Cover Crops

What is a cereal rye cover crop and when do I plant it?

Cereal rye (Secale cereale) is a winter-hardy grain grown as a fall-planted cover crop that overwinters and resumes growth in spring. Plant in fall (September-November depending on region), let it grow through winter and early spring, then terminate before cash crop planting. Excellent for weed suppression, biomass, and erosion control.