The cover crop, Japanese Buckwheat, is quite tall as can be seen. Despite it looking like a mess, the Buckwheat is bringing in the Honeybees, Bumblebees, Parasitic Wasps, Butterflies of many varieties, among other flies I cannot identify. The other gardeners are benefiting from this choice of cover crop, whether they realize it or not. Also, I have Fava Beans growing in the patch and underneath the vines along the fence on the south side of the garden. I recently broadcasted some Alyssum Seed underneath the vines on the south side, along with Organic (non-GMO) Hard Red Wheat (which was planted in the larger patch). Time will tell what grows and what doesn't. If I can get the Alyssum to take, it, too, will bring with it beneficial insects into the garden for all to benefit from.
Yesterday I threw out a few Southern Giant Mustard seeds which will improve moisture retention in the soil due in large part to its taproots which has the ability to penetrate more difficult soils. I built up the larger patch, it has been referred to by the garden manager as an 'excavation hole', but on my end of the garden after every hard rain, there is standing water for nearly a day after. Not many other places in the garden have such a feature unless there was an intended depression created by shovel work. The Mustard will improve soil quality in the long term.
