Hudson Valley Seed Co.

Hairy Vetch Cover Crop

Name: Hairy Vetch Cover Crop
Rating: 5.00 (1 reviews)

Vicia villosa

Certified Organic

Suppress weeds, add nitrogen with this speedy grower!

Hairy Vetch can be planted in either early spring or late-summer/fall and is winter hardy, putting on lots of quick, green growth in spring on sprawling long vines. The thick mats of vines are great at adding organic matter, and are excellent for weed suppression. Said to be one of the best nitrogen-fixers, reportedly more efficient than peas. The plants will thrive even in acidic soils. It is best to mow hairy vetch just as blooming begins, for optimal nitrogen fixation, and to ensure that the plants die before setting seed, as vetch can become a weed if allowed to re-seed. The mowed plants can be left in place as a natural mulch for no-till planting, or incorporated into the soil for organic matter.

Sow by early fall (September in zone 5) for plants that will over winter and put on lush growth in early spring. Seed a nurse crop such as oats for better winter survival.

Garden Pack: 1/8 pound, sows roughly 125 square feet

Homestead Pack: ¼ pound, sows roughly 300 square feet

Farm Pack: 1 pound, sows roughly 2,000 square feet

This seed product is not included in our free shipping offer.

Unit	Price	Availability
2 Ounces	$6.39	In Stock
4 Ounces	$9.79	In Stock
1 Pound	$16.79	In Stock

Price as selected: $0.00

Ships within 2-3 business days

Growing instructions

Sow in spring, or in late summer through early fall.
To broadcast: Spread evenly on a well-prepared bed and hoe in to a depth of 1 inch.
To sow in rows: Sow seeds 1 inch deep, 3 inches apart, in rows spaced 3 inches apart, and cover well.
Mow hairy vetch just as blooming begins, for optimal nitrogen fixation, and to ensure that the plants die before setting seed, as vetch can become a weed if allowed to re-seed.The mowed plants can be left in place as a natural mulch for no-till planting, or incorporated into the soil for organic matter.

Product Details

Days to Maturity	60 days300 days
Days to Germination	7 to 14 days
Width at Maturity	sprawling vines up to 12'
Height at Maturity	30 inches
Sun Conditions	Partial Sun (4-6 hours Sun), Full Sun (8+ Hours Sun)
Planting Depth	1"
Row Spacing	3 inches
Plant Spacing	3 inches

5 stars: 1 (100%)
4 stars: 0 (0%)
3 stars: 0 (0%)
2 stars: 0 (0%)
1 star: 0 (0%)

We planted this in September (we're in the Hudson Valley NY) mixed with rye and crimson clover, all from Hudson Valley Seed Co. In the spring they all came back vigorously, even though the conditions are not ideal - we are trying to rehabilitate the poor, compacted soil in an area that has been lawn for decades. The picture here is from June 6 - you can see the beautiful vetch flowers and the tall rye stalks, and the crimson clover has already finished flowering. We are letting everything go to seed (at the risk of it becoming "weedy") because we want to let the area keep building fertility for another season or two, so we'll see if the cover crops naturally establish themselves.