Cover Crop
/KUV-er KROP/🧑🌾 Cultivation●● Intermediate
Also known as: green manure, living mulch
A plant grown in garden beds or agricultural fields primarily to benefit the soil during periods when the land would otherwise be bare. Cover crops prevent erosion, suppress weeds, fix nitrogen (legumes), improve soil structure, increase organic matter, and support beneficial organisms. Common cover crops include clover, winter rye, field peas, and buckwheat. They are typically mowed or turned into the soil before the next planting.
Etymology
Old English cover (to conceal) + Old English crop (harvest)
Example
“Planting crimson clover as a winter cover crop adds nitrogen to the soil and prevents erosion.”