Cover crops, along with companion planting, are a great way to add nutrients to your soil and regenerate it. Besides giving marijuana plants the nitrogen they need, they also improve soil structure, aerate it and provide other benefits.
The most important benefit of cover crops is that they can suppress weeds. This reduces the number of weeds that can compete with your main crop for water, light and nutrients.
Buckwheat
Buckwheat is a plant that has been grown as a crop for thousands of years. It originated in China and is now grown throughout the world as a grain, as well as for its edible seed.
It grows very quickly, so it is a great addition to any farm or garden. It will crowd out weeds and protect the soil from erosion, while also attracting beneficial insects to the area.
As a cover crop, it can be sown in the late spring or early summer as a means of protecting the soil from the elements while still allowing for growth of the main crop. Buckwheat is a good companion plant for any flower or vegetable that needs additional sunlight and nutrients to thrive, especially in the hot and dry weather of the summer.
A variety of buckwheat is available for sale in the United States, including a high-protein buckwheat. It is a gluten-free seed that is a complete protein with all the essential amino acids. It is particularly rich in Lysine, Tryptophan and Arginine.
Unlike other grain crops, buckwheat doesn’t need fertilizer. It can be sown directly into the soil or broadcasted. It can be cultivated on a variety of soils, including nutrient-poor areas and in high altitudes.
This plant is an excellent choice for a home grower, because it requires minimal maintenance and it is easy to harvest. It can be harvested as a flour or seed and is used in a variety of dishes, from Chinese and Japanese noodles to Indian fried dishes.
Buckwheat is a low glycemic food and can help reduce the risk of diabetes and heart disease. It is rich in fiber, iron, magnesium and a variety of antioxidants.
It is a good source of vitamin B1 (thiamine) and folate. It can also help lower cholesterol and blood pressure levels. It is a very good source of protein and has all the essential amino acids, which are essential for building proteins in the body.
It is considered a medicinal plant by Ayurveda. It is classified as astringent, pungent, sweet and heating and is used in the treatment of diabetes, excess weight, capillary health, heart disease, dull Agni and excess Kapha (mucous/fluid) conditions. It is also considered a good food for fasts or cleanses.
Mustard
Mustard is a cool-season crop that grows quickly, so it’s great for use as a cover crop to prevent weed growth. It also helps improve the quality of your soil, providing important nitrogen for a subsequently planted crop and contributing to soil tilth, nutrient retention, and erosion control.
Mustard plants contain glucosinolates, which help manage soil-borne pathogens and pests like fungi and nematodes. Other mustard-family plants include broccoli, cauliflower, kale, turnips, kohlrabi, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and arugula.
In addition to scavenging nitrogen from surrounding soils, broadleaf mustard seeds also provide a large amount of biomass that helps improve soil tilth and quality. Its deep taproot also aids in aeration and drainage of the soil.
It also grows very quickly and outpaces weed growth. As such, it’s great for use as a covering crop on cannabis cultivation beds.
This cover crop is particularly useful in areas where soil moisture is low, as it helps to hold water in the ground and maintain its nutrient levels. It can be sown as a straight cover crop or in mixtures with other cover crops, such as buckwheat.
For best results, grow your mustard in a well-drained, sandy, or rocky soil that’s been amended with compost. Mustard can tolerate drought, but it’s a good idea to keep the soil moist while the seedlings are growing. In South Africa, this means that you should water daily until they germinate.
As a general rule, all plants tend to do better with a good dose of organic matter in their soils. Compost is especially beneficial to all leafy vegetables, as it stabilizes the water content and holds minerals.
Another plus of mustard is that it contains allyl isothiocyanate, which creates the sharp, hot, pungent flavour that’s so popular with food lovers. This is because it stimulates the TRPV ion channel on nociceptors (pain sensing nerve cells) in the mouth and nasal passages.
The concentrations of different glucosinolates in mustard plant varieties, and the different isothiocyanates they produce, make mustard have a range of flavours and intensities. While the flavour of mustard can be quite intense, it can be gradually broken down by natural chemical processes to reduce the level of heat.
Clover
As part of a living soil cultivation system, cover crops are incorporated into cannabis grow operations to help maintain the health and integrity of the soil. They often also add nutrients to the soil that the plants can use instead of consuming synthetic fertilizers.
Depending on the species, cover crops can offer many benefits to cannabis growers, such as enhancing soil health and structure and deterring pests. They can also increase overall productivity and yield.
One of the most commonly used cover crops is clover. It’s a legume that sequesters nitrogen from the air and converts it into a form that’s available for plant growth.
In addition, clover helps improve soil structure and can alleviate topsoil compaction. It can also draw pollinating bees to the garden.
Clover is a nitrogen-fixing plant that stores nitrogen in its roots and releases it into the soil as it decays. It can be grown with cannabis as a companion crop, or it can be planted in the off-season to add nitrogen and other nutrients.
Fortier says that incorporating cover crops into her cannabis growing operation is a good way to maintain the integrity of the soil and prevent erosion. She prefers planting them in September or October, before it gets too cold.
Her goal is to inject nitrogen and carbon into the soil. She also wants to add organic matter and aerate the soil.
Another benefit of using clover as a cover crop is that it can attract pollinating bees to the garden, which can help increase overall yields and improve flavor. It can also be used as a companion crop in other areas of the garden, such as vegetable or fruit gardens.
Some clover varieties, such as yellow sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis), are also a great source of protein for livestock. In addition, clover can be used to create a feed mix for birds.
If you’re planning on using clover as a cover crop, it is important to wait until the clover flowers have dried out. This will ensure that the seeds aren’t damaged by wind and rain, which can cause them to fall off the plant.
Alfalfa
Cover crops can be used to help weed and soil-borne disease prevention, as well as add nutrients to the soil. Unlike chemical fertilizers, cover crops are organic and don’t contribute to toxic runoff. They also provide food for the microorganisms that inhabit your garden, and are a natural pest control.
Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is a perennial legume that is widely grown around the world for its fodder qualities and as a nutrient-rich additive to compost. It’s also an ideal crop to use as a cover crop since it helps improve the soil and provides pollinators with food.
The plant grows to a height of 120 cm (47 in) and can live for 3-8 years. It produces spirally coiled seed pods that contain 2-6 seeds.
It can be planted in the fall as a nitrogen fixer or sown as a summer cover crop for added nutrition to your cannabis plants. Alternatively, it can be used as an annual or perennial source of mulch and compost.
If you’re using alfalfa as a nitrogen fixer, then it’s important to get it started in the fall when the weather is cool. This will ensure that your plants have a sufficient amount of time to fix their nitrogen before harvesting in the spring.
Once your seedbed is ready and the soil has been firmed, sow the seeds 5 cm (2 in) deep in rows spaced 45 to 60 cm (18 to 24 in) apart. The soil should be free of weeds and kept moist until the seedlings emerge.
Alfalfa is easily grown from seed and can also be propagated by cuttings if you have access to an existing alfalfa patch. However, you’ll have to be patient and watch over your plants for the first few weeks while they grow and root.
It thrives in a wide range of climates and can withstand freezing temperatures if you plant it early or late in the spring. In addition, it can be harvested as a high-quality forage, either for grazing or as hay. It is easy to maintain and has a long life span.
