Covercorps

Plants grown for soil improvement, known as "cover crops," serve various purposes such as breaking pest cycles, conserving topsoil, adding organic matter, and suppressing weeds. These crops, also termed "green manures" or "living mulch," contribute to soil fertility over time. Green manures, specifically grown to enhance nutrient uptake by subsequent crops, often include legumes like buckwheat, grasses, sunn hemp, and perennial peanut. Renewed interest in lablab as a green manure has emerged. Managing green manures is crucial for maximizing nutrient benefits, with certain species more suitable for specific elevations. Living mulches, grown alongside food crops, offer short-term benefits like pest cycle disruption, erosion control, and weed displacement. They also reduce land area out of production, act as physical barriers against pests, and are compatible with perennial systems. In some cases, living mulches can serve as green manures, being periodically turned under.