Unwanted Plant Suppression

Achieve superior unwanted plant suppression with hairy vetch cover crop seeds. This annual legume, part of a diverse cover crop seed mix, creates a dense ground cover, minimizing the growth of unwanted plants. Ideal for use with garden seeds or pasture grass seed, its cold tolerance ensures a strong, persistent cover crop throughout winter.

Erosion Control

Protect your soil from erosion with hairy vetch seed. Its extensive root system helps stabilize the soil, preventing erosion even in challenging conditions. Suitable for various soil types including frozen soils, this cover crop integrates well with triticale seed, organic spring mix, and clover seeds, providing reliable erosion control and maintaining soil health.

Excellent Ground Cover

Hairy vetch seeds are planted as a cover crop, green manure, pasture, silage, and hay. It is capable of accumulating large amounts of dry matter and nitrogen. When planted alone as a winter cover crop in annual vegetable rotations, it can provide substantial amounts of nitrogen to a following crop.

Biomass Production

Boost your land's biomass with hairy vetch cover crop seeds. This resilient legume, WinterKing hairy vetch, has better winter hardiness equates to more biomass. More biomass provides increased forage for livestock, more biomass for cover croppers. Its nitrogen-fixing properties enrich the soil, making it perfect for green manure and organic vegetable seeds cultivation.

WinterKing hairy vetch has better winter hardiness equates to more biomass. More biomass provides increased forage for livestock, more biomass for cover croppers, and increased weed suppression for all. Those desiring high nitrogen-fixing legumes for green manure, forage grazing, wildlife and pollinator attractants should find WinterKing an improved option over other legumes that lack cold tolerance.

As an annual legume, hairy vetch may need to be terminated either mechanically or chemically when followed by a row crop. Some producers may find the late maturity of WinterKing reduces the potential for undesired seed propagation found in earlier maturing cover crop varieties. For livestock producers, WinterKing’s late maturity means more vegetative high value feed longer into the spring season.

WinterKing has shown potential to produce 150-200#N/acre, especially when allowed to reach maturity later in the season. This is beneficial for green manure as well as providing an extended high-protein source for grazing livestock throughout the full spring season.

Hairy vetch tolerates cold well and is more winter-hardy than common vetch. If well-established in fall, it tolerates frozen soils, remaining dormant until spring. Warm spring temperatures bring rapid growth.

Hairy vetch seeds can be planted in soils with pH ranging from 4.9 to 8.2, but does best when pH is from 6.0 to 7.0. It can thrive in acid soils where clover and alfalfa do not grow well.

Hairy vetch does best on sandy or sandy loam soils but grows on most soil types if drainage is good. It tolerates some temporary flooding. Can withstand being flooded for long periods of time; however, stand quality and growth generally decline if there are long periods of flooding or saturated soils. It is somewhat shade-tolerant and more drought-resistant than the other vetches.

Inoculated Seed - We now offer hairy vetch seed which has been coated with an inoculant for better establishment. Nitrogen fixation is a one of the key values found in legumes and can only occur with the proper inoculation. Although many strains or Rhizobium may be present in the soil, all are not equally beneficial. With Nitro-Coat® each seed is inoculated with the correct Rhizobium strains and coated through a proven process that ensures a very high level of successful inoculation. A key to any successful establishment and early seed development is moisture. Nitro-Coat® is naturally water absorbent and helps attract soil moisture to the seed, getting your stand established quickly. This coating process which Outsidepride utilizes, assures that only the top-performing and crop-specific rhizobia will be applied to ensure your clovers reach maximum nodulation, stand establishment, and yield potential. With Nitro-Coat® each seed is inoculated with the correct Rhizobium strains and coated through a proven process that ensures a very high level of successful inoculation. The weight of the hairy vetch seeds will contain approximately 34% coating material that contains the inoculant and water holding material for better establishment and viability of the seed. There is no difference in the seeding rates between the coated and raw seed due to the increased germination and viability of the bulk hairy vetch seeds that are coated and inoculated. This coating material is not OMRI certified.

