Controlling Farm and Garden Pests with Cover Crops

Living Mulches, Cover Crops and IPM

Farmers have historically used living mulches such as alfalfa and clover to decrease soil erosion, suppress weeds and to supplement nitrogen, however USDA studies have confirmed that living mulches also host thriving communities of pest predators. These insect enemies, primarily arachnids and ground beetles, ate from 13-51% more pest pupae in test crops such as corn and soybeans, than in mulch-less control plots.

However, living mulches are not pest control cure-alls that suppress all pests on all crops and as they are prolific growers, they may have to be suppressed so they will not out-compete the host crop for food.

Yet these bio-dynamic ground covers can be used very effectively as part of an integrated pest management program in commercial agriculture and the home garden.