Soil Conditioner Green Manure Seeds

SOIL CONDITIONER — Green Manure & Cover Crop Seeds

Includes: Forage Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), Cowpea / Lablab (Vigna unguiculata / Lablab purpureus), Sunn Hemp (Crotalaria juncea), Sunflower (Helianthus annuus), Millet (Panicum miliaceum), Tillage Radish (Raphanus sativus) & Chia (Salvia hispanica)

This balanced Soil Conditioner Mix is designed to rapidly improve soil structure, increase microbial diversity and boost soil nitrogen. The multi-species blend combines deep-rooted forage sorghum for soil loosening and biomass, nitrogen-fixing cowpea or lablab and sunn hemp, plus sunflowers for rooting strength and pollinator support. Ideal as a green manure, companion cover crop or forage — suitable for gardens, paddocks, market gardens and broadacre rotations.

• Designed to improve soil structure by adding diverse root architectures and abundant organic matter.
• Boosts soil nitrogen through multiple legumes (Cowpea/Lablab and Sunn Hemp) for sustained fertility.
• Increases microbial diversity and soil biology by combining grasses, legumes and broadleaf species.
• Produces large, fast-growing biomass suitable for chop-and-incorporate green manure.
• Attracts beneficial insects and pollinators (sunflowers) while suppressing weeds with dense canopy cover.
• Flexible use — green manure, forage, erosion control, or cover between cash crops.

Plant Details:

• Forage Sorghum: Warm-season grass — deep roots, massive biomass, breaks hardpans.
• Cowpea / Lablab: Warm-season legumes — excellent nitrogen fixers and forage value.
• Sunn Hemp: Fast-growing legume — rapid nitrogen accumulation and weed suppression.
• Sunflower: Broadleaf cover — strong taproot, pollinator resource, helps soil structure.
• Mix Type: Multi-species warm-season soil conditioner & green manure mix.

Sowing Information:

• Sow When:
  Temperate: Late spring–early summer (October–December).
  Subtropical: Spring–early summer (September–November).
  Tropical: Early wet season (November–January).
• Germination: Components vary — sorghum & sunflower 5–10 days; cowpea/lablab & sunn hemp 5–14 days.
• Depth: 1–3 cm depending on seed size (smaller legumes shallower, sorghum & sunflower slightly deeper).
• Position: Full sun for best biomass production.
• Sow Where: Direct into prepared beds, paddocks or fallow fields.
• Soil Type: Tolerant of a wide range; prefers well-drained soils. Adjust pH and fertility as needed.
• Sow Rate: 40 kg per hectare.

Management:

• Establish with even moisture; irrigate if necessary during dry periods to ensure rapid canopy closure.
• Monitor legumes — cut or incorporate before excessive flowering to maximise nitrogen return and avoid seed set.
• For biomass returns, chop when sorghum reaches boot/early anthesis and legumes at early bloom; allow residues to break down 3–6 weeks before replanting.
• Use rotational grazing carefully if used for forage — avoid overgrazing to ensure ground cover and root health.

Harvest and Incorporation:

For green manure, mow or flail the mix when the tallest components begin flowering, then incorporate by shallow tilling or allow as surface mulch (chop-and-drop). Decomposition typically takes 3–6 weeks depending on climate — plan your next crop accordingly.

When to Sow This Mix in Your Climate

Quick Growing Guide