TikToker Jessica (@fromdreamtoseed), a master gardener who teaches beginners, posted the third video in a series about how to use cover crops, showing viewers a natural way to protect and improve the soil during the winter months. 

"This is incredible … and very helpful," one commenter said.

@fromdreamtoseed Time to plant those winter cover crops in your home garden! Cover crops can protect the soil, add organic matter, and boost nutrients. Are you planting cover crops this fall? #gardening #gardentips #covercrop #soilhealth #homegarden ♬ original sound - Jessica

The scoop

Cover crops are plants that are intentionally grown to cover and protect the soil. They can help improve soil health and prevent erosion while also promoting biodiversity. 

Cover crops may vary by season and region. Jessica was demonstrating how to plant cover crops in the fall to protect the soil during the chilly winter months.

Jessica explained that leaving the soil bare during the winter would put it at risk for nutrient loss and erosion. She acknowledged that organic mulches like leaves, straw, or pine needles could protect the soil, but that cover crops would likely be more beneficial. 

She explained that as they protect the soil, the roots give microorganisms something to feed on, which stops them from depleting all of the nutrients in the soil throughout the season.

Jessica showed how she planted field peas in the spring and buckwheat in the summer as protective cover crops, and she added that she was gearing up to plant oats for the winter. 

She said that they would go green over the fall, and then, after dying back during the first winter frosts, they would add a protective layer to the soil for the winter. Then, she said she would turn them into the soil in the spring.

How it's helping

Soil health is important for home gardens because it positively impacts the growth and vitality of plants. 

The healthier the soil, the richer it is in nutrients, which can lead to bigger, more resilient plants and more bountiful harvests when planting food-bearing vegetation. 

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As healthy soil makes for a healthier garden, a healthier garden makes for healthier humans.

Gardening has physical and mental health benefits. Growing your own food and increasing your fiber intake through eating what you grow contributes positively to your health, as does the physicality that gardening requires.

Home gardening gives you the added assurance that your food crops are not treated with chemicals to control pests or weeds. Luckily, there are ways to control pests and weeds without the use of potentially toxic substances, such as making use of companion planting.

All of this supports biodiversity and the balance of the local ecosystem.

What everyone's saying

TikTokers who commented on Jessica's video asked questions about the best ways to use cover crops in their own regions and were appreciative of the valuable information.

"I have always wanted to plant cover crops," one commenter shared.

"I've never heard of that," said another. "Definitely will be looking into it!"

One TikToker simply said, "Yes! Such an important tip."

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