# Cover crops basics
**URL:** https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/t/cover-crops-basics/745
**Category:** Off Topic
**Tags:** cover-crop
**Created:** [February 11, 2023, 9:32am UTC](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/t/cover-crops-basics/745 "2023-02-11T09:32:38Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 3
### Author:  [@DebbieA](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/u/DebbieA)
#### Post date: [May 30, 2024, 4:20am UTC](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/t/cover-crops-basics/745/41 "2024-05-30T04:20:19Z")
We have an area that used to be a lawn. I stopped watering it many years ago and it has transformed quite a bit over that time. I seeded it at one point with achillea millefolium which has become one of the dominant species. All the other species came to the property on their own. There are at least 8 different grasses, wild lettuce, and lots of salsify (Tragopogon, with yellow flowers though I don’t know the species). I live in a suburban neighborhood so at this time of year I am usually cutting back the salsify to keep the seeds in check. The neighbors do not like dandelions so the salsify seed heads probably terrify them. I like the idea of the thick salsify roots opening up the soil, but does anyone know if leaving them in the soil has a negative influence on microbial activity? Is there another plant that might substitute for salsify and does not have the fluffy seed heads?
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### Author:  [@Hugo](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/u/Hugo)
#### Post date: [May 30, 2024, 5:13am UTC](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/t/cover-crops-basics/745/42 "2024-05-30T05:13:19Z")
Hi Debbie. Aiai. Neighbors. Gotto keep them happy.
Salsify, i got a purple one, which is much higher. I have a parsnip which selfseeds. I’ve managed to multiply black radish for seed multiplication. Daikon won’t work for me, but people say it’s the best for leaving soil plugs.
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### Author:  [@ThomasPicard](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/u/ThomasPicard)
#### Post date: [May 30, 2024, 6:48am UTC](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/t/cover-crops-basics/745/43 "2024-05-30T06:48:50Z")
> [@RayS](#):
>
> This is definitely something to think about. There are some easy annual cover crops like chia and amaranth where a small patch would produce lots of seeds, pretty easy to thresh. Legumes might be more difficult. I want to start experimenting with different crops to find some, like amaranth, that produce lots of seeds in a small space and are easy to thresh.
100% I have discovered both of them over the past years and reproduced. Got allways a few kilos of giant amaranths. Chia being photoperiodic for most strains here we have to search for the others, unfortunately these are small plants compares to the firsts, more usual in their country of origin. Also giant chenopodium is great for summer cover crops in here. Eleusine coracana leaves less straw but such an incredible root structure + is fixing nitrogen through symbiosis. I love the 2 strains I got.
Here today at young stage:
Also quinoas, cousins of my giant chenopodium, bred for eating the leaves. Could be bred for dual use too.
Trying many millets also this year: there are about 10 species called “millets” and in a some species (_pennisetum glaucum_ or _panicum miliaceum_ for example) there is a huge variability, covering a wide range of ecologies. They are more utilised in fragilise soils than things like corn and the other summer cereals.
Sorghum also.
Here is a list of “millets”:
- _Panicum miliaceum_ . common millet
- _Setaria italica_. birds millet and moha
- _pennisetum glaucum_.
- _paspalum sumatrense_
- _paspalum scrobiculatum_
- _sorghum bicolor_. (sometimes sorghum is classified within the millets family)
- _eleusine coracana_. Ragi
- _eragrostis tef_ . Tef
- _digitaria exilis_ . White fonio
- _digitaria iburua_. Black fonio
- _brachiaria deflexa_. “fonio with big seeds”
- _echinochloa esculenta_ and _frumentacea_. Japanese millet
- _urochloa ramosa_
A list I made prior to searching some of them, using [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millet) and a [website](https://www.terramillet.com/) made by a lady found of millet, notably. Found some through [seed resellers](https://kokopelli-semences.fr/fr/c/search?search=millet), and many through asian and african grocery stores when I went in Paris, and eventually this [commercial website](https://annachi.fr/?s=millet&post_type=product). Just typed in “millet” and saw about 30 products of 10 species appearing… crazy crazy crazy. So you pay the same price as the mini-bag of seeds and have a kilo.
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### Author:  [@YrtheArts](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/u/YrtheArts)
#### Post date: [July 29, 2024, 10:05pm UTC](https://goingtoseed.discourse.group/t/cover-crops-basics/745/44 "2024-07-29T22:05:42Z")
I’m interested in exploring the use of native plants for cover crops. Of course what is native varies from place to place. But native plants will tend to provide more ecological services for native fauna such as pollinating insects and songbirds, due to their co-evolution.
I’m only just beginning my research on this topic. My region is western Illinois zone 6a.
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