Introduction As November settles in, many gardeners assume the growing season is over. Beds are cleared, tools are stored, and the soil is left bare until spring. But leaving soil exposed through winter is one of the fastest ways to lose fertility, structure, and microbial life. The truth is, your garden doesn’t need to “rest” in the cold months—it needs protection and nourishment. That’s where fast-growing winter cover crops come in. These living green blankets—sometimes called green manures—are sown in late autumn to shield soil from erosion, suppress weeds, and feed the underground ecosystem. For no-dig gardeners especially, cover crops…