Gardening tip of the week

Newly cleared vegetable or ornamental beds or any bare soil will become infested with winter weeds that will begin to germinate soon. As an alternative to shredded wood mulch, consider a cover crop that will grow through the cold months and can be worked into the soil in March. Sow seed of such "green manures" as winter rye, hairy vetch or red clover, which can be dug into the soil in early spring to build organic matter and nutrients.