Vetch ‘Common’ Green Manure Seeds
Botanical Name: Vicia sativa
Cool-season nitrogen fixer for cover cropping.
Improves soil fertility and adds organic matter.
Ideal for temperate, subtropical, and Mediterranean rotations.
Common Vetch is a fast-growing legume widely used in Australian agriculture as a green manure, cover crop, or pasture improver. It forms dense, vining ground cover that helps smother weeds, protect soil from erosion, and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Often sown with cereals like oats for structural support, Common Vetch is well-suited to temperate and transitional climates during the cool season.
- Fixes nitrogen via root nodules, enhancing soil fertility for future crops.
- Improves soil structure by increasing organic matter and microbial activity.
- Suppresses weeds with dense trailing growth and ground coverage.
- Attracts beneficial insects and can assist in pollinator support if allowed to flower.
- Compatible with oats and other cereals in mixed cover cropping systems.
- Tolerant of light frost and varied soil types, including loams and clays.
Plant Details:
- Plant Type: Annual cool-season legume
- Growth Habit: Trailing or vining up to 50–100 cm
- Flowering: Purple-pink blooms in late spring if left uncut
Sowing Information:
- Sow When:
Temperate: March–June
Subtropical: April–July
Tropical: Dry season or cooler months (May–July)
Cool: March–May
Arid: Autumn or post-summer rains - Germination: 7–14 days
- Depth: Sow 2–4 cm deep
- Position: Full sun
- Sow Where: Directly into prepared beds, paddocks, or pasture
- Soil Type: Loamy, sandy, or clay soils with pH 5.5–7.5
- Spacing: Broadcast at 2–5 g/m² or drill at 10–20 kg/ha
When to Sow Common Vetch in Your Climate
| Climate Zone | Best Planting Time | Tips |
|---|---|---|
| Temperate | March–June | Sow before winter sets in; combine with oats for added biomass. |
| Subtropical | April–July | Ideal in cooler months; avoid sowing in extreme heat. |
| Tropical | May–July | Best in dry season or shaded plots; avoid humid wet season. |
| Cool | March–May | Frost-tolerant once established; sow into moist, prepared soil. |
| Arid | Autumn or post-rain | Sow into moist soil after rains; mulch lightly if needed. |
Quick Growing Guide
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Germination Time | 7–14 days |
| Sowing Depth | 2–4 cm |
| Watering | Keep moist during establishment; rain-fed in most systems |
| Growth Period | 8–12 weeks before incorporation |
| Incorporation | Cut and dig into soil before flowering for maximum nitrogen return |