Cover Crops
Cover crops are talked about often in large operations, but they are just as valuable in gardens and smaller operations. Cover crops help protect the soil from erosion during the nongrowing season, add nutrients to the soil, increase moisture retention in the garden, and suppress weeds. Here are some sources to help answer your questions about cover crops and how to add them to your garden:
Small farms and organic farming
Gardens and vegetable farms have different needs than rowcrops. Urban farming comes with unique challenges such as attracting beneficial insects and pollinators to your garden when you are surrounded by yards and buildings. Here are some tools to help you with your garden.
Soil testing
It is always good to know what you are planting your food into because plants pull nutrients and contaminants into them from the soil. Previous activities on the land can impact the health of your soil. Areas that have previously had gas stations, dry cleaners, rail line, or old buildings with lead paint are at high risk of having contaminants in the soil. It is best to have a soil sample collected and tested to insure the crops will be healthy for consumption. Here is a guide about collected and understanding the results of soil samples.