It also suppresses weeds and eliminates the need for hoeing, which would damage those shallow roots.

Its main purpose is to act as a mulch, covering the soil to suppress weeds between crops.

Some plants are said to produce root exudates that suppress herbaceous weeds.

The deep rooting properties of many green manure crops make them efficient at suppressing weeds.

Some plants are used to suppress weeds or provide nutrients.

When they are seeded before weed establishment, they suppress weeds by competition.

Some cover crops suppress weeds both during growth and after death (Blackshaw et al. 2001).

This develops a wonderful fibrous root system, but is not very dense, so doesn't suppress weeds well.

Anything to suppress weeds and feed the soil.

Mulch is a plus; it keeps roots cool and suppresses weeds.