An older agricultural term for an exhaustive crop that draws heavily on soil fertility, leaving the ground impoverished for subsequent plantings. These high-demand plants pull large amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, or potassium from the soil profile. Managing them requires aggressive crop rotation, heavy fertilization, or extended fallow periods to restore the land's productive capacity.
Tobacco is a notorious peeler, so we make sure to follow it with a heavy cover crop of legumes.
Also heard as
- exhaustive crop
Related terms
Soil fertility
The capacity of soil to provide essential nutrients and a suitable environment for plant growth.
Crop rotation
The practice of planting different types of crops sequentially on the same plot of land.
Fallow crop
A crop grown on land that is otherwise resting, typically to suppress weeds or improve soil structure before being ploughed under.