Albert Lea Seed House 2017 Cover Crop Seed Guide | Page 9

WARM-SEASON COVER CROPS
09
Buckwheat
Buckwheat*
• Quick growing summer annual broadleaf cover crop
• Produces abundant growth in 35-40 days
• Easy to control and residue breaks down quickly
• Flowers attract beneficial insects and pollinators
• Very well suited to varying soil types including poorer soils
Planting Date: May 15th-August 15th
Seeding: 50-100 lbs/acre
1-5
bags 6-39
bags Conventional $32 $29 $26 $24
Organic $39 $36 $33 $31
Price/bag
Sunn Hemp*
40-199 200+
bags bags
• Tall-growing, warm-season annual legume
• Tremendous biomass potential and N-fixing ability
• Quick growing, loves heat and tolerates poorer soils
including sands. Terminate crop at first flower
Planting Date: June 1st-August 15th
Seeding: 15-20 lbs/acre (straight) or 4-8 lbs/acre
(in mixture)
Conventional _______________ $1.60/lb
$80/50lb bag
Viking 100 Sorghum/
Sudangrass*
• Fast growing and highly productive annual grass that
works as a superb forage or cover crop
• Very drought tolerant and thrives in hot weather
• Can be cut or mowed multiple times in a season
• Very competitive with weeds including perennials
• Thicker planting rates will yield smaller stemmed material
Planting Date: May 15th-August 15th
Seeding: 15-35 lbs/acre
Conventional ___________ $29/50lb bag
Cowpeas*
• Vigorous growing summer annual legume
• Thrives in hot, wet conditions
• Similar growth pattern to soybeans but with superior
drought tolerance
• Ready to plowdown in 60-90 days.
Planting Date: June 1st-August 15th
Seeding: 70-90 lbs/acre (straight) or 25-30 lbs/acre
(in mixture)
Conventional ___________ $44/50lb bag
* = variety not stated