In spite of its name, buckwheat is not related to wheat

In the war of words one of the worst things people do to others is to dehumanize them, often with stereotypes.  A once popular term for black children was “pickaninny,” a pidgin word probably from the Portuguese “pequenino” meaning "little."

But grace under pressure is perhaps the great American counter to racism, as Billie Thomas, who played the black character Buckwheat in the “Our Gang” Little Rascals series from 1934-44 can attest.

Many saw Buckwheat’s character as a "pickaninny" stereotype, but Thomas always defended his acting by pointing out that Buckwheat and all the other black “Our Gang” kids were accepted and always treated as equals to the white kids in the “Little Rascals.”

Buckwheat in the garden also breaks stereotypes: it is grown not to eat but to plow under as a cover crop. Planting a cover crop is one of those gardening chores that makes so much sense, but can be confusing for the new gardener.

Cover crop of buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) offers many benefits such as reducing erosion because its roots hold onto the soil, reducing need for fertilizer because it brings phosphorous and other nutrients up to the soil surface, and when it is plowed under its massive root system and leaves add valuable humus to the soil.  

In spite of its name, buckwheat is not related to wheat.  It is not a grass but related to sorrel, knot-weed, and even rhubarb. The real value of buckwheat is that it is such a fast-growing cover crop that will grow and be ready to be plowed under in just a few weeks.  Its fast growth can choke out weeds but it is still very easy to kill so will never become a weedy pest.

Buckwheat extracts phosphorus from your garden soil which is then available for later crops.

Even though it is not very drought-tolerant, its quick growth and short growing season usually let it avoid any damage during droughts.

To plant buckwheat just dig up a seedbed.  Avoid soggy ground or wet areas.  Do not use any fertilizer; this is a cover crop and regular or even poor soil is fine.

Plant the seeds one half to one inch deep. You can plant in narrow rows or simply broadcast the seed by tossing it over the ground.  Be sure to tamp the ground down after planting so the seed is buried and in contact with the soil.  Lightly water and stand back.

If rain washes out your new planting just reseed if necessary. Soon your buckwheat plants will grow their own canopy that completely covers the ground.  Just before the plants bloom cut them down with a lawnmower and then till them into the soil where they will decay into fertilizer.

If you let some or all of your plants bloom, the buckwheat flowers will attract an amazing variety of beneficial insects such as honeybees, parasitic wasps, and ladybugs.

Dark buckwheat honey is a sought-after delicacy especially for baking where its strong, earthy flavor shines through.

A big advantage of buckwheat is that it grows so fast, so you can plant it in between summer crops. Instead of leaving garden space bare to grow weeds, your cover crop will choke out the weeds and improve soil health.

The massive root system will break up hard soil and allow water and nutrients to get to later crops’ roots.

Plant buckwheat as a garden cover crop any time.  Mow it and plow it under at any height; its stems and roots will rot into the soil and greatly improve your garden.

Let some of the plants flower and attract bees and butterflies. As Billie Thomas “Buckwheat” showed, portraying black and white children playing together, in the garden and in life even a small role can impact big changes.