If organic matter (straw, compost, manure, plant stubble, fish emulsion, etc.) is added to the soil, it will be eaten by organisms living in the soil. All living things need nitrogen to build proteins. If the organic matter is rich in nitrogen, the soil organisms use that nitrogen to live. Eventually, they release excess nitrogen into the soil as ammonia. Organic matter and available nitrogen are closely related, so if you add organic matter you need to consider how it will affect the nitrogen supply in the soil. If low-nitrogen organic matter (e.g., straw or sawdust) is being broken down in the soil, however, the bacteria and fungi have to use available soil nitrogen to build their proteins, so there won't be much left for plants. If you want to provide extra nitrogen for the breakdown of course organic matter, add 3-4 lb of actual N per cubic yard of material such as dried leaves, sawdust, or shredded bark. Regardless of the organic matter source, when it is all digested, the bacteria and other organisms that were feasting on it die. The dead nitrogen-rich bodies then are broken down by other organisms that release the excess nitrogen for eventual use by plants and microorganisms.

A cover crop adds nutrients and organic matter to the soil and decreases soil erosion. If an area of the garden will not be cultivated, in spring sow a leguminous cover crop such as alfalfa, fava beans or clover. In early autumn, clover or hairy vetch can be sown once crops are harvested. Where fall crops are still growing, you can sow a cover crop a month or less before the vegetable harvest. This way the cover crop gets a good start but does not interfere with the edible crop. DO NOT LET THESE COVER CROPS SET SEED OR THEY CAN BECOME INVASIVE. Where garden space is limited, grow vetch, alfalfa, beans or peas along yard borders or fences as a source of green manure or high nitrogen organic matter. Leguminous crops can also be grown in parts of your yard instead of a grass lawn or in a section of the garden that is not being used. Adding only phosphorus fertilizer (no nitrogen) will favor legume growth over grasses and weeds. Legumes also grow best in well-limed soil. IMPORTANT: If you are planting legumes for the purpose of using the plant to pull nitrogen from the air and deposit it into the soil you must first inoculate the seed BEFORE you put the seed in the ground. Soils that have never grown legumes before do not have the necessary bacteria that allow legumes to take the nitrogen from the air and put it into the soil. So before you plant legumes (or if you move the location where you normally plant peas or beans) you must first inoculate the seeds. This is a one-time thing. You do not need to inoculate the seed ever again - unless you are rotating the planting location. If you do not inoculate your seed before planting you will still get peas or beans. The plants will just not be pullng nitrogen out of the air and putting it into the soil. I have enclosed a copy of a link that will give you a good understanding of this process. Tom Here is a link that might be useful: Inoculate Legume Seed for Best Results

I have these herbs to trade. I want herbs that are not on this list. The [numbers] are approximate seeds on hand. Seed count under 100 I will trade 20% (so if it is 20 seed count you will get 4 seeds, 100 seeds, you get 20) and so on. I only will trade for herb seeds not on this list. Ai Ye ( Artemisia Vulgaris ) - [100] Ajowan ( Carum copticum ) - [100] American Germander - [100] American Pennyroyal - [50] Angelica - (2) - [20] Anise - (1/4oz Bulk) Anise Hyssop - [300] Arugula - [3000] Artemisia Annua - [100] Ashwagandha - [50] Astragalus - [50] Bachelor's Button - [6000] Bai Zhi - [25] Basil, 12832, Kondoz, Afghanistan - [100] Basil, Ames 1693 - [100] Basil, Ames 1694 - [100] Basil, Cinnamon - [125] Basil, Culinary Blend - (9) - [60] Basil, Dark Opal - [200] Basil, Dark Opal, Purple - [200] Basil, Dwarf Fine Bush - [25] Basil Domasan Siten, Macedonia - [100] Basil, Festagan, Canakkale, Turkey - [100] Basil, Genovese - [160] Basil, Giant Genovese - [200] Basil, Gigante - [100] Basil, Iraq - [50] Basil, Italian Large