Penn State Ag Sciences Newsline -- October 21, 2008

Winter cover crop in your garden saves soil, enhances environment (:44)

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Suggested Intro:

AS YOU PREPARE YOUR GARDEN FOR THE WINTER, YOU MAY WANT TO TAKE A TIP FROM THE FARMERS AND PUT IN A WINTER COVER CROP, ACCORDING TO A SPECIALIST IN PENN STATE'S COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES. GARY ABDULLAH HAS MORE:

Story:

(:16) AFTER THEIR MAIN CROPS ARE HARVESTED, FARMERS OFTEN PLANT A LATE COVER CROP -- SUCH AS RYE, OATS OR CLOVER -- TO PROTECT THE SOIL AND ADD ORGANIC MATTER. PENN STATE MASTER GARDENERS COORDINATOR GINGER PRYOR SAYS COVER CROPS WORK FOR AMATEUR GARDENERS, TOO, HELPING TO PRESERVE A VALUABLE ASSET:

Pryor Actuality:
(:18) "WE DON'T LIKE TO SEE GARDEN SOIL JUST LAY EXPOSED OVER THE WINTERTIME. YOU PUT A LOT OF WORK INTO THAT SOIL SO WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU EITHER PUT A COVER CROP ON TO PROTECT THAT SOIL AND KEEP IT IN PLACE, AND ADD SOME NUTRIENTS TO IT FOR SPRING, OR PUT A LIGHT MULCH ON TOP, OF, LIKE, SHREDDED LEAVES."

(:10) PRYOR SAYS YOU SHOULD CUT DOWN YOUR COVER CROP BEFORE IT BEGINS TO BEAR SEEDS, TO AVOID HAVING IT REAPPEAR AS A WEED DURING THE GROWING SEASON. FROM PENN STATE, I'M GARY ABDULLAH.

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Learn more:

YOUR WORK ISN'T DONE AFTER PICKING THE LAST OF THE GARDEN CROP (from the College of Agricultural Sciences news archives)

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