Living mulches: Challenges and establishment strategies

Living mulches enhance soil health and crop rotation in organic and conventional farming by establishing cover crops within cash crops. They improve resilience, reduce erosion, and support biodiversity. Successful implementation requires selecting compatible species—such as legumes, rapeseed, or straw-producing cereals—based on system type. Timing, host crop competitiveness, and management practices like mechanical weeding or selective herbicides are critical during establishment and intercropping phases. After cash crop harvest, increased light allows cover crop growth. Decisions to maintain or terminate living mulches in autumn crops depend on risk management. Biomass must be controlled in spring to prevent competition with subsequent crops, using herbicides or mechanical control. This approach supports year-round soil cover across Europe with minimal time constraints, requiring specific equipment.