Editing Catch crop (section)

== Leach reduction ==
Growing catch crops is to improve and help maintain soil organic matter. This is achieved by promoting an increase of activity of soil microbes. Cultivation of this type of crop helps retain nutrients, specifically nitrogen and phosphorus from leaching from the soil.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Żuk-Gołaszewska |first=Krystyna |date=20 Sep 2018 |title=Cath Crops and the Soil Environment- A Review of the Literature |url=http://jsite.uwm.edu.pl/articles/view/1585/ |access-date=19 March 2023 |website=jsite.uwm.edu.pl}}</ref> To be able to get these benefits in a field there are multiple factors that have to be taken into account to obtain the most out of the catch crops. Those factors include harvesting date, soil tillage, and sow timing being the most crucial. When timing of sowing is postponed from the date that was recommended a decrease of catch crop efficiency, growth and over performance occurs where studies have shown a decrease uptake of N.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Agneessens |first1=Laura |last2=De Waele |first2=Jeroen |last3=De Neve |first3=Stefaan |date=2014 |title=Review of Alternative Management Options of Vegetable Crop Residues to Reduce Nitrate Leaching in Intensive Vegetable Rotations |journal=Agronomy |language=en |volume=4 |issue=4 |pages=529–555 |doi=10.3390/agronomy4040529 |issn=2073-4395 |doi-access=free }}</ref>