Planting dry beans into spring cover crops could be a measure to protect young plants from damaging weather conditions like wind or hail. Dry beans are susceptible to damage from wind and other ...

No matter the type of farm, there’s an advantage to planting soil-feeding cover crops ahead of fall and winter. The assistance provided depends on the crops you plant. But there is definitely one out ...

The ground may still be covered in snow, but now is an excellent time to start planning to improve the soil in your vegetable gardens for the planting season ahead. Cover crops are effective tools in ...

I am often asked, “Can I graze cover crops?” The answer is yes, you can. Sometimes a label we give something pigeonholes it ...

In the fall, you might be tempted to remove the dead plant material, till your garden soil a bit, and put your garden to bed for the winter without another thought. However, you can also grow cover ...

Strategically use certain vegetables in your garden to naturally deter pests and enhance your harvest without pesticides.

When it comes to soil conservation, a common headache for Iowa farmers is the spring deluge that causes fields to erode showing visible scouring and gullies. The amount of rain is only part of the ...

An Iowa farmer checks his cereal rye cover crop. Hawkeye State farmers plant more than 2 million acres of cover crops each year to prevent soil erosion and reduce the loss of nutrients. Editor’s note: ...