Legume Cover Crops
Excellent at nitrogen fixing, legumes produce a nitrogen rich dry matter yield which quickly breaks down once incorporated offering benefits to your planned crop rotations. Also used to prevent or reduce soil erosion and encourage beneficial insects for future crops. We welcome enquiries for bespoke mixtures and have expert staff on hand to offer advice.
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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
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
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
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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
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
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
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
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
Boston Seeds are proud to supply the EnviroSeeds range for biodiversity and sustainable farming.
BINGO purple vetch is an exciting development in short term cover cropping and establishes quickly producing good levels of bio-mass. Purple vetch is very susceptible to frost and will be removed quickly when temperatures drop below freezing.
- Very frost sensitive
- Fast to establish
- Nitrogen fixing
- Suites early autumn sowings
- Sowing rate: 20kg / ha
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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
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
This item is currently unavailable
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
This item is currently unavailable
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
Boston Seeds are proud to supply the EnviroSeeds range for biodiversity and sustainable farming.
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.