A harvested garden bed can look strangely unfinished. The tomatoes have packed their bags, the beans have disappeared, and suddenly there is a whole patch of perfectly good soil sitting around with nothing to do. That empty space offers a great opportunity to plant a cover crop, even when the garden consists of a few raised beds or a narrow backyard plot.
Cover crops do more than fill an awkward gap between summer and next year’s planting season. The right crop can shield bare soil from erosion, compete with weeds, add organic matter, and in some cases contribute nitrogen to the soil. Small gardens require a little more selectivity, though, because nobody wants a six-foot jungle taking over a 4-by-8-foot raised bed.
