Cover Me

Since the swales were constructed in the olive grove, I have been wanting to protect the exposed soil.  In its current state, the soil can suffer from erosion by excessive rain and wind. One of the fastest ways to do this is with a cover crop.  I selected buckwheat and cowpeas as my seeds of choice, mainly because they germinate quickly and their root systems will bind the soil together and smother weeds.  Both of these varieties are hardy and there is also the added benefit of the cowpea putting nitrogen into the soil.  If I am able to get a successful germination within the grove, they could also be an additional food source to other livestock I introduce into this system.

To ensure the cowpea fixes nitrogen efficiently, I applied the appropriate inoculate to the seeds, added a little water and gave it a stir with a stick.

Armed with a bucket of buckwheat and a bucket of cowpeas, I made my way out to the swales.  With my high-tech pointy stick, I started punching holes into the walls of the swales to the required depth.

After enough holes were made, I filled the holes with seed.

It's probably not the fastest way to plant a cover crop over such a large area, but it was simple and now all we have to do is wait and see what happens.