Cover Crops are not created equally. When choosing cover crops you need to find the perfect partner for your situation and your goals.
Our seed team have years of experience, backed by Agrii R&D to help tailor a mix to suit your goals.
Which soil issue is most important to resolve?
Soil structure, nutrient capture and fixation, erosion control, low organic matter/carbon capture, weed suppression, a reduction in harmful nematodes or a requirement to increase the number of beneficial insects.
What positive effects are you looking to achieve?
Reduce cultivation/establishment costs, improve soil fertility, raise organic matter levels, reduce input costs and in the longer term improve overall soil health and farm sustainability.
What Do you Want To Achieve With Your Catch /Cover Crops?
Key Considerations when Choosing Cover Crops
- What is your crop rotation? Avoid cover crops that may increase disease and pest pressure in close rotations.
- When will you be able to drill the cover crop? Generally best growth/results come from early August sowings, choice of species should change if September sown.
- How long do you want the cover to last? Do you require a short term cover prior to late autumn sowing, a longer term frost-susceptible mix which may save on destruction costs, or a full cover until the spring to maintain soil protection?
- Will the catch/cover crop be used for livestock grazing to produce additional income?
- What type of drill will you use to establish the following crop?
- What soil type do you have and is it well structured? Heavier or poorly structured soils will require extra attention and careful species selection to maximise the benefit of a cover crop.
- What is the likely Carbon:Nitrogen ratio of the cover crop? The C:N ratio of a species/mixture gives an indication of the speed of breakdown and release of nutrients. This is important to understand as you may need to adjust your nutritional inputs to the following crop depending on when this occurs.
- High C:N ratio covers crops will take nitrogen from the soil reserves as the soil biota starts the process of breaking down the carbon in the cover crop, which can restrict the amount of nitrogen freely available in the early stages of the following crop.
- Low C:N ratio cover crops will conversely break down much more quickly, making nutrients available earlier, and returning a greater percentage of the total within the life-cycle of the following crop.
Approach Us
We’re here to help your business ambitions. See how we could work together, we’d love to hear from you.
Let's TalkSeeds
The highest quality seed offerings, formulated from a science based, sustainable production
Agrii SeedsAgronomy
We are the UK’s leading agronomy company, with more than 300 BASIS-trained consultants offering independent advice
Learn MoreResearch & Development
Learn about our latest research & development so you can feel confident about todays farming challenges.
DiscoverCrop Marketing
Making the right selling decisions at the right time is essential for every grower
Maximise MarginsFeatured News
News - 07/12/23
‘The field of the future’: The Digital Technology FarmsWe have launched an innovative new project involving the use of several connected technologies that can be used to make agronomic decisions at field scale throughout the growing season.
News - 02/07/24
Agrii strengthens fruit team with five new recruits
News - 24/05/24
Successful OSR Establishment: A Proven Six-Point Strategy
News - 09/05/24
Investment in Mobile Colour Sorting Technology
News - 06/05/24
How to kickstart slow growing crops this spring
News - 03/05/24
Agrii Vegetable Seed Enhancement Team Successfully Completes Second Season
From the fields
Get Growing
Find leading products for all your crop, livestock, and equipment needs
Your Maize options this Spring
Find the right maize variety for you this spring
SFI SAM3 Herbal Leys
Find the right SFI legume and herbal ley for your farm system
Growing Spring cereals? Find out more here
See our range of researched spring cereals for your rotation
Grassland to repair? Discover your options
Discover our range of grass seeds
Find out more about Environmental Mixtures
Need ground cover, bird seed and wildflower mixtures? We've got you covered
Find out more about Potato crops
We have deep expertise in potato crop management
Find out more about OSR
Robust varieties and crop management advice
Find out more about growing Vegetables
Specialist agronomy and solutions for high value crops
Find out more about Fruit
Dedicated horticulture and viticulture teams to help you manage your crops
Find out more about Hybrid Rye Crops
Growing wholecrop for AD or grain for livestock we have varieties and advice to help you grow
Find out more about Root Crops
A broad range of Root Crops for home-grown forage
Find out more about Innovation Crops
Options for profitable opportunities in your rotation