'LEGUME ONLY' Fallow Mixture (NUM3/AB15)
Ref: MIXAB15LEG
CSS, SFI Codes: AB15, NUM3 br>
br>A Legume Only fallow mix, this 2-3 year mixture will helping to boost soil fertility and satisfy NUM3, hard topping will kill off the annual species like Vetch and Crimson Clover. Must sow at shallow depth, no more than 10mm. Please call for availability
Contents per Acre | % | kg | |
certified vetch | 50.0 | 4.000 | |
certified alsike clover | 17.5 | 1.400 | |
certified Red Clover blend | 15.0 | 1.200 | |
certified lucerne | 3.8 | 0.300 | |
certified crimson clover | 6.3 | 0.500 | |
certified birdsfoot trefoil | 2.5 | 0.200 | |
certified white clover | 2.5 | 0.200 | |
certified yellow trefoil | 2.5 | 0.200 |
Alsike Clover
Alsike clover is a short term perennial that fixes nitrogen. It is a true clover, not a hybrid as the name suggests. Compared to many annual clovers it can be the slowest to flower after a spring sowing.
Birdsfoot Trefoil
Birdsfoot Trefoil is a legume, it grows from a basal crown, with numerous stems that can vary from prostrate to erect in growth habit. In some parts of the country it is called the 'eggs and bacon' plant.
Birdsfoot Trefoil Species Guide Buy Birdsfoot Trefoil Straight
Crimson Clover
An annual legume and true clover, traditionally sown in the south east of England for over-winter sheep keep.
Lucerne
Also known as alfalfa in the states, lucerne benefits animal health and soil fertility. It is a high protein forage crop which is usually grown on its own and is very good on drought-prone soils. It establishes relatively slowly, producing significantly more biomass in the second and third years. Lucerne should only be grown on free-draining, alkaline soil. Lucerne requires the correct strain of rhizobia (known as an inoculant) to efficiently fix atmospheric nitrogen and get the most growth.
Medium Leaved White Clover
White clover is one of the most common legumes in the UK. This species can be recognised by its creeping growth habit. Its creeping stolons help to fill in gaps in the sward, putting down roots at each node. White clover varieties can be categorised into small, medium and large leaf sizes. Generally the smaller the leaf size, the more persistent and prostrate the plant will be, the small leaf type will tolerate closer grazing from sheep and tends to sit lower at the base of the sward, the small and medium leaf varieties are used for grazing mixtures. Using mixtures of white clover varieties helps to ensure that at least one can tolerate and contribute to what ever management regime is being imposed at a given time. The medium leaf varieties are very adaptable, generally they can be used for both grazing and cutting mixtures. They combine a good tolerance to cattle or sheep grazing and can contribute to cutting yields, while still being more persistent than the large leaf varieties. There are also variations, which can be classed as small to medium in terms of leaf size. Common medium leaf varieties are aberherald & aberdai, while the variety aberpearl is classed as small to medium leaf in terms of size.
Medium Leaved White Clover Species Guide Buy Medium Leaved White Clover Straight
Red Clover
Red clover is one of the most popularly used true clovers in the UK. Once established it’s capable of rapid growth and shows reasonably good persistence up to three years, although ongoing breeding work is being carried out to increase plant persistence. The highest yielding strains of red clover are called 'double cut' varieties, normally providing quick regrowth after cutting and several flushes or cuts per season. The 'single cut' strains of red clover, notably the variety altaswede provide one large cut per season, flowering approximately 2-3 weeks later than the 'double cut' strains.
Vetch
Vetch is a well known legume also known as common vetch or tares. It scrambling, smothering growth habit and frost tolerance make it a very useful winter cover crop or green manure.
Yellow Trefoil / Black Medick
Yellow trefoil (also known as black medick) is a short lived annual/biennial legume, with a low growth habit making it a common choice for undersowing and soil improvement.