Cover crops are plants purposely grown to cover and protect the soil from erosion, promote biodiversity, and improve soil health. In the summertime, however, it can be challenging finding cover crops that can handle the high temperatures.
Luckily, seasoned gardening expert Angela Judd (@growing.in.the.garden) shares three cover crops that can brave the summer heat while keeping your soil healthy and happy.
The scoop
Angela suggests three different cover crops for home gardeners to plant during the summer.
The first cover crop Angela discusses is heat-loving beans, such as black-eyed peas and cowpeas. These varieties of beans thrive in warm climates and support the health of the soil.
Angela also recommends growing sweet potatoes since they are a hardy vegetable with deep roots and long vines. Sweet potatoes are low-lying crops that are drought-resistant, according to an article in Cover Crop Strategies, making them great cover crops.
Lastly, Angela advises her gardening followers to consider adding Mexican sunflowers (Tithonia rotundifolia) to their summer cover crop lineup. Since these flowers grow tall, they produce a significant amount of plant matter that eventually decomposes and improves soil fertility.
"There's a reason I keep talking about the benefits of cover crops," says Angela in her video. "They keep your soil alive and microbially active through the hot summer months, and these three crops don't mind the heat."
How it's working
Angela's tips are teaching Instagrammers how to maintain their gardens throughout the summer heat. By planting cover crops, home gardeners can better promote the health of the soil as well as the entire local ecosystem.
Gardening on a consistent basis has been found to support both your mental and physical health. Recent studies reveal that individuals who garden regularly are more active and report having reduced levels of stress.
Growing your own produce is also a great way to save money on groceries and ensure your fruits and vegetables are organic. By investing just $70 into your own produce garden, you can yield up to $600 worth of healthy, homegrown food.
The more you grow your own produce, the more you also reduce the demand for mass-produced, globally shipped food products.
What people are saying
Instagrammers were grateful to learn about summer cover crops and excited to start planting.
"Are you planting these from seeds?" asked one Instagram user.
"The beans, yes," replied Angela. "Sweet potatoes are from slips and tithonia I start indoors first."
"Good to know!" commented another user.
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