Leaf - (1/4oz Bulk) Basil, Japan - [100] Basil, Lemon - [430] Basil, Lettuce Leafed - [100] Basil, Licorice - [200] Basil, Lime - [130] Basil, Magical Michael - [400] Basil, Metalica - [100] Basil, Mexican - [100] Basil, Mexican Spice - [100] Basil, Napoletano - [200] Basil, Ohre - [100] Basil, Oriental - [100] Basil, Persian Anise - [100] Basil, Purple Ruffles - [20] Basil, Red Rubin - [25] Basil, Sacred (Holy) - [100] Basil, Siam Queen - [100] Basil, Spice - [100] Basil, Spicy Globe - [25] Basil, Sweet - [250] Basil, Sweet Dani - [25] Basil, Sweet, Mammoth, Basilic - [100] Basil, Thai - [50] Bee Balm - [300] Bee Balm, Yellow Spooted Horsemint Bishop's Flower - [25] BitterSweet/Woody Nightshade - [20] Black Cohosh - [50] Black Cumin - [Iraq - [50] Bladder Senna - [100] Bladderpod - [600] Bladderpod Fendler's, Yellow - [300] Blanket Fahwell - [300] Blood Flower - [10] Blue Vervain - [100] Borage - (1/8oz Bulk) Broad Leaf Plantain Boswellia Serrata Indian Frankincense Broom Tops - [35] Burnet Butterfly Weed, Orange Flower - [20] California Poppy, Ballerina Yellow - [100] Candy Tuft, Iberis umbellata - [6000] Caper Bush ( Capparis spinosa ) - [55] Caraway - [200] Catmint Catnip [50] Catnip, Lemon - [50] Chamomile - [5000] Chamomile, German - [200] Chervil - [225] Chicory, 34/82, Germany - [100] Chicory, Augusto, North Holland - [200] Chicory, Balkan 1942, Peloponnese, Greece - [200] Chicory, Bee, France - [200] Chicory, Catalogne Pugliase, Eeeonne, France - [200] Chicory, Chicoria intybus L. var. Foliosum Hegi, Italy - [200] Chicory, Corumolo Verde Scuro - [120] Chicory, Italian, Calabria, Italy - [200] Chicory, Lubert, North Holland - [200] Chicory, Nadin, North Holland - [200] Chicory, Ruby Catalogna - [500] Chicory, Sugar Loaf 6527, Switzerland - [200] Chicory, Ventiva, Netherlands - [100] Chicory, Witloof, Germany - [200] Chicory, Zoom F1 Hybrid, France - [200] Chinese Licorice - [50] Christ Thorn (Paliurus Spina-Christi) - [50] Cilantro, Azerbaijani Coriander - [50] Cilantro, Chinese Parsley - [50] Cilantro, Cilantro de Castilla - [50] Cilantro, Coriander - [650] Cilantro, Mexican - [50] Cilantro, Nichol's Leafy Coriander - [50] Cow Soapwart, Iraq - [40] Crabgrass, China - [300] Crabgrass, Germany - [300] Crabgrass, Poland - [300] Crabgrass, Spain - [500] Cress - (1/2oz Bulk) Culantro - [100] Cumin - (2oz Bulk) Cumin, Black - [50] Cumin, Iraq - [20] Curled Dock Cured Garden Cress - [500] Da-Huang ( Rheum palmatum var. tanguticum ) - [20] Daisy, Armenia - [300] Dang-Shen ( Codonopsis pilosula ) - [25] Devils Walking Stick - [75] Di-Yu ( Sanguisoba minor ) - [100] Dill - (1/2oz Bulk) Dill, Aroma Leaved - [200] Dill, Dukat Leaf - [200] Dill, Indian - [200] Dock - [300] Dragonhead - [20] Echinacea, E.Purpurea - [30] Epazote - [100] Evening Primrose - [25] Fennel, 2099, Nepal - [200] Fennel, 3100, Ukraine - [200] Fennel, Bamdigon, Kabul, Afghanistan - [200] Fennel, Bizor, Mardin, Turkey - [200] Fennel, Dulce - [200] Fennel Florence[500] Fennel, Finnochio - [25] Fennel, Iraq - [25] Fennel, Sweet - [200] Fenugreek - (2oz Bulk) Fernbush Feverfew - [5,200] Feverfew Golden Feverfew Selma Star - [100] Ficus Religiosa - [50] Figwort - [100] Psyllium, French - [100] Garden Angelica - [60] Garden Thyme - [200] Ginseng - [150] Ginseng, Withania somnifera Ashawaganda Indian Good King Henry - [25] Goosefoot, Giant - [3000] Green Perilla - [50] Guarana Gumweed - [210] Globe Thistle - [100] Great Burnet - [100] Hairy Jointvetch - [25] Haung-Qin ( Scutellaria baicalensis ) - [20] Heal All - [200] Hemp, Crotalaria juncea Sun Henbane - [50] Henbane, Iraq - [100] Hesperaloe ( Hesperaloe funifera ) - [50] Holy Grass, Turkey - [300] Horehound, Italy - [100] Horehound, US - [100] Horsemint, Yellow Spotted/Bee Balm - [300] Huang-Jing-Zi ( Vitex agnus-castus ) - [20] Huang Qi, South Korea - [200] Huang Qi Milk Vetch - [50] Hui-Xiang ( Foeniculum vulgare ) - [50] Humulus Cupulus - [20] Hun Que ( Ocimum horapha ) - [50] Hyssop - [50] Jaramla - [50] Jatropha Curcas Physic Nut - Biodiesel - [200] Jewelweed - [25] Ji-Guan Hua ( Celosia cristata ) - [50] Jiu-Zi ( Allium tuberosum ) - [50] Kidneyvetch, Sweden - [200] Kidneyvetch, UK - [200] Lady's