Cover Crop / Garlic question

[RoK]

I planted a cover crop in a bed that I now realize I want to use to plant garlic. The cover crop took well (oats and field peas), and is still green despite a few frosts. I need to plant the garlic. Do I...

• Plant right into the cover crop?
• Hoe the cover crop, leave the residue and plant?
• Hoe the cover crop, remove the residue, and plant?

I've always been scared of cover crops but was finally convinced to give it a go, even though it is in a raised bed. I would love some advice! Thanks!

 

[marlingardener]

Cover crops add nutrients to the soil, so faced with your problem, I'd hoe in the cover crop, leave the residue as mulch, and plant garlic.
Planting directly into the cover crop would make the garlic fight off the more established plants, and likely lose the fight.
Removing the residue after hoeing would negate much of the benefit of the cover crop.
Just a word of advice--home grown garlic dried by hanging in a spot without direct light but with good air circulation has so much more flavor than the grocery store garlic. We use less homegrown garlic in cooking, but get the big burst of flavor nevertheless.

 

[Chuck]

Good advise from @marlingardener