The hardiest of all cereals, cereal rye can be planted later into the fall since it has a larger planting window than other cover crops. The vast root system does a great job of retaining the soil in place and preventing erosion. It brings potassium from the deeper layers of the soil to the surface and has great weed-suppression properties. Cereal rye is also good nitrogen scavenger and functions as a pest suppressor by assisting in the reduction of root-knot nematodes and other damaging nematodes.
