To prevent nutrient loss over winter, small grains can be planted in the fall. These crops use residual soil nitrogen from the preceding crop fertilization that might be lost from the upper soil profile by leaching. Once the crop is incorporated in the soil, nitrogen and other nutrients become available to subsequent crops by their decomposition. To loosen compacted soils and break plow-pans, plant crops with taproots. These include alfalfa, any of the clovers and the sweet clovers.
Cover crops can provide an increment of weed control by competing for light, water and nutrients.
Fast growing covers such as buckwheat, or large biomass producers such as hairy vetch or sudangrass, can be grown. Using higher seeding rates also increases the competitiveness of the cover crop. Cover crops may attract beneficial in-sects, particularly when flowering, as they provide a food source. However, allowing these crops to reach maturity may complicate their control if they have gone to seed or have excessive growth that is difficult to incorporate. Integration Cover and green manure crops can be grown at different times of the year.