New ; This WSU fact sheet is one of a three-part series on cover crops for home gardeners. It focuses on choosing the best cover crops for gardens in Washington and Oregon, east of the Cascades. Other topics discussed in this fact sheet include what cover crops are, why grow them, and how to plan for them. Tables with information on the rates and dates for planting summer and winter cover crops are also presented. This series also includes fact sheets on Cover Crops for Home Gardens West of the Cascades and Methods for Successful Cover Crop Management in Your Home Garden.