cover crop
nounDefinition of cover crop
: a crop planted to prevent soil erosion and to provide humus
Examples of cover crop in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
One great way to boost nitrogen is by planting leguminous cover crops, such as alfalfa, clover, hairy vetch, or peas. — Beth Hanson, Good Housekeeping, "Grow Healthier Crops Using These Natural Nitrogen Sources," 24 Aug. 2015 At 6 inches, harden off the plants for about 10 days, and then transplant them into the garden in a bed that’s high in organic matter (from a cover crop or added compost). — The Editors Of Organic Life, Good Housekeeping, "How To Grow Your Own Crunchy Celery," 19 Apr. 2017 Just over 90 percent of cropland in the state still goes without cover crops. — Emily Hopkins, Cincinnati.com, "Your produce is less healthy than it was 70 years ago. These farmers might change that," 4 July 2018 And use cover crops during the off-season, advises George Abawi, Ph.D., a plant pathologist at Cornell University. — The Editors Of Organic Life, Good Housekeeping, "How (And Why) To Grow And Eat More Beets," 18 Apr. 2017 California farmers are currently experimenting with cover crops to hold water and improve soil, and testing ways to recharge aquifers before the new state law bans excessive groundwater pumping. — Aaron Gilbreath, Longreads, "Farming A Warming Planet: An Interview Nathanael Johnson," 31 May 2018 And, yes, covering crops with row cover right after planting prevents feeding by many generations of both these pests. — Ellen Nibali, baltimoresun.com, "Garden Q&A: How to control a leafminer attack," 24 May 2018 Lester, the Sacramento-area walnut grower, also plants cover crops. — Nathanael Johnson, WIRED, "Are Avocados Toast?," 24 May 2018 Alfalfa and other cover crops have been planted to leech the chemicals from the soil and replace nitrogen. — Yvonne Wenger, Washington Post, "Baltimore’s Franciscan Center to farm land in Howard County to help feed the city’s poor," 1 May 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cover crop.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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