Miscellaneous Game Cover Crops

The following are maybe considered less popular but are all good game cover crops.  Some of these crops are cover only, some are feed and cover.  With this variety of crops you should be able to find something that suits your soil, local climate, crop rotation and game bird requirements.  Some of these crops can be doubled up for fallow cover or green manuring.

Fodder Radish:

A fast growing cover crop, its prime usefulness being where brassica sickness is a problem due to it immunity. Its speed of establishment aids weed suppression, and its use as a green manure crop. It is useful as a catch crop in northern regions if sown in July as it will be ready to provide cover within 6-8weeks, just as the birds are losing cover from cereals. Fodder Radish is not winter hardy.

Sowing Rate: 2.5kg - 3kg/acre

Price: £67.50 per 10kg pack

Mustard:

Mustard is relatively inexpensive and highly versatile cover crop sown alone or as a companion crop. It is ideal for early cover and although killed off by frost, the fallen woody stems will create shelter for the birds below. This is especially useful when sown with seed producing crops which alone would provide no cover. Popular as a green manure crop.

Sowing Rate: 5kgs/acre

Price: £53.00 per 10kg pack

Brown Mustard:

It is a green manure crop which suppresses soil borne pests and diseases. It is easy to establish 50 -70 day crop that can be grown between April and September and unlike convention varieties of mustard it is winter hardy. It will improve the health of your soil by increasing organic matter and acts as an excellent weed suppressant. It is also especially useful as over-wintering green cover after Maize, Potatoes and Sugar Beet crops, reducing soil erosion, fertilizer leeching and water run-off.

Sowing Rate: 2kgs/acre

Price: £69.20 per 5kg pack

Buckwheat:

A rapidly growing short term crop highly attractive to pheasants, partridges and deer both as cover and feed. The large amount of nectar produced attracts bees and insects which in turn provide added interest for game birds. It is useful in mixtures due to its bulkiness and its ability to continue to provide holding cover and feed after the first frosts when the crop has fallen. Buckwheat thrives best in sunny rather than shaded areas.

Sowing rate: 20kgs/acre

Price: £60.20 per 10kg pack

Linseed:

Traditionally grown for oil, it has become popular in recent years as game cover and is particularly attractive to partridges. It is an easy crop to grow and is tolerant of many soil types. Although not frost hardy it will continue to provide cover and interest well into the winter especially if grown as a mixture.

Sowing Rate: 25kgs/acre

Price: £98.75 per 25kg pack

Quinoa:

Quinoa is capable of producing a plentiful amount of seed and therefore is a popular choice of crop for holding partridges and pheasants. Many species of seed-eating song-birds are also attracted to the crop. Commonly grown with Kale, the Quinoa provides cover and feed until it begins to collapse in the first frosts with the Kale providing more permanent cover.

Sowing Rate: 2kgs/acre

Price: £43.50 per 2kg pack

Yellow Blossom Clover:

A biennial plant which can persist for several years due to its self-regenerating properties. Owing to its sweet smell and copious production of nectar it is highly attractive to insects, which in turn attract game birds and wildlife. Being leguminous and deep rooting it is invaluable for improving soil structure and fertility.  Clover are also nitrogen fixing, the following crop will benefit from the higher nitrogen levels in the soil.

Sowing Rate: 2.5kgs/acre

Price: £23.40 per 2kg pack

Prices include postage.

If you have any questions Please contact us to discuss your needs - 01786 834422.