 

Cover & Green Manure Crop

Planting Guide

These peas have a vine-like growth that can reach lengths of 3 to 5 feet when planted in fertile soil. Winter peas are highly nutritious and extremely digestible to deer. Foliage color is a pale green. Austrian winter peas have moderate drought tolerance but have good winter hardiness. Sow your Austrian Winter Peas in late summer through early fall. Spread seeds on a well-prepared bed and hoe in to a depth of 2 inches. If you'd like to sow your peas in rows, sow in 2 - 3 inch deep furrows that are spaced 8 inches apart. Cover well. Austrian winter peas prefer cool temperatures and plenty of water. Keep watered in dry spells. If grown as a spring cover crop, mow down at flowering.

• Bloom season: spring
• Bloom color: pinks or white
• Can be planted in patio containers

Plant Specifications

Austrian winter pea is a perennial flowering cover crop that is winter hardy in USDA zones 6 and above. It is a vining plant that can reach lengths of up to 4 feet.

• Don't confuse these with cowpeas
• Useful in salads & stir fries
• Attracts various wildlife

Austrian winter peas are a cool-season annual legume which can make a very attractive food plot on their own or as an addition to a seed mixture planted in the fall to attract deer. Easy to grow and quick to germinate, winter peas are very similar to garden peas and have the same nitrogen-fixing abilities which reduces the amount of fertilizer needed in your garden.

Austrian Winter Peas are also very good for cover crops and green manure crops, building tilth and adding organic matter and thus humus to the soil. Peas like well drained and fertile loam soils. Field peas are used as a winter annual in the South and as a spring annual in the North for soil improvement and for forage. Austrian winter peas are generally grown with a small grain for pasture, hay or silage. They can be used as a cover crop or green manure crop. This cover crop seed does not tolerate high water table or any substantial flooding.

These peas have a vine-like growth that can reach lengths of 3 to 5 feet when planted in fertile soil. Winter peas are highly nutritious and extremely digestible to deer. They carry a protein level between 20 and 30 percent. Both the seed, stem and leaves are browsed by deer. Foliage color is a pale green, and the plant produces pink blooms. Austrian winter peas have moderate drought tolerance but have good winter hardiness.

Very High Yield Potential

Vernal alfalfa boasts high yield potential due to its exceptional winter hardiness, broad unwanted insect and plant sickness resistance, rapid recovery after frequent cuttings, and ability to thrive even in fields with root rot issues. These attributes ensure consistent productivity and resilience, making it a top performer in various growing conditions.

Good Winter Hardiness

Vernal alfalfa's good winter hardiness is due to its genetic adaptation, deep root system, cold tolerance, and resilience to frost heaving. It has been selectively bred for traits that enhance its ability to withstand cold temperatures and harsh winter conditions. These allow the plant to access deeper soil layers for water and nutrients, survive freezing temperatures.

Rapid Regrowth

With a vigorous root system providing essential nutrients and water, Vernal alfalfa seeds achieves rapid regrowth. Its genetic breeding enhances traits for fast recovery, and its dark green leaves contribute to high photosynthetic efficiency, allowing the plant to quickly replenish energy stores after cutting ensuring it maintains growth rate and health despite repeated harvesting.

Deep Root System

A deep root system is essential for nutrient and water absorption, and these perennial grass seeds excel in this area. This feature enhances drought resistance and overall plant health, making them perfect for hay production and pasture seed applications. It provides stability and anchoring, helping plants withstand environmental stresses like strong winds.

Vernal alfalfa has been the standard of the industry for many years. It exhibits good winter hardiness, has moderate re-growth after cutting, is fine stemmed and has dark green leaves. Vernal alfalfa is used mostly for hay production in medium rotation applications. It was developed by the University of Wisconsin and released in 1953.

Here are some of the outstanding features of Vernal alfalfa:

• Produces high yields even on fields where root rots are a problem
• Uniquely winterhardy, a full season variety with the winterhardiness of varieties adapted to the far north
• Wide spectrum pest resistance decreases yield fade in later stand years
• Very high yield potential, top performer in University yield trials
• Resists stem nematode problems common to lighter soils
• Very fast recovery and very good frequent cutting tolerance

Establishment

Use a soil test measure as a guide to check your pH and nutrient status several months before seeding alfalfa seeds. Apply lime and fertilizer as needed. Your pH levels should be 6.5-7.0. An ideal soil bed is moist, fertile and firm. Vernal prefers crumbly silt loam to sandy loam textures but alfalfa  seeds will grow well on most deep, well-drained soils with adequate internal and surface drainage. Alfalfa will die if the soil is saturated for an extended period.

