Cover Crops Agronomy

• Phacelia: 2 kg/ha
• Crimson Clover: 3 kg/ha
• Berseem Clover: 3 kg/ha
• Buckwheat: 7 kg/ha

Phacelia is fast growing and produces plenty of root mass, scavenging nutrients and storing them in organic form, before being released slowly to the following crop. It is deep rooted, aiding soil biology.

Crimson Clover has more nitrogen fixing nodules per plant then Berseem, however grows slower and has less above ground biomass. Both compliemnt each other very well.

Features rapid growth and provides the highest amount of biomass of all the clovers in the Winter. Also has very high protein making it excellent for grazing the cover crop.

Buckwheat releases phosphate from insoluble complexes in the soil making it plant available. It will die at the first sign of cold weather by which time it has done its job. Like Phacelia, it is also deep rooted, aiding soil biology.

15 kg/ha

August— mid September into warm soils.

Sow @ 1cm depth. Roll after sowing to ensure seed to soil contact.

Broadcast or direct drill.

Remedial cultivation might be necessary if harvest operations have caused damage.

Use Glyphosate six weeks before spring sowing the following crop to allow sufficient time for the cover crop to die off.

Direct drilling into the green cover is possible, however would be against our best practice due to the nutrient lock up of the green cover as well as the possibility of a green bridge for pests.

Take Off PGA - Safety Data Sheet

• Phacelia: 2kg/ha
• Linseed: 10kg/ha
• Vetch: 8kg/ha

Linseed is a winter hardy plant with fibrous roots which aid soil structure in shallower regions of the soil than the phacelia. Linseed is also very good at alleviating compaction to the following crop, meaning minimal cultivation is needed afterwards.

Vetch is a legume (like beans) and thus fixes nitrogen; lowering the requirements of bagged fertilizer for the following crop.

20 kg/ha

August— mid September into warm soils.

Sow @ 1cm depth. Roll after sowing to ensure seed to soil contact.

Broadcast or direct drill.

Remedial cultivation might be necessary if harvest operations have caused damage.

Use Glyphosate six weeks before spring sowing the following crop to allow sufficient time for the cover crop to die off.

Direct drilling into the green cover is possible, however would be against our best practice due to the nutrient lock up of the green cover as well as the possibility of a green bridge for pests.

Take Off PGA - Safety Data Sheet