Broadleaves
Sunflower (Black Oil Seed)
Sunflower is renowned for its extensive and prolific root system and its ability to soak up residual nutrients out of reach for other commonly used covers or crops. This species can also take advantage of short growing seasons in case of damaging hail or poor emergence to cash crops. If planning to harvest for oil or seed or simply to attract birds, sunflowers have very similar planting and harvesting methods to that of corn. Because insects are attracted to the bright colors of sunflower heads, pollinators and beneficials such as bees, damsel bugs, lacewings, hoverflies, minute pirate bugs, and non-stinging parasitoid wasps are often found in fields of sunflower and in following crops. Sunflowers also work very well in cover crop cocktails/mixtures. With rapid early season establishment, additional covers under the canopy that normally don’t grow under cool conditions can begin to take advantage of warmer and favorable weather when sunflowers are growing slower. With upright growth and anchored plants in the soil, surrounding vining/climbing cover crop plants can support their own growth by working their way up to reach sunlight thereby providing the structure they need to grow. Because sunflowers can add significant biomass production in just a short growing season, they can also serve as additional forage or silage for livestock feed.
from $0.75 per lb
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Buckwheat (Mancan)
Buckwheat is a fast establishing broadleaf that works great as a warm season cover crop. Buckwheat is also known for being a phosphorus scavenger. Which means it can take up more phosphorus efficiently than other plants. Being a short season plant around 45-60 days, it can still produce viable seed throughout the growing season. In a situation where the one plant is grazed it can drop a seed down to take that previous plant's spot to help prevent weeds. This plant while dropping and producing these seeds can also flower making it a great species for pollinators.
from $1.10 per lb
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Safflower (Baldy)
Safflower is a drought tolerant, annual, warm season broadleaf that can be seeded in cool soils. Safflower is exceptional at breaking hard pans, encouraging water and air movement into the soil profile, as well as scavenging nutrients from depths unavailable to most agronomic crops. It is capable of doing this due to its impressive taproot which has been observed to grow 8-10 feet in ideal conditions. Safflower provides excellent forage for grazing but most varieties become prickly with maturity, rendering the plants unpalatable for livestock. Baldy safflower is one of the world's first spineless safflower varieties and has been developed specifically for grazing and cover crops. Baldy can be handled with bare hands even at maturity and is palatable for livestock grazing. Green Cover Seed owns the exclusive marketing rights for Baldy spineless safflower.
from $0.80 per lb
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Flax (Brown)
Flax can be utilized in many small grain and corn rotations as a potential cover crop or fiber/oil crop. Compared to other common crops, overall nutrient demand is lower and very little nitrogen is needed. Vegetative growth normally requires 50 days before flowering occurs but after this flowering can last 2-4 weeks. Flax can be utilized as a green manure if terminated early enough but take caution if attempting to cut too late as lignin/cellulose content increase with maturity and would hamper decomposition. Nearly 95% of the water flax extracts from the soil is in the top 2-3 feet because of its shallow root structure. Water use is considered moderate with respect to other field crops, but flax uses about 3-4 inches less than soybeans. This is primarily due to the fact that the leaves of flax are generally numerous but leaf area is limited and thus ET is lower. As mentioned before, this species is an excellent companion crop next to other species in an early season mixture. Flax is generally a self-pollinated crop but pollinating insects are attracted to the various blue/purple colors of the flowers. Because flax is a broadleaf species, most diseases associated with it will not transfer over and cause infection to corn, soybeans, or wheat with the exception of powdery mildew and rhizoctonia after legumes.
from $1.15 per lb
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Okra (Clemson Spineless 80)
Okra is a great way to add diversity to almost any mix. With a deep taproot and good grazing characteristics, above and belowground livestock will benefit from this plant. Okra also has excellent drought tolerance. It can be used in both warm and cool season mixes. Add okra to help break up compaction, build soil, and provide feed for animals.
from $2.15 per lb
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Phacelia
Phacelia enhances soil N uptake, boosts soil organic matter with C, suits low to medium N soils for feed/hay. While forage yield is modest, it's palatable to livestock even at maturity. Best planting times: early spring or late summer (like alfalfa), but it blooms in spring planting and aids potassium availability.