Plowing will result in a clean, firm seedbed, but you have to plant when the soil is not too dry or too wet. Plowing may bring rocks to the surface and the field would be more subject to soil erosion. Discing or harrowing requires less time than plowing/tilling, but may not rid the seedbed of weed seeds, diseased plant parts or herbicide residues.

No-till seeding of alfalfa seeds can be completed on a wider range of soil conditions and rocks are left below the surface and the field is far less susceptible to soil erosion. You also save time, fuel and power requirements.

Plant alfalfa seeds 1/4" to 1/2" deep on medium to heavy textured soils and plant at least 1/2" on sandy soils either in the spring or late summer-early fall.

For maximum yields, it is important to have 20-30 plants per square foot during the seedling year for protection against weed competition. Do not harvest alfalfa seeded in late summer until the following spring. Allow new seedlings to start to bloom before the first harvest. Cut three-four times a year when stand is 25% flowered.

15 to 20 lbs/acre.

Inoculated Seed - Our Vernal alfalfa seed has been coated with an inoculant for better establishment. Nitrogen fixation is a one of the key values found in legumes and can only occur with the proper inoculation. Although many strains or Rhizobium may be present in the soil, all are not equally beneficial. With Nitro-Coat® each seed is inoculated with the correct Rhizobium strains and coated through a proven process that ensures a very high level of successful inoculation. A key to any successful establishment and early seed development is moisture. Nitro-Coat® is naturally water absorbent and helps attract soil moisture to the seed, getting your stand established quickly. This coating process which Outsidepride utilizes, assures that only the top-performing and crop-specific rhizobia will be applied to ensure your clovers reach maximum nodulation, stand establishment, and yield potential. With Nitro-Coat® each seed is inoculated with the correct Rhizobium strains and coated through a proven process that ensures a very high level of successful inoculation. The weight of the alfalfa seeds will contain approximately 34% coating material that contains the inoculant and water holding material for better establishment and viability of the seed. There is no difference in the seeding rates between the coated and raw seed due to the increased germination and viability of the bulk alfalfa seeds that are coated and inoculated. This coating material is not OMRI certified.

Nutritional Powerhouse

Our Birdsfoot Trefoil seed offers exceptional nutritional benefits for livestock. This high-quality forage legume is rich in protein and essential nutrients, promoting healthy growth and productivity in animals. By incorporating Birdsfoot Trefoil into your grazing system, you ensure your livestock receive a balanced diet.

Soil Superhero

Birdsfoot Trefoil is an excellent choice for soil improvement. Its deep root system helps aerate the soil, enhance water infiltration, and reduce compaction. The legume’s nitrogen-fixing ability naturally enriches the soil, boosting fertility and promoting better growth for surrounding plants. Its resilience in poor soil conditions makes it a reliable option for long-term soil health.

Resilient and Long-Lasting

Known for its resilience, Birdsfoot Trefoil can withstand harsh conditions. Its deep-rooting system allows it to access moisture and nutrients from deeper soil layers, ensuring sustained growth even in challenging environments. This perennial plant provides reliable forage for several years, making it a cost-effective and durable option for pastures and hayfields.

Thrives in Sandy to Loamy Soil

Birdsfoot Trefoil is highly adaptable, thriving in various soil types, especially sandy to loamy soils. It performs exceptionally well where other legumes might struggle, making it a versatile choice for diverse growing conditions. Its ability to withstand poor drainage and low fertility further enhances its suitability for challenging environments.

Also known as "broadleaf birdsfoot trefoil," this long-lived, deep-rooted perennial forage legume is used for pasture, hay and silage. It grows on many different soil types, from sandy loams to clays. It accepts poorly-drained, droughty, infertile, acid or mildly alkaline soils. Most productive on fertile, well-drained soils with a pH of 6.2-6.5 or higher.

The nutritive value equals that of alfalfa, and there is no apparent problem from bloat, evern where pure stands are grazed.

Birdsfoot trefoil should be seeded with grasses for optimum forage production such as: timothy, smooth brome, orchardgrass, tall fescue, and perennial ryegrass. Also attracts deer, turkey, and rabbit.

