All growers know that seasonality plays a huge role in what fruits and vegetables are grown and then sold. While something like apple crops harvest well year-round, other crops are far more sensitive to the changes in weather conditions as each season passes. However, experienced farmers know that planting apples late summer gives the, the ability to truly thrive when the fall season comes. Planning for your fall harvest probably began weeks ago as the summer months were wrapping up. Having a stable, flourishing set of fall crops is critical for farmers who depend on the sale of their fruits and vegetables to sustain the business.

For those growers who have made the mistake of late harvesting this fall season, we recommend “green manure” to help alleviate the issues linked to this struggle. Using green manure, farmers and growers will be able to keep their harvest areas free from weeds. Additionally, green manure supplies soils with organic matter that helps the crops develop and grow in a healthy manner. The following are some of the most common green manures:

• Oats
• Alfalfa
• Rapeseed
• Peas
• Winter Rye
• Clover
• Buckwheat
• Annual Ryegrass
• Winter Wheat
• Vetch

Be sure to sow the seeds thickly so that you are creating a barrier in which the weeds are unable to penetrate and break through. In addition, make sure that you do no self-seed as thus the weeds form when crops are mowed prior to flowering. As you embark on a bountiful fall season, take advantage of the benefits that green manure can offer your harvest.