Overwintering Cover Crops

Einkorn is the most ancient cultivated wheat and one of the earliest cereal crops grown by humans. As a diploid grain, it contains just two sets of chromosomes (14 total) compared to the six sets (42 chromosomes) found in modern hexaploid wheat, and it lacks the D genome often associated with wheat sensitivity in some people. Einkorn is a hulled wheat with a rich, nutty flavor and is widely valued for its higher levels of protein, minerals, and antioxidants compared to modern wheat, making it a nutritious and traditional choice for specialty baking and whole-grain use.

The Annual Ryegrass is a very fast growing grass that makes for a great cover crop as its fibrous roots prevent soil erosion and build organic matter! Plant this grass early fall to late fall, or early to mid-spring and can germinate in cool weather. The Annual Ryegrass established protective cover quickly and over seeds well at higher rates. This grass can scavenge as much as 200 pounds of nitrogen per acre. When used as a spring cover crop, this Annual Ryegrass should be killed before reaching seed formation stage.

The Secada Forage Pea is a relatively new forage pea that has a wide range of uses such as forage, green manure, weed suppression and more! This forage pea is highly palatable, self-climbing and with high dry matter yields. A fast growing, cool-season annual legume, the Secada Forage Pea performs very well during the fall, winter and spring in Southern states. In more northern climes, an early spring plant will give high dry matter yields of excellent forage.

The Sweet Clover is a legume that is exceptional for not only attracting honey bees to the garden, but also creating green manure! This clover can grow nearly anywhere under most conditions. The Sweet Clover is our favorite clover because it is more versatile than other clovers at nitrogen fixating, erosion control and attracting beneficial insects. This variety is slow to establish the first year but comes on fast the following year and can produce up to 170 lb. of nitrogen per acre.

The Mammoth Red Clover is a large, fast growing clover that is an ideal grazing crop and can be sowed in spring, summer or fall! Mammoth Red is a popular biennial clover used for Nitrogen addition and hay crops. This red clover may be the best choice for frost seeding; it is extremely cold hardy and does well in most soils and growing conditions. The Mammoth Red Clover will fix up to 70-110 lbs. nitrogen per acre. This variety's long tap roots loosen soils and mine phosphorus and other nutrients from deep in the soil.

The Medium Red Clover is fast to establish and can be grown in most soil types as well as sowed in spring, summer or fall! This clover works well for hay or silage. The Medium Red Clover can be used as a cover crop between rows of vegetable crops if mowed to maintain manageability.

The Ladino Clover is the most popular white clover in the USA as it is two to four times as large as the common white clover! This clover has a high nutritive value and is palatability, making it a popular choice in pasture mixtures. It is not deep rooted, and will not tolerate much drought. Ryegrass and orchardgrass work well with ladino clover in mixtures.

When sown late summer, the Hairy Vetch spring regrowth is vigorous and nitrogen-producing, for tilling in before planting spring garden crops. You can sow with or without grain, grass or field peas! The typical nitrogen produced of this legume is 100 lbs. per acre. The Hairy Vetch has rapid growth that makes it a good weed suppressant.

The Crimson Clover is an attractive winter annual that can be planted fall or early spring and will protect and improve the soil. This good nitrogen fixer (70-150 lbs per acre per year) blooms showy crimson flowers in late spring that are an excellent source of nectar for bees. This variety inter-seeds well with grass, making it a great way to ready your vegetable garden for the spring or beautify a landscape! Not to be confused with the tough perennial clovers that can take over a meadow.

The Austrian Winter Pea, sometimes called black pea or field pea, is a great cool season legume for cover crops, wildlife and winter grazing! This cool-season, annual legume has good, nitrogen-fixing capabilities. The Austrian Winter Pea is a low-growing, viny legume which has been shown to fix over 200 pounds of nitrogen per acre per year. It has hollow, slender and succulent stems, 2 to 4 feet long. The foliage is pale green, and the flowers are colored, usually purple, pink or reddish.

