Green Manuring Crops
A range of green cover crop varieties and mixtures that may be categorised as spring sown for summer usage, autumn sown for over-winter usage, intercropping and longer term fertility improvement.
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Boston Seeds are proud to supply the EnviroSeeds range for biodiversity and sustainable farming.
Fodder Radish is a quick growing cover crop which scavenges nitrogen, produces large amount of organic matter and improves soil structure.
- Quick growing, produces high organic matter in short periods
- Suppresses weeds and deep roots benefit soil structure
- Ideal as a green manure crop sown in early autumn
- Effective as a standalone green cover or in mixtures
- Sowing rate: 15-25kg / ha
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Boston Seeds are proud to supply the EnviroSeeds range for biodiversity and sustainable farming.
White mustard has extensive root development and an impressive yield of dry matter. If not incorporated, surviving plants are usually killed by winter frosts.
- Fast and easy to establish providing rapid ground cover and weed suppression
- Rapid breakdown of organic material after incorporation releases nutrients
- Extensive root development protects soil from errosion and breaks compaction
- Cost effective solution for using with crop rotations
- Sowing rate: 15kg / ha
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Boston Seeds are proud to supply the EnviroSeeds range for biodiversity and sustainable farming.
Brown mustard is a frost tolerant cover crop used to suppress weeds, pump water and improve soil structure.
- Strong early vigour and medium maturity
- Distinguished by its superior autumn growth and winter hardiness
- Strong root development to pump water and improve the soil
- Active against PCN, Pythium, Rhizoctonia and Verticillium in biofumigation
- Sowing rate: 5kg / ha
![DAIKON Tillage Radish Seed (Raphanus sativus)](https://www.bostonseeds.com/media/cache/grid_view/images/uploads/item/Daikon_raddish_L.webp)
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Boston Seeds are proud to supply the EnviroSeeds range for biodiversity and sustainable farming.
DAIKON is a deep rooted tillage radish variety which creates a broad canopy to suppress weeds and improves soil structure with a large tap root.
- Large tap root breaks through soil pans and adds biomass to soil
- Tap root grows up to 35cm long and 2-5cm in width
- Broad canopy covers soil surface well to suppress weeds
- Sowing period: July until end of August
- Sowing rate: 15-25kg / ha (sow at 15kg / ha for maximum root development)
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Boston Seeds are proud to supply the EnviroSeeds range for biodiversity and sustainable farming.
Very popular for use in potato rotations to control soil borne pests and can be incorporated into moist soil to maximise biofumigation.
- Green manure crop with biofumigant properties
- Winter-hardy, easy to establish, cost effective
- Reduces wireworm and PCN populations and their effect on potatoes
- Suppresses Verticillium wilt and Sclerotinia in potato production
- Sowing Rate: 5kg / ha
- VITTASSO Brown Mustard Brochure
A low growing green cover crop which fixes nitrogen and suppresses weeds. Often sown amongst brassica crops.
- A perennial that gives good yields even on thin calcareous soils.
- May be grazed by sheep, main use is as a green manure undersown in cereals.
- Low growth habit makes it useful in vegetable intercropping systems.
- Sowing rate: 5kg per acre. Pack size: 5kg
A low growing green cover crop which fixes nitrogen and suppresses weeds. Often sown amongst brassica crops.
- A biennial/annual legume that gives good yields even on thin calcareous soils
- Few legumes outperform medic in soil-saving and soil-building
- May be grazed by sheep, main use is as a green manure undersown in cereals
- Low growth habit makes it useful in vegetable intercropping systems
- Sowing rate: 12kg / ha
Borage is a nectar rich, annual flower which produces abundant amounts of easily broken down material that can be incorporated into the soil.