5 to 8 lbs/acre.

Species of Lotus are widely distributed throughout the world. Birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) is grown in the northeastern and north-central states and in the Pacific Northwest coastal and intermountain areas. It is suited to clay soils and areas that are too wet or too acid for alfalfa production.

Primary Use

Birdsfoot trefoil is a non-bloating legume that is suitable for use in permanent pastures or for use as a hay crop, either alone or sown in combination with grasses. When used for grazing, birdsfoot trefoil is used to best advantage in a rotational grazing system. when grown for hay on land that is suitable for alfalfa, birdsfoot will produce considerably less forage than alfalfa. For this reason, birdsfoot trefoil should be used only in areas that are not suitable for alfalfa production because of their acidity, poor drainage, or low fertility.

Establishment

Weak seedling vigor is the major problem encountered when establishing stands. Because birdsfoot trefoil has a relatively slow growth rate and small seed size, good seeing practices and weed control are essential. Seeding rates for various mixtures are indicated in the table. Seed should be covered slightly or planted inch deep. Planting seed above a band of fertilizer (band seeding) but not in contact with the fertilizer will enhance seedling vigor. Planting can take place in the early spring or late summer. Early spring planting is preferable because of ample soil moisture for germination and seedling development.

Fertility and pH Requirements

One of the major advantages of birdsfoot trefoil is its tolerance to low fertility and to low soil pH. However, maximum forage growth will occur on fertile soils with a pH of 6.0 to 6.2. A moderate application of phosphorus and sulfur at planting based on soil test data, will provide for good growth.

Management

Early spring or continuous grazing of birdsfoot trefoil will weaken and eliminate a stand. Rotational grazing should be used, allowing animals to graze when the first flowers appear. For use as pasture, this will allow two grazing periods on dryland pastures west of the Cascade Mountains or three grazing periods on irrigated land.

If used as a combination of hay and pasture, a hay crop can be taken at early bloom (June) and the regrowth grazed at first flower. On irrigated areas, two regrowths can be expected and can be used as hay or pasture. The third hay crop, or grazing period, can be expected in September. Regrowth can be grazed in October and November.

Birdsfoot trefoil is persistent and has a long life when managed properly.

Grazing

The most likely causes of loss of stand are continuous, hard grazing; competition through shading from too much grass and weeds; and excessively poor drainage such as standing water. Allowing some seed production during lenient grazing in summer will thicken the stand as the shattered seeds germinate quickly with irrigation or rain.

Diseases and Insect Pests

It is relatively free of insect and disease damage, and is very winter hardy once established.

Spring Field Peas

How to Grow

Sow Field Peas as soon as the soil can be worked. Repeat this until in the late spring. If you want to sow a fall crop, do so towards the end of summer. Sow seeds to a depth of 1 - 2 1/2 inches. Grow in a spot with full sun to partial shade.

• Height: 36 - 48 inches
• USDA Zones: 3 - 10
• Seeding Rate: 75 to 100 lbs per acre. 5 lbs per 1000 square feet.

Pros of Spring Field Peas:

• High forage yields
• Mixes well with cereal grains
• Great leaf to stem ratio
• Excellent seedling vigor
• Large amounts of quality biomass

Plant Dundale spring peas as soon as the fields are able to work and expect field peas to grow rapidly in the spring. Seedlings are able to tolerate frost in the low 20s and will produce a new shoot if frost damage does occur. The plants will flowers in approximately 45 days and are ready for harvest in about 60 days.

Field peas can be mixed with oats, barley or triticale and are an excellent source of protein forage. Research has shown that field pea is an excellent protein supplement in pigs, cattle and poultry rations. They are also excellent in wildlife mixes and bird seed mixes.

Spring field peas are also a good source of green manure for the soil. The thick foliage breaks down easily and enhances the quality of the soil. Field peas also fixate nitrogen and can greatly cut down the need to add fertilizers to the soil. Plant pea seed at a depth of 1 inch.

• High forage yields 
• Mixes well with cereal grains
• Great leaf to stem ratio
• Excellent seedling vigor
• Large amounts of quality biomass

Seeding Rate: 75 to 100 lbs per acre. 5 lbs per 1,000 square feet.

