Green Manure

Green Manure

Green manures are slightly more specific than cover crops. Green manures are usually legumes, mustard and grasses that are grown specifically to increase soil organic matter and nutrients. Green manures help add nitrogen and other nutrients back 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. The Elbon Rye can reach up to 5 feet! Cereal Rye (Secale cereale L.): Cool season, grass, Annual or perennial, Upright plant growth, Crude protein: straw 4%, grain 14%, C:N ratio: 40-48, Self pollinator (wind) Uses: Erosion Control, Green Manure, Nitrogen Scavenger, No Till, Organic Matter (Biomass), Weed suppression

Using the Field Peas and Oats Blend throughout your garden is a great way to fix nitrogen and add organic matter to the soil! This blend contains a great ratio of grass and legume cover crop for fixing nitrogen, winter cover, weed suppression and more. The Field Peas and Oats Blend should be sown from early spring to late summer. Sow no later than 6 weeks before first fall frost in your area. This variety is gold hardy enough to grow long into the fall leaving behind a great mulch for soil protection. (75% peas / 25% oats by weight) Seed Coverage: - 5 lbs covers 2,000-4,000 sqaure feet - 100 lbs covers 1-2 acres Uses: Deer Attractant, Green Manure, Nitrogen Fixation, No Till, Organic Matter (Biomass), Weed Suppression

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. This clover can fix up to 150 lb. of nitrogen per acre. Uses: Bees & Beneficial Insects, Chicken Forage, Compaction Control, Deer Attractant, Erosion Control, Forage, Green Manure, Nitrogen Fixation, No Till, Weed Suppression

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. Use: Erosion Control, Green Manure, Nitrogen Scavenger, No Till, Weed Suppression

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. Uses: Chicken forage, deer attractant, forage, green manure, nitrogen fixation, no till, organic matter (biomass), weed suppression

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. Uses: Bees & Beneficial Insects, Chicken Forage, Deer Attractant, Erosion Control, Forage, Green Manure, Nitrogen Fixation, No Till, Weed Suppression

Dixie Lee cowpea seeds are a popular variety of cowpeas known for their high yield, disease resistance, and adaptability to various climates. These seeds produce vigorous, heat-tolerant plants that thrive in warm, dry conditions, making them ideal for Southern and drought-prone regions. The Dixie Lee variety is particularly favored for its tender, flavorful beans that are often used in a range of culinary dishes, from soups to side dishes. The plants typically produce medium-sized, cream-colored pods with dark brown or black-eyed beans, and they can be harvested both as fresh beans or dry beans. As a legume, Dixie Lee cowpeas also enrich the soil by fixing nitrogen, benefiting crop rotation systems.

The Common Buckwheat is a grain that can be planted late spring to early summer and improves top soil and an effective choke weed! This variety establishes quickly and matures in 60 days. This buckwheat accumulates phosphorus and and potassium for following crops and is frost sensitive. Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench): Cool Season, Grain, Annual, Upright growth habit, Enhances soil P availability,Crude protein: straw 5%, grain 13% Uses: Bees & Beneficial Insects, Green Manure, No Till, Organic Matter (Biomass), Weed Suppresion

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. Uses: Bees & Beneficial Insects, Chicken Forage, Compaction Control, Deer Attractant, Erosion Control, Forage, Green Manure, Nitrogen Fixation, No Till, Weed Suppression

The California Blackeye #46 is similar to California Blackeye #5, but with smaller seeds. Bred by the UCLA and released in 1987. California Blackeye #46 plants are more erect than California Blackeye #5. The seeds are a typical blackeye type of Southern peas with cream-colored seed coats and black pigments around the eyes.  Heavy yielder. If using for Nitrogen fixation we highly recommend using a cowpea inoculant. Try with cowpea inoculant for maximum Nitrogen fixation.

California Blackeye #5 is a high yielding, vigorous and easy to grow. You can use these as green shell peas or dry like winter beans. Pods reach 6-8" long and are loaded with creamy, delicious seeds. Does well in high heat areas. Treated Seed.

Phenomenal cowpeas are a remarkable variety known for their impressive yield and versatility. These cowpeas produce robust, productive plants that are well-suited to a variety of growing conditions, making them a favorite among gardeners and farmers. Characterized by their large, green pods and high nutritional value, Phenomenal cowpeas offer a rich source of protein, fiber, and essential vitamins. The plants typically reach about 2 to 3 feet in height and can be grown both in garden beds and containers. They are valued for their resilience in hot and dry climates, which makes them particularly well-adapted to regions with challenging weather conditions. With a maturity period of around 70 to 80 days, Phenomenal cowpeas provide a generous harvest of flavorful, tender beans that can be enjoyed fresh, dried, or cooked in a variety of dishes. Their adaptability and high productivity make them a standout choice for both home gardeners and commercial growers.