting as a physical barrier against weed seeds and preventing them from reaching the soil.
- Legumes: same as in old civilizations, farmers today can use legumes, such as peas, beans, and clovers, to improve soil fertility. Legume roots are inhabited by nitrogen-fixing bacteria, capable of breaking nitrogen bonds and converting them to ammonia or nitrate, a symbiotic process that directly benefits plant growth and can greatly enrich the soil. Having a legume cover crop can reduce the need to use artificial fertilizers to supplement these nutrient requirements.
- Buckwheat: aside from shading out weeds, buckwheat flowers can attract beneficial insects, which are described as those that play a positive role in pollination and pest control. Buckwheat flowers have a short and prolific flowering period that produces flowers with abundant pollen and nectar, attracting pollinators such as honeybees. It also attracts predatory insects like ladybugs and hoverflies, which commonly feed off harmful pests. This helps develop a balanced ecosystem around crops, enhancing beneficial insect presence and reducing the need for chemical pesticides. Aside from cover crops, buckwheat can also be strategically planted to be used as a companion to cash crops.
- Brassicas: brassicas are excellent soil breakers on account of their deep taproots. This greatly helps in soil structure by improving aeration and water infiltration, even after the plants decompose, also releasing beneficial nutrients. Moreover, brassicas can act as biofumigants; for example, some varieties of mustard can produce a compound named glucosinolate, which breaks down into biofumigant chemicals when in contact with soil. These chemicals can help suppress soil-borne pests, pathogens, and nematodes. Other brassicas can produce flowers that are attractive to pollinators, further enhancing the crop ecosystem. Depending on the requirements, farmers can select among various types of brassicas depending on what their soil and overall crop require, either as a cover crop or as a companion crop during the active season.
Easy, breezy, beautiful cover crops
Aside from selecting the right cover crop depending on your needs, some tips to get your cover crops going in your field are:
- Location and season: cover crops can be planted depending on geographical and seasonal conditions. Regions like the Northeast and Midwest US can plant cover crops in the late summer or early fall to keep soil protected over the winter or go for a spring planting if the winter is too crude. For warmer zones like the Southwest, winter planting could be possible, and in areas such as California, cover crops can actually be planted all year round depending on the preferred crop and the farmer’s specific goal
- Planting: remove debris and weeds before planting your cover crop seeds. Depending on the type of plant you’ve selected, make sure to follow the recommended planting depth, although a good rule of thumb to consider is about ¼ to 1-inch depth. After seeding, lightly rake or roll the soil to ensure good seed-to-soil contact and aid with germination and growth.
- Harvesting: depending on the benefits that will come from this harvesting process, some cover crops can be harvested earlier than others. Some cover crops, like clover or rye, are tilled under before they flower or set seed. This provides green manure, adding organic matter and nutrients to the soil. You can also mow down cover crops to use as mulch, which helps with weed suppression and moisture retention. Sometimes, livestock grazing can be a good way of terminating the crop, which adds a layer of benefit to animal forage, especially those such as oats or forage radishes. You can collect seeds for future planting by cutting seed heads or pods when they are mature and dry.
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