Cover Crop / Cool season

Winter Rye Cover Crop

Late fall cover before summer crops like tomatoes, peppers, and squash.

Grown for overwintering soil cover.

Seed spacing and maturity

Can I plant this now?: Use your local last-frost, first-frost, and soil-temperature checks before treating this crop as plantable today.
Start indoors or direct sow?: Direct sow into the final bed when the soil temperature, seed depth, and moisture are ready.
How much space?: 2 inches in-row spacing, 6 inches between rows, and 1 inch seed depth.
Best companions?: Use crop-family rotation first, then pair with compatible timing, spacing, and canopy size rather than relying on a simple companion chart.
Common failure modes?: Plan termination before planting vegetables; rye resumes growth in spring. Usually relies on cool-season moisture after establishment. Tolerates many garden soils.

Sun: Full sun
Water: Usually relies on cool-season moisture after establishment.
Soil: Tolerates many garden soils.
Watch: Plan termination before planting vegetables; rye resumes growth in spring.