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 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. Uses: Erosion Control, Green Manure, Nitrogen Scavenger, No Till, Organic Matter (Biomass), Weed suppression

The Packer Forage Pea, or Canadian field pea, is a cool-season legume that is used for cover crops, wildlife and winter grazing! This annual legume has good nitrogen-fixing capabilities. The Packer Forage Pea is a low-growing, viny legume which has been shown to fix over 200 pounds of nitrogen per acre per year. Uses: Chicken Forage, Deer Attractant, Forage, Green Manure, Nitrogen Fixation, No Till, Organic Matter (Biomass), Weed Suppression

The Elite cowpea is a bush type cream southern pea that produces heavy yields of 7" pods with cowpeas that are delicious and easy to shell. This cowpea is one of the most productive of all the cream peas. If you are using for Nitrogen fixation we highly recommend using a cowpea inoculant. Try with cowpea inoculant for maximum Nitrogen fixation.

The Knuckle Purple Hull is a bush type cowpea producing heavy yields of purple pods. Cowpeas in general are great for drying and canning. This variety tends to stay off the ground and cluster making for easy picking. This cowpea is referred to as a "Knuckle Hull" because of the big, plump cowpeas. Try with cowpea inoculant for maximum Nitrogen fixation.

The Piper Sudangrass is a great catch crop for excess nitrogen that produces heavy amounts of organic matter and suppresses weeds. This grass grows quickly at heights up to 7 feet. The Piper Sudangrass is great for livestock forage, but should be grazed only when mature and never after a frost as it turns toxic. Uses: Erosion Control, Green Manure, Nitrogen Scavenger, No Till, Organic Matter (Biomass), Weed Suppression

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.

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.

The Indiangrass is a warm-season bunchgrass that is native to central and eastern North America and provides cover and food for wildlife. This grass can reach up to seven feet tall and is a common species of the Tallgrass Prairie. The beautiful, plume-like seed heads are very ornamental making them excellent for prairie and conservation mixtures.

Switchgrass is a rhizomatous, warm-season bunchgrass that is native throughout most of the U.S. It is a major component of the Tallgrass Prairie ecosystem. Alamo originates from Live Oak County, Texas. It is late maturing and was developed as a renewable biofuel resource for the southern U.S. Recommended for pasture mixes, erosion control and soil stabilization. It also provides good nesting habitat, cover and food for many different types of wildlife.

The Sadandy cowpea is a heavy yielding Southern pea great for fresh shelling. The Sadandy variety is very similarly to 'Texas Cream' but the peas are slightly smaller. These bush-type plants are prolific and thrive in hotter, Southern weather. The Sadandy is a "cream pea" type variety, they are generally used at the fresh shelling stage. If you are using for Nitrogen fixation we highly recommend using a cowpea inoculant.

Lady is the smallest and most tender Southern cowpea on the market. This cowpea variety is a popular and hard to find southern cowpea. Lady is excellent freshly cooked and very tender. The short plants are great for small gardens, and yields are high. If you are using for Nitrogen fixation we highly recommend using a cowpea inoculant. Try with cowpea inoculant for maximum Nitrogen fixation.

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. Ryegrass (Lolium sp.) Uses: Erosion Control, Green Manure, Nitrogen Scavenger, No Till, Organic Matter (Biomass), Weed Suppression