Rye and Vetch Blend, Blends

Rye & Vetch Cover Crop Mixes Seed

Rye protects vetch while building substantial organic matter
Hairy vetch fixes nitrogen for following garden crops
Overwintering cover shields soil from erosion and weeds
Well suited to fall sowing and spring incorporation

See product details

Key Attributes

Botanical Name

Blend

Days to maturity

35 Days

Sun

Full Sun

About Rye & Vetch, Cover Crop Mixes Seed, Cover Crop Mixes Seed

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)

Growing details

Planting

Sow Depth

1/2"

Row Spacing

Broadcast or Drill

Plant profile

Life Cycle

Annual,Perennial

Plant Height

Varies

Seed & variety

Seeds Per Ounce

1,098

Seed Type

Seed

Before Planting

For Cover Crop Mixes, select an open site with drainage and soil conditions suited to cover crop mixes. Control perennial weeds, remove heavy residue if it will interfere with seeding, and prepare a firm seedbed; use a soil test to correct major deficiencies. Confirm the planting window and termination plan before sowing, especially when the crop could overwinter or reseed.

Planting

Cover Crop Mixes is best direct-sown during its recommended seasonal window, when enough growing time remains for establishment. Broadcast or drill seed evenly, then roll or press the area to ensure firm seed-to-soil contact. Keep the surface moist until seedlings establish if rainfall is insufficient. These crops normally form a stand and are not thinned; use the separate seeding-rate guidance to control density.

Watering

Maintain moisture until the cover crop mix forms a uniform stand. Established plantings usually need supplemental water only during extended dry periods; apply deeply and infrequently rather than keeping the surface constantly wet.

Fertilizer

Cover crop mixes generally need no routine feeding in fertile soil. Apply nitrogen, phosphorus, or potassium only according to soil tests and the desired amount of biomass.

Harvesting

Harvest or terminate cover crop mixes according to their intended purpose. Cut while vegetative for quality forage, mow near early bloom for biomass, or allow seed to harden only when deliberate reseeding is desired.

Tips

Monitor cover crop mixes closely as flowering approaches. Terminate before unwanted reseeding, adjust mowing height to encourage regrowth when desired, and consider how residue may affect the next planting.

AVG. Seeding Rate

1¼–2½ lb./1,000 sq.ft.; 50–100 lb./acre

Pests & Diseases

Disease risk in a cover crop mix depends on its component species and the following cash crop. Identify patches of rust, mildew, crown rot, or legume wilt before termination. Do not let a diseased mix become a pathogen bridge; rotate crop families and fully terminate volunteer hosts.

Monitor cover crop mixes for armyworms, cutworms, aphids, grasshoppers, and seed-feeding birds. Inspect young stands and developing heads, preserve natural predators, and treat only damaging infestations.