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AB16 Autumn Sown Bumble Bird Mixture (CSS7)

Use this mixture for Autumn Sown Bumblebird Mix AB16, providing an abundant supply of small seeds during the winter months for farmland birds such as tree sparrow and corn bunting.

  • Provides pollen and nectar-rich flowers for pollinating and beneficial insects including bees, butterflies and hoverflies
  • Suitable for Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI): AHW1, AHL2
  • Suitable for Countryside Stewardship (CSS): GS8, GS14, AB9, AB16
  • Contains: 34% Winter Barley, 34% Winter Wheat, 8% Linseed, 7% Common Vetch, 5% Crimson Clover, 3% Gold of Pleasure, 2% Fodder Radish, 2% Kale, 1% Alsike Clover, 1% Birdsfoot Trefoil, 1% Lucerne, 1% Phacelia, 1% Red Clover
  • Sowing rate: 50kg/ha. Pack size: 20kg
Choose a packsize:

Mixture Specification

34% Winter Triticale
34% Wheat
8% Linseed
7% Common Vetch
5% Crimson Clover
3% Gold of Pleasure
2% Fodder Radish
2% Kale
1% Alsike Clover
1% Birdsfoot Trefoil
1% Lucerne
1% Phacelia
1% Red Clover

Sowing & Establishment

COUNTRYSIDE STEWARDSHIP AB16 - AUTUMN SOWN BUMBLE BIRD MIX 

What To Sow

Establish a seed mix that contains at least 6 flowering species and 6 seed-bearing crops. The mix should contain a maximum of 3 cereal crops from barley, oats, rye, triticale and wheat.

Re-establish the mix every 2 years to maintain an abundance of seeds and flowers.

 

Where To Sow

Sow in blocks or strips which are at least 6m wide and between 0.4 and 5ha in size. Larger plots are easier to manage and help to provide essential food sources for farmland birds in the winter. 

This agreement works well on most soil types, but ideally, choose a location that is sheltered whilst allowing good amounts of sunlight for maximum outcome. Avoid sites with high weed burden is advised to avoid competition from vigorous weeds such as thistles, nettles and blackgrass. 

 

How To Sow

After harvest and before 15th September, shallow sow the seed when the soil is warm and moist. Ensure the seed has got good seed-to-soil contact to aid germination. 

 

Information in this article is given in good faith but should not be seen as a substitute for complete guidance issued at www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants. Don’t hesitate to get in touch for further information.

Maintenance

COUNTRYSIDE STEWARDSHIP AB16 - AUTUMN SOWN BUMBLE BIRD MIX 

Maintenance and Management

In the second Spring after sowing, the plot can be topped before mid-March to promote growth and reduce competition. The plot must then be retained until mid-August in the second summer after sowing.

This option does not allow for the area to be grazed. 

 

Records and Evidence

Keep records as evidence of establishment and maintenance such as, but not limited to, the list below:

  • Seed invoices
  • Field operations at parcel level
  • Contractor invoices
  • Records of grazing activity
  • Photographs of the established seed mix

 

Information in this article is given in good faith but should not be seen as a substitute for complete guidance issued at www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants. Don’t hesitate to get in touch for further information.