Last fall, many gardeners sowed over-wintering cover crops (such as crimson clover, or a rye & hairy vetch mixture) to protect the soil over the winter, fix nitrogen for this year's vegetable crop, and shade out weeds. As the weather warms up and our thoughts turn to veggies, it may seem tempting to clear out these beds - but hold your horses (or rather, your hedge shears)! You must let these cover crops grow until they flower (usually late April or early May) before cutting them down. This will give you the most benefit for soil quality and fertility, and prevent the cover crops from re-sprouting. Once the cover crops flower, use hedge shears to chop down the shoots and leave them as mulch on the soil surface. By then, it will be the perfect time to plant transplants of warm-season veggies like tomatoes, peppers, summer squash, and even okra. To learn more, see the second page of our Cover Crop Planting and Management handout, and pp. 15-17 of the article series, Building Healthy Soil in Vegetable Gardens: Cover Crops Have Got it Covered.