Overwintering Cover Crop Mix
Our own mix for winter cover, now lower-growing. We have reworked the mix so that it now tops out at two and a half feet instead of six, which was problematic in home gardens. This combination has proven itself in local farms and world-class vineyards: Wheat holds the soil and prevents nutrient loss. Clover and vetch add nitrogen to the soil. Agricultural mustard sends down deep taproots to break up hardpan, and contain compounds that inhibit nematodes and fungal diseases like fusarium. It also enriches the soil with sulfur, an essential nutrient that increases the strength and disease-resistance of following crops. Should be cut or turned under while plants are green and juicy, before full flowering. If you prefer not to spade or till the crop under, the cut plants can be composted. (Or fed to chickens; they love it.)