- Nectar rich helping to boost pollinator numbers to benefit future crops
- Rapid breakdown once incorporated into the soil, releasing accessible nutrients
- Deep taproots break apart soil compaction helping improve drainage and aeration
- Wide fibrous root network protects soil from erosion
- Sowing rate: 12.5kg / ha
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Boston Seeds are proud to supply the EnviroSeeds range for biodiversity and sustainable farming.
Crimson clover is a brightly coloured legume which attracts a large numbers of insects. Tolerant of poor soils provided they are alkaline and free draining.
- Excellent weed suppressor, fast establishing and good nitrogen fixer
- Lower yields of biomass than Red Clover but has much shorter growing period
- Biomass degrades very quickly in the soil releasing nutrients for future crops
- Will over-winter in Southern England for autumn sowing and spring incorporation
- Sowing rate: 15kg / ha
Fodder Radish is a quick growing cover crop which scavenges nitrogen, produces large amount of organic matter and improves soil structure.
- Quick growing, produces high organic matter in short periods
- Suppresses weeds and deep roots benefit soil structure
- Ideal as a green manure crop sown in early autumn
- Effective as a standalone green cover or in mixtures
- Sowing rate: 15-25kg / ha
![Forage Rye Seed (Secale cereale)](https://www.bostonseeds.com/media/cache/grid_view/images/uploads/item/KP%20Forage%20Rye.webp)
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Boston Seeds are proud to supply the EnviroSeeds range for biodiversity and sustainable farming.
This fastest growing rye, POWERGREEN is a high yielding variety which can grow at the lower temperatures, making it ideal for late sowing or early harvests.
- Fast initial development, high tillering and high output
- Good growth in cold conditions, excellent winter hardiness
- High nitrogen uptake throughout autumn
- Sow in autumn for incorporation and use in the spring
- Sowing rate: 150kg / ha
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Lucerne is a longer term perennial clover which fixes large amounts of nitrogen from the air to enrich the soil.
- A longer term perennial clover which fixes large quantities of nitrogen
- Widely used for green manure
- Large tap root which is ideally suited to light and chalky soils as well as dry climates.
- Seed is supplied inoculated with rhizobium bacteria
- Sowing rate: 25kg / ha
Chicory has a very deep tap root, making it suitable for sowing on dry soils. Often sown alongside a grass and clover mix to improve the soil structure and health.
- Perennial (Cichorium intibus), pale blue flower - 3-5 cms across, light/chalky soils
- Flowers: July - October
- Height: Can grow to 1.5m
- Sowing Rate: 5kg per acre. Pack size: 5kg
Persian clover is an is an annual, nitrogen fixing legume which is widely used across Europe and is useful as a forage plant.
- Spring sown for grazing and cutting or autumn sown, for rapid spring growth
- An efficient nitrogen fixing legume to assist future crops
- Suitable for use with poorer soils and drought conditions
- Compatible in seed mixtures with grass and legumes
- Sowing rate: 7-10kg / ha
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Boston Seeds are proud to supply the EnviroSeeds range for biodiversity and sustainable farming.
Phacelia is a prolific seed producer, very fast to establish and an excellent source of pollen and nectar. This makes it attractive to both insects and wild birds.
- A popular green manure crop which is an excellent weed suppressor
- Establishes fast and matures within 10-12 weeks
- Produces a large root mass making the plant an excellent soil improver
- Will produce a multitude of flowers - loved by bees and other insects
- Sowing rate: 5-8kg / ha
Red clover is an aggressive, nitrogen fixing plant which is an effective weed suppressor. Good for improving and aerating soil structure.
- A shorter term alternative to White Clover, will usually last for two years
- An aggressive plant, providing a large mass of green vegetation
- Fixes large amounts of atmospheric nitrogen which is released once ploughed in
- Large tap root which penetrates deep into the ground, improving soil structure
- Sowing rate: 15kg / ha
![Spring Vetch Seed (Vicia sativa)](https://www.bostonseeds.com/media/cache/grid_view/images/uploads/item/Vetch_Seed.webp)
![EnviroSeeds](/images/uploads/quality/enviroseeds_quality.png)
Boston Seeds are proud to supply the EnviroSeeds range for biodiversity and sustainable farming.