from $4.30 per lb
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Sugar Beets Non-GMO
Sugar beets, a versatile broadleaf cover crop, bring a formidable combination of deep-rooted prowess and frost resistance to your agricultural arsenal. Their robust taproots can penetrate stubborn hardpans, with the majority of root growth hidden beneath the surface. These beets are not only sweet in content but also a preferred choice for both wildlife and cattle grazing. When grazed early, they display remarkable regrowth potential.
from $3.25 per lb
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Plantain (Boston)
Plantain is a low-growing forb that, like chicory, is high in minerals. It also contains a natural antibiotic compound that helps reduce infections and also modifies rumen fermentation to improve animal performance, similar to an ionophore like Rumensin. It grows very well on compacted soils and helps loosen them.
from $5.00 per lb
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Sesame
Sesame is a warm season broadleaf that is normally grown for the oil content of the seed. It is one of the oldest cultivated plants and has been grown by people for over 4,000 years. Sesame loves hot weather and can grow with very limited water as well as being fairly tolerant of low pH soils. Sesame can grow 5-6 tall and will put on bell-shaped, white and purple flowers late in the season which makes it a great addition to a full season pollinator mix. Sesame has little to no forage value as livestock will not graze it, but it can still be a good addition to a grazing mix so there is some taller standing structure after the cattle have grazed the paddock.
from $2.15 per lb
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Caliber Chicory
Chicory is a deep rooted forb that goes great in many perennial pasture mixes. Because of its ability to reach many minerals in the soil, this is a highly nutritious grazing plant especially before it blooms with blue flowers. Chicory has natural deworming abilities adding to its benefits in perennial grazing systems where it should be seeded at a low rate for cattle but can be increased for sheep or other small ruminants.
from $5.00 per lb
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Small Burnet
Small burnet is a deep-rooted forb that offers good grazing year round. This well establishing perennial can compete well with existing perennial stands. A great addition to perennial stand in more dry and arid environments.
from $5.30 per lb
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Perennial Shortgrass Blend
A mix of Canada bluegrass, sheep fescue, creeping red fescue and chewing fescue, this mix offers a great blend of grasses for your lawn, garden, or any sort of perennial mix.
from $4.90 per lb
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Norcen Birdsfoot Trefoil - Exceed Pre-Coat OMRI
Birdsfoot Trefoil is a long lived perennial legume. This plant contains high levels of tannins, making it an excellent addition to pastures for grazing as there is no bloat risk that is common with other pasture legumes. The tannins also help neutralize the impact of grazing endophyte infected fescue. Birdsfoot Trefoil is not as productive when compared to alfalfa and is most commonly used in mixtures with other plants.
from $7.30 per lb
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Tetramag Intermediate Ryegrass
Tetramag intermediate ryegrass offers high forage tonnage with great feed value. This variety offers great tolerance. Use a stand alone grazing or haying forage or utilize in addition with alfalfa or clover to offer a diverse feed for livestock. Planting can be done with a drill or broadcast as long as good seed to soil contact is achieved.
from $2.65 per lb
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Smooth Bromegrass
Smooth brome is a productive, cool season grass with good drought tolerance. It has decent palatability though it is best grazed in a vegetative state. Smooth bromegrass is very aggressive, establishing quickly for a perennial and spreads through rhizomes, making a dense sod. This means it is great for waterways and holding soil on slopes but it can also dominate and even choke out other perennial species. For that reason, it should be used sparingly in pasture mixes, relying on other species which are more palatable and offer better regrowth, but using smooth brome to fill in.
from $4.55 per lb
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Italian Ryegrass (Tetlia/Tetra Prime)
Italian ryegrass is an excellent option for grazing. This high quality forage withstands close grazing which allows for total forage utilization. Italian ryegrass is generally considered a biennial. The Tetra Prime variety has improved winter hardiness along with excellent drought tolerance.
from $1.95 per lb
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Remington PLUS NE2 Endophyte Perennial Ryegrass
Perennial Ryegrass is an extremely palatable cool season perennial forage source. While most perennial ryegrass lacks drought and heat tolerance, RemingtonPLUS, boasts improved ability to survive in hot and dry climates. The friendly endophyte associated with this ryegrass allows increased heat and drought tolerance. Perennial ryegrass is excellent quality forage and is a great option for grass finished livestock operations.
from $4.00 per lb
