It produces more organic matter than white clover. Plant in the fall, sowing 0.75 ounces of seed per 100 square feet or 0.5 pound per 1000 square feet. Turn under in the spring. Because winter rye grows early in the spring and produces toxins that kill seedlings, it's ideal for smothering weeds. Like other grasses, its fibrous root system and succulent leaves add organic matter.
Winter rye prefers a well drained soil.
It reduces the number of nematodes in the soil and adds a lot of organic matter. Sudangrass has a dense root system that makes it well suited to erosion control and adds organic matter. Sudangrass survives drought well but performs better with more water, especially in the Southwest. It adapts to poorly drained soils.