Spring vetch is a nitrogen fixing legume which due to its larger seed size can be sown later in the year than most other legumes.
- Fast establishing legume which is an excellent weed suppressor
- Vetches provide large amounts of nitrogen which is available to the following crop
- A vigorous trailing/climbing annual legume that does best on dry, alkaline soils
- Commonly sown as a mixture with Forage Rye
- Sowing rate: 50kg / ha
White clover is widely used throughout the UK. It is an important element of many silage and grazing mixtures, thanks to its persistence and nitrogen fixing properties.
- A longer term and more persistent option than Red Clover
- Very palatable for livestock and high in protein
- Continued defoliation stimulates root growth and nitrogen fixation
- Prefers to be shallow sown into a fine, firm seed bed
- Sowing rate: 5-10kg / ha
Yellow Blossom Clover is a biennial plant that can persist for several years due to its self regenerating properties.
- A deep rooted legume that improves soil structure and fertility
- Nectar rich specie which attracts pollinators to aid future crops
- Often sown with Kale to help provide cover in the first year
- Stems become woody in second year to help with standing
- Sowing rate: 5kg / ha
A nitrogen fixing legume which is better adapted to wet, acidic soils and cooler temperatures. Requires shallow sowing and a firm seedbed.
- Scandinavian origin and better adapted than Red or White Clover to wet acid soils and cooler conditions
- Growth habit similar to Red Clover
- Lower yielding of biomass
- Requires shallow sowing and a firm seedbed
- Sowing rate: 25kg per acre. Packsize: 25kg
Vetch will fix substantial amounts of nitrogen, which is easily accessible for future crops. Vigorous spring growth suppresses weeds and protects the soil from erosion.
- Fast establishing legume which is an excellent weed suppressor
- Provides substantial amounts of nitrogen which is available to the following crop
- A vigorous legume that does best on dry, alkaline soils
- Commonly sown as a mixture with Forage Rye
- Sowing rate: 50kg / ha
With an extensive root development and an impressive yield of dry matter. If not incorporated, surviving plants are usually killed by winter frosts.
- Fast and easy to establish providing rapid ground cover and weed suppression
- Rapid breakdown of organic material after incorporation releases nutrients
- Extensive root development protects soil from errosion and breaks compaction
- Cost effective solution for using with crop rotations
- Sowing rate: 25kg / ha
Hairy vetch fix substantial amounts of nitrogen, which is easily accessible for future crops. Vigorous spring growth suppresses weeds and protects the soil from erosion.
- Fast establishing legume which is an excellent weed suppressor
- Provides substantial amounts of nitrogen which is available to the following crop
- A vigorous legume that does best on dry, alkaline soils
- Commonly sown as a mixture with Forage Rye
- Sowing rate: 50kg / ha
![NACRE Winter Vetch Seed (Vicia sativa)](https://www.bostonseeds.com/media/cache/grid_view/images/uploads/item/Vetch-3.webp)
![EnviroSeeds](/images/uploads/quality/enviroseeds_quality.png)
Boston Seeds are proud to supply the EnviroSeeds range for biodiversity and sustainable farming.
NACRE winter vetch is ideal for both Autumn or Spring sowing with superior establishment and frost tolerance. Strong nitrogen fixing properties and excellent resistance to disease.
- Superior establishment and fast growth act as an excellent weed suppressor
- Produces large amounts of nitrogen, which break down easily for the following crop
- Annual legume that performs best on dry, alkaline soils
- Commonly sown as a companion crop with Forage Rye
- Sowing rate: 50kg / ha
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Green cover crops can significantly improve the output of agricultural rotations by improving the health of the soil. Certain green cover crops can also be used to help in the fight against weeds and pests, such as black-grass and beet cyst nematode.
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