A secondary crop planted on a field during its resting period, rather than leaving the ground completely bare. These crops are often fast-growing green manures or nitrogen-fixing legumes that protect the topsoil from wind and water erosion. Instead of being harvested for profit, they are usually incorporated back into the soil to increase organic matter and fertility for the primary cash crop.
We drilled in winter rye as a fallow crop to keep the weeds down and hold the soil together until spring planting.
Also heard as
- green manure
- cover crop
Related terms
Fallow
Cultivated land that is deliberately left unplanted for one or more growing seasons to recover its fertility.
Crop rotation
The practice of planting different types of crops sequentially on the same plot of land.
Smother crop
A dense, fast-growing plant sown specifically to outcompete and suppress weeds.