Which Cover Crop Should I Plant Now? & a Free Printable Chart

If you are still trying to decide whether or not it’s worth planting cover crops, check out my article about how cover crops help gardens produce more.

I have used hairy vetch as a cover crop in the past, but I decided to try some other types of cover crops this year. I found a lot of wonderful information, so much in fact, that I decided to make myself a chart to keep it all straight. My focus was on which cover crops are best for our Mid Atlantic region, how they help the soil, and when is the best time to plant them.

You can download the pdf of my full chart here or at the end of this article.

Spring Cover Crops

buckwheat
berseem clover
crimson clover
red clover

Be aware of the germination temperatures for the crops on my list. I list buckwheat as a spring crop, but it requires a soil temperature of 50 F.

Late Spring / Early Summer Cover Crops

buckwheat
crimson clover
sweet clover
cow peas

Buckwheat and crimson clover are repeated in multiple seasons of my chart since they grow quickly and can be planted whenever there is an open spot through out the growing season. The “Days to Incorporation” helps us consider whether there is a large enough window of time to plant and incorporate the cover crop before the harvestable crops are planted. For reference, I also list the suggested best time to plant in the Mid Atlantic.

Summer Cover Crops

buckwheat
forage radish
oats
sorgum sudan grass

I attended a lecture on the benefits of planting cover crops in high tunnels during the heat of summer. Our tunnel is cooled passively – with roll-up sides instead of electric fans. It can be stifling for people and plants in August. I am looking forward to trying a buckwheat and sorghum sudangrass combination in there this year. I think it will grow quickly despite the heat and provide some nourishment for my fall high tunnel plantings.