All Cover Crop Species

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Buckwheat is fast to establish and brings many soil improvement benefits. Growing well in lighter soil types but easily damaged by cold weather.

• Fast establishing 
• Creates a dense canopy which aids weed suppression.
• Sow from May onwards once all risk of frost has passed.
• Sowing rate: 50kg / ha

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)

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

Tabor berseem clover is an annual, nitrogen-fixing legume often used in forage or green manures and as a key variety for companion cropping with oilseed rape.

• Suitable for Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI): IPM3
• The only single-cut berseem clover variety - does not regrow after frost kill
• Compatible in seed mixtures with grass and legumes
• Nitrogen fixing legume with rapid growth and establishment
• Sow from spring to early autumn. Not frost tolerant
• Suitable for Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI): IPM3
• Sowing rate: 15kg/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

Sainfoin is ideal as a long term cover crop in free draining soils, with strong drought resistance and tolerance of low nitrogen soils.

• A nitrogen fixing perennial legume with good drought tolerance
• Excellent high protein forage for horses being very palatable 
• Copes well with poor nutrient soils and drought conditions
• Sainfoin leys can be considered to last four years or more
• Sowing rate: 65-100kg / 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

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

Lupin is a highly efficient nitrogen fixer with a very aggressive taproot which grows deep into the soil and retrieves nutrients usually unavailable to other species. 

• Deep taproot breaks soil compaction and retrieves nutrients 
• Well adapted for acid soils but grows in soils up to pH 8
• Highly efficient at fixing nitrogen and extracting phosphorus from the soil 
• Can be cut for hay and high quality silage
• Sowing rate: 25kg/ha

High-yielding Italian Ryegrass variety:

• Up to two years of intensive cutting and high yields
• Responds very quickly to the application of fertiliser
• Suitable for spring or autumn sowing, ideal for anaerobic digestion
• Versatile short term species
• Sowing rate: 15kg per acre. Pack size: 25kg

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

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

A high yielding, shorter stem variety - a popular option for spring sowings to help control black grass and broad leaved weeds.

• Very quick and early to mature, generating excellent yields
• Strong reputation for producing high yields in following wheat crops
• Performs well on thin soils. Not frost hardy
• Provides interest well into the winter, particularly sown with other species
• Sowing Rate: 50kg / ha

Sunflowers are another great option when it comes to cover crops, whether used straight or in a mixture to produce combined benefits.

• Standard tall variety.
• Excellent nectar rich flowers provide food for pollinators.
• Dead flower heads provide an ideal overwintering habitat for pollinators. 
• Frequently sown as part of a game cover mixture or with Kale.
• Sowing rate: 5kg per acre.

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