The Common Alfalfa is a somewhat winter hardy perennial legume, but it grows more quickly than other regular alfalfa varieties. As an annual green manure, this cool-season "Summer" alfalfa can produce up to 10 tons of organic matter per acre. Its long taproots break up compacted soil and bring up subsurface minerals. High nitrogen fixation and great bee forage. Alfalfa is basically good at everything, as it great for nitrogen fixation and bee forage!

The Winter Wheat is a cool weather grain that is quick to germinate, cold tolerant and is adaptable to a wide range of soils! This wheat can be sown in late summer for erosion control and tilled under in early spring to add organic matter. The Winter Wheat is winter hardy nearly anywhere, and won't go to seed until its second year of growth.

The Winter Rye is a tall grain cover crop that can reach up to be 5 feet tall and prevents erosion and builds organic matter in the soil. This grain can be planted early to late fall and in mild climates, fall through early spring. This grain is the best choice for fast, cool-season germination. The Winter Rye captures soil nutrients in the fall to release in spring when worked into the soil.

Great way to fix nitrogen and add organic matter to the soil! A great mix of grass and legume cover crops. Hairy Vetch works well for nitrogen fixation while Rye adds organic matter and protects the less hardy vetch from winter damage. If planted in fall it comes back early spring with heavy growth. Cut right after it flowers and spring and till into soil. (75% Winter Rye / 25% Hairy Vetch)

The Thoroughbred Barley is a widely adapted variety of barley that is high yielding, with a great straw strength and a high test weight. This grain is a good standing six-rowed barley. This variety is resistant to powdery mildew and barley yellow dwarf virus.

Our Deer Food Plot Seed Collection features a selection of proven forage and cover crop varieties that help attract deer while improving soil health and providing season-long nutrition. This collection includes favorites such as Buckwheat, Crimson Clover, Austrian Winter Peas, Oats, Barkant forage turnips, Dwarf Essex Rape, and Hairy Vetch—each chosen for its ability to establish quickly, produce abundant forage, and support healthy wildlife populations.

The Frontier Grazer Rye is a grain that makes a great cover crop to prevent erosion and build up organic matter in the soil! Plant this variety early to late fall; in mild climates fall through early spring. The best choice for fast, cool-season germination. The Frontier Grazer Rye captures soil nutrients in the fall to release in spring when worked into the soil.

The Elbon Rye is a grain that is the best choice for fast, cool-season germination that prevents erosion and builds organic matter in the soil! Plant this variety early to late fall; in mild climates fall through early spring. This grain captures soil nutrients in the fall to release in spring when worked into the soil.

Developed in the mid-1970s by the Polish Plant Breeding Institute in Poznan, Danko Rye was bred specifically for milling high-quality flour used in traditional European-style baking. This hardy winter rye produces large, plump berries that are also prized by brewers and distillers for their rich character and performance as a whole grain. Known for its bold, complex flavor, Danko Rye brings deep, spicy notes and a dense, hearty texture to breads.

Chicory has a long taproot that penetrates subsoils which makes it drought tolerant and allows it to make minerals more available to livestock. Rich in potassium, sulfur, calcium, zinc, sodium, manganese and iron. When managed properly, Chicory produces leafy growth which is higher in nutritive and mineral content than alfalfa and other cool season grasses. Used mainly in mixes with other pasture or cover crop seeds.

Dwarf Essex Rape (Brassica napus) is a fast-growing, cold-hardy forage crop commonly used for livestock grazing, wildlife food plots, and soil improvement. This leafy brassica produces high-protein, highly digestible forage that remains palatable even in colder temperatures, making it an excellent choice for fall and winter grazing. It is drought-resistant and can thrive in various soil types, providing a nutritious food source for deer, cattle, and other grazing animals. Additionally, its deep root system helps improve soil structure and reduce erosion. Due to its rapid regrowth, Dwarf Essex Rape is a valuable option for sustainable pasture management.

The White Dutch Clover is a perennial clover variety that is a customer favorite for controlling erosion while protecting the soil! This legume is a living mulch of permanent cover that spreads by stolons. Grow low so takes close mowing and grazing. The White Dutch Clover benefits bees and insects as well as fixes nitrogen.