Soil Conditioner Green Manure & Cover Crop Seed Mix

Soil Conditioner Green Manure & Cover Crop Seed Mix

Includes: Forage Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), Cowpea or Lablab (Vigna unguiculata / Lablab purpureus), Sunn Hemp (Crotalaria juncea), Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)

Soil Conditioner Mix is a warm-season green manure and cover crop blend designed to improve soil structure, build organic matter, support nitrogen fixation, suppress weeds, and increase soil biological activity. This multi-species mix combines deep-rooted grasses, nitrogen-fixing legumes, fast-growing biomass crops, and flowering broadleaf plants for strong summer soil improvement.

Forage Sorghum provides fibrous roots and large biomass, Cowpea or Lablab and Sunn Hemp support nitrogen fixation when compatible rhizobia are present, and Sunflower adds deep rooting, upright growth, and pollinator value. This mix is ideal for vegetable gardens, orchards, paddocks, food forests, market gardens, broadacre rotations, and regenerative farming systems.

• Warm-season soil conditioner seed mix for green manure and cover cropping.
• Builds organic matter, improves soil structure, and supports microbial diversity.
• Includes legumes for nitrogen fixation and soil fertility improvement.
• Forage Sorghum and Sunflower add deep roots, biomass, and soil conditioning benefits.
• Fast canopy growth helps suppress weeds and protect bare soil.
• Suitable for gardens, orchards, paddocks, market gardens, and regenerative farming.
• Best grown in warm, frost-free conditions with reliable moisture.

Plant Details

• Mix Type: Warm-season multi-species green manure and cover crop blend
• Main Uses: Soil conditioning, organic matter, nitrogen fixation, weed suppression, biomass, and soil structure improvement
• Growth Habit: Combination of grasses, legumes, and broadleaf species
• Root Benefits: Combines fibrous grass roots, legume roots, taproots, and deep-rooted broadleaf growth
• Best Position: Full sun
• Frost Tolerance: Low; this is a warm-season mix
• Coverage: Approx. 100–200 m² per kg depending on sowing rate and site conditions

Best Uses

• Summer green manure
• Warm-season cover crop
• Soil conditioning and structure improvement
• Organic matter production
• Nitrogen fixation and fertility building
• Weed suppression and bare soil protection
• Vegetable garden rotations
• Orchard and food forest inter-rows
• Paddock and broadacre soil improvement
• Regenerative farming and soil-building systems

Mix Benefits

Sowing Information

• Best Sowing Time: Spring to summer once soil is warm and frost risk has passed
• Germination Time: Approximately 5–14 days depending on species, soil temperature, and moisture
• Sowing Depth: 15–30 mm; cover larger seeds well and avoid burying too deeply
• Position: Full sun for best biomass production
• Soil Type: Suitable for a range of soils; performs best in warm, well-drained soil with good seed-to-soil contact
• Watering: Keep moist during germination and establishment; irrigate during dry periods if needed
• Sow Where: Garden beds, paddocks, fallow blocks, orchards, food forests, market gardens, and broadacre rotations
• Inoculation: Legume components may benefit from suitable cowpea/lablab/sunn hemp inoculant for stronger nitrogen fixation.

Sowing Rate and Coverage

Seed Quantity Guide

Coverage is a guide only. Use higher rates for fast canopy closure, stronger weed suppression, poor soil, exposed sites, dry conditions, or areas with bird pressure.

When to Sow Soil Conditioner Mix in Australia

How to Sow Soil Conditioner Mix

1. Choose a sunny position with warm, well-drained soil.
2. Remove weeds and prepare a firm seedbed.
3. Broadcast seed evenly at the recommended sowing rate.
4. Cover seed with approximately 15–30 mm of soil.
5. Press or roll the soil surface gently for good seed-to-soil contact.
6. Water well after sowing if soil moisture is low.
7. Keep moist until seedlings are established.
8. Allow the mix to grow until useful biomass is produced, then chop and incorporate or leave as mulch.

Management

• Keep soil moist during germination and early growth.
• Use suitable inoculant where nitrogen fixation is a priority.
• Cut before heavy seed set if self-seeding is not wanted.
• Chop at early to mid flowering for a balance of biomass and easier breakdown.
• Leave chopped material as surface mulch in no-dig systems.
• Allow 3–6 weeks for residues to break down before planting sensitive seedlings.

Harvest and Incorporation

For green manure use, mow, slash, or flail the mix when strong biomass has formed or when the legumes begin flowering. Incorporate the chopped material into the soil 3–6 weeks before planting the next crop, or leave it on the surface as mulch in no-dig systems. Earlier cutting produces softer material that breaks down faster, while later cutting provides more bulk and longer-lasting surface residue.

Soil Benefits and Use

Soil Conditioner Mix is designed to improve soil through plant diversity, root activity, nitrogen fixation, organic matter, and living ground cover. The combination of grasses, legumes, and broadleaf species helps protect bare soil, support soil biology, improve structure, suppress weeds, and recycle nutrients during warm growing periods.

Important Notes

• This is a warm-season mix and should be sown after frost risk has passed.
• Nitrogen fixation is strongest when compatible rhizobia are present in the soil or applied as inoculant.
• Species performance will vary depending on climate, rainfall, soil type, sowing time, and management.
• Cut before seed set if volunteer plants are not wanted.
• If used around livestock, manage carefully. Forage Sorghum can pose livestock risks at certain growth stages or under stress, so confirm suitability before grazing.
• Use higher sowing rates where fast cover and weed suppression are priorities.

Quick Growing Guide