Bedstraw - [100] Ladys Mantle - [100] Lambsquarters - [200] Lavender - [120] Lavender Vera Lemon Balm - [120] Lemon Bergamot, Bee Balm - [100] Lemon Grass - [250] Lepidium Meyenii - [23] Liquorice Root, Kazakhstan - [200] Liquorice Root, Kyrgyzstan - [200] Long Leaf Plantain Love-in-a-mist - [1000] Maca Mad Dog Skullcap - [100] Marigold Yellow, Montrose - [1000] Marshmallow - [50] Mayweed - [100] Meadowsweet - [115] Meadowfoam (Oil) - [400] Mediterranean Hartwort - [50] Melilot, Sweet Clover Mentha - [75] Mexican Hyssop - [100] Mexican Marigold - [50] Milk Thistle - (1oz Bulk) Mint, Apple - [500] Mint, Chocolate - [300] Mint, Lemon - [10,000] Mint, Licorice, Korean - [5000] Mint, Peppermint - [600] Mint, Pineapple - [200] Mint, Spearmint - [300] Motherwort - [50] Mountain Tobacco - [100] Mugwart - [300] Mullein, Former Soviet Union - [250] Mullein, Verbascum thapsus - [300] Orange Gem Marigold - [50] Orange Jasmine ( Murraea exotica ) - [5] Oregano - [5,100] Oregano, Czech Republic - [100] Oregano, Greek - [800] Oregano, Index Seminum 264, Opole, Poland - [100] Oregano, Index Seminum 3104 - [100] Oregano, Index Seminum 376, Saxony, Germany - [100] Oregano, Italian - [200] Oregano, PI 440579 - [100] Our Lord's Candle ( Hesperoyucca whipplei ) - [200] Oxknee - [35] Par-Cel - A new hybrid of Parsley & Celery - [50] Papalo - [20] Papalo - Quillquina - [100] Parsley, Iraq - [50] Parsley, Italian Flat-leaf - [8500] Parsley, Triple Curled - (7) - [1,500] Parsley, Moss Curled - [100] Pennywort, Gotu kola Centella asiatica Indian Peppermint Eucalyptus Plantain - [200] Plantain, Long Leaf - [300] Pleurisy Root, Butterfly Weed Poppy, White, Persian - [500] Poppy, Violet Triuconique - [250] Pyrethrum - [90] Purple Coneflower Purple Shiso - [100] Purslane, Iraq - [100] Psyllium, Blonde - [100] Psyllium, French - (2oz Bulk) Psyllium, French, Greenstem, India - [250] Psyllium, French - Redstem, India - [250] Qing-Ho ( Artemisia ) - [50] Red Clover - [100] Red Cockscomb, Amish Heritage - [300] Robert. ( Geranium robertianum) - [50] Rosemary - [235] Rue - [50] Russian liquorice - [200] Sainfoins (Onobrychis) - [25] Safflower, Afghanstan - [60] Safflower, Australia - [60] Safflower, Iraq - [40] Safflower, Turkey - [60] Sage, Blue - [500] Sage, Broad Leaved - (1/8oz Bulk) Sage, Clary - [250] Sage, Garden - [50] Sage, Iran - [250] Sage, Red - [50] Sage, White - [300] Savory, Summer Savory, Winter Self Heal (6) - [600] Senna, Chinese - [50] Sesame - [50] Sesame, Black - [50] Sesame, Iraq - [40] Shamrock, True Irish - [35] Shepherds Purse ( Capsella bursa-pastoris ) - [25] Shiso Red Shungiku - [25] Silver Speedwell - [100] Soapwart - [100] Sorghum Cane - [150] Sorrel Spiderwort - [27] Spilanthes; Toothache Plant - [500] St. Johns Wart - [200] Strawberry Blite - [100] Stridolo - [25] Sweet Cicely - [50] Sweet Marjoram - (1/8oz Bulk) Sweetvetch, China - [100] Tansy Tarragon, Russian - [25] Tea Tree Plant - [500] Thoroughwort Thyme Thyme, Creeping - (1/100oz Bulk) Thyme, Orange - [25] Tobacco, Hopi Indian - [100] Tobacco, PI 555569 - [1000] Tobacco, PI 555571 - [1000] Tobacco, Maryland 609 - [1000] Tobacco, Mountain - [150] Tobacco, Rabbit - [50] Tobacco, Ribbon Mutant, India - [1000] Tobacco, White Gold - [1000] Valerian - [50] Viper's Bugloss - [255] Vitex Agnus-Castus Western Mugwort - [200] White Swawn, Enchanacca - [100] Wolf's Bane - [100] Wormwood - [50] Yarrow - [50] Yarrow, White - [500] Yarrow, Kazakhstan - [250] Yarrow, Russian Federation - [250] Yarrow, US - [250] Yellow Dock - [100] Yomogi ( Artemisia princeps ) - [50] Zaatar Herb - New Oregano - [50] Zi-Su-Zi ( Perilla frutescens ) - [100] Here is a link that might be useful: Herb COOP

The problem with winter cover crops around here is winter herds of deer. We used to plant winter wheat and rye, vetch etc. But the deer didn't go away when the cc was plowed over, but came back to dine on lettuce, spinach and newly emerged green bean plants. We have a fence but only 4 feet high. After years of no problem with deer, I just last week lost a whole row of lettuce and another bed of radicchio. Next year our garden will get a 7 foot high fence and we may try it again.