Besides needing nourishment, your garden also needs protection, especially from erosion by wind and water. The ubiquitous leaf blower degrades your soil by blowing off the protective top layer of soil; while mulch and cover crops help guard it from the elements. If you don’t want to use wood chips, leaves or straw, you may also consider filling the space with other plants suitable for this area. Cover crops offer excellent winter protection and soil nourishment. Native ground covers could be an optimal solution to protect bare soil in the long run, and will also help with weed control.

Title: Cover Crops in Home Gardens Improve Soil and Reduce Erosion
Organization: Penn State Extension
Description: What is a cover crop, what makes a good cover crop and how to plant

Title: How to Turn In Your Cover Crops
Organization: New York Botanical Garden (NYBG), Bronx Green-Up
Description: In this three-minute video, Kadeesha Williams, Community Horticulturist and Urban Agriculturist for Bronx Green-Up at NYBG, explains how cover crop choices (in this case, grasses and legumes) can help your soil replenish nutrients and boost soil microorganism population, while she demonstrates how to chop and turn in your cover crops at the beginning of the growing season.