Other Organic Species
Other species available for autumn sowing are.....
White Mustard (suggested sowing rate 5-7 kgs per acre)
An excellent fast growing green manure crop. Wil help surpress weeds and mop up excess nitrogen in the soil and when ploughed in (best after 10 weeks) will return large quantities of green material to the soil.
Phacelia (suggested sowing rate 4-5 kgs per acre)
Fast to establish and matures in 10-12 weeks. Will smother weeds and produce large amounts of material to plough back into the soil. When in flower Phacelia is an excellent attractor of beneficial insects.
Common Vetch (suggested sowing rate 25-40kgs per acre)
A more winter hardy alternative to mustard or phacelia. Best sown in September and if ploughed in the following May should fix up to 75kgs of nitrogen per acre.
Crimson Clover (suggested sowing rate 5-6 kgs per acre)
Can be autumn sown annual crop which is visually attractive and a good source of nitrogen.
Lucerne (suggested sowing rate 7-8 kgs per acre)
Lucerne is a long term, drought resistant and high yielding. It will typically produce 3 or more cuts per year. .It has a high protein content of around 18-22% and is a good source of vitamins and minerals.