Fava Beans (Vicia Faba) - A relative of vetch, fava beans have erect, coarse stems and large leaves that grow into a bushy plant. This annual legume is also known as broad bean, field bean, horse bean, and Fababean. There are many varieties, even one for human consumption which is called Windsor bean. The cultivation of the bean dates back to early history where it is native to the Mediterranean region, especially Italy and Iran. In North America, Canada is the largest producer of Fava bean since they produce best in cool summer climates.

Our Fava beans are forage quality. They are not for human consumption.

Cover crop seed | fava bean

How to use

The variety of faba bean which we carry has a variety of uses: winter or spring cover crop, green manure, silage, forage, or hay. It is an excellent winter or spring cover crop because it grows quickly and produces a great deal of lush foliage. The large amounts of biomass make Fava bean very attractive as a green manure crop with the green forage worked back into the soil as organic matter – improving the tilth of clay and sandy soils.

In addition, like most legumes, Fava bean plants are nitrogen fixers, and they replenish the soil with this vital nutrient. Many farmers use Faba bean in their crop rotation, plowing the plants back into the field after the growth has peaked for mulch. Planting time for cover crop use is September to November for winter cover; April for spring cover.

• Sowing Rate: 1 ounces plants a 4 - 10 foot row
• Average Germ Time: 7 - 14 days
• Attracts deer and rabbit
• Depth: 1 - 2 inches

Plant Specifications

The plants tolerate many different soil types – even acidic soils. Water logging is also tolerated better than other grain legumes such as chickpeas, field peas, lupines and lentils.. Planting depth is critical, since the hard, dry Faba bean seed takes longer to absorb water and germinate than common bean does. Deep planting is necessary to get the seed below the surface so it doesn’t dry out.

• Height: 4 feet
• Season: Cool season annual
• Deer Resistant: No

Pure Cowpea Seeds

Our pure cowpeas seeds offer high-quality options ideal for enhancing soil nitrogen levels because they are carefully selected and tested to ensure superior germination rates and robust growth. These cowpeas are carefully selected to ensure a rich, productive crop, perfect for gardeners and farmers aiming to improve soil health.

GMO-Free

Our Cowpeas for planting are proudly GMO-free, ensuring a natural growth process without genetic modifications. This commitment to purity means you can plant with confidence, knowing your crops are cultivated from seeds that adhere to the highest standards of natural farming. Enjoy the benefits of robust, healthy plants and productive agricultural practice.

USDA Zones 5-10 Adaptive

Adaptable to USDA Zones 5-10, our cowpeas, seeds for planting, thrive in a wide range of climates, making them a versatile choice for various regions. These cowpea seeds are designed to perform well in different soil types and weather conditions. Whether you're in a cooler northern region or a warmer southern zone, our cowpeas seeds will adapt and flourish.

Fresh and Viable Product

Our cowpea seeds for planting are fresh and viable, ensuring high germination rates for successful planting. Each batch is tested for quality, offering you the best chance for a bountiful harvest. By choosing our cowpeas, seeds for planting, you are investing in a product that promises vigorous growth and robust plants.

Cowpeas (Vigna Unguiculata) - Cowpeas grow 24 - 36 inches tall and are very heat and drought tolerant. They are very hardy, making them an excellent choice for food plots in the southern United States. Deer, pheasant, turkey, quail and other wildlife eagerly seek out the foliage and grain produced by cowpeas as they grow to maturity.  Other animals such as: cattle, hogs, poultry, goats and other upland game birds will also enjoy feeding on cowpeas.

Cowpeas are the most heat loving legume found in the United States. They thrive in hot, moist climates, but are also very drought tolerant. Adapted to a wide range of soil types.   Commonly used by farmers for silage and as a cover crop, but also widely planted as a high protein forage. Cowpeas are adapted to a wide range of soils, but prefers well drained soils with a pH between 6.0 - 7.0.  Like all cowpeas, they can be consumed by humans in the form of snap beans and dry beans.

Cowpeas are perennial in USDA Zones 7 - 10, but are often grown in the midwest as an annual in USDA Zone 5 and 6.

Seeding Rate: 30 - 90 lbs per acre
Planting Depth: 1/2 - 1 inch deep