Cover Crops
Japanese Radish – Cover Crops
Japanese Radish is an annual temperate root crop. It is cultivated for forage and it has a thickened taproot that makes out the bulk of the production. It is conventionally utilised as grazing (sheep, goats or cattle), or alternatively fed to animals after uprooting it.
Kikuyu – Cover Crop
Kikuyu is a stoloniferous (above ground) and rhizomatous (below ground) perennial summer grass. It can be used as a permanent pasture.
Lucerne – Cover Crops
Lucerne is a perennial legume used as a forage crop. The leafy nature ensures a palatable, nutrient rich food source, which is why it is often referred to as “the queen of forage crops”.
Perennial Ryegrass
Perennial ryegrass is a grass that has many uses but probably does not get the credit it should. It is very quick to germinate and is capable of going from scattered seed to mow-able lawn in about 21 days. Perennial ryegrass is considered a nurse grass because it is often included in grass seed blends mainly for its ability to germinate quickly and provide shade and protection.
Red Clover – Cover Crops
Red clover is a perennial forage legume. It establishes and produces quickly but its poor persistence limits the lifespan to 2-3 years. It has a prostrate, stoloniferous growth habit. It is very palatable, nutritious and highly digestible.
Rhodes Grass Cover Crop
Rhodes grass is a summer growing perennial forage crop. Plants are tufted with stolons enabling stands to fill open spaces.
Rye – Cover Crops
Rye is an annual temperate grass or cereal crop, grown as either a forage- or grain crop. It is categorised as a forage cereal together with Oats and Triticale.
Serradella
Serradella (Ornithopus spp.) is one of the most important annual legumes for pastures. Its growth pattern is similar to that of sub clover but generally performs better on sandy acidic soils. It also grows well on many loams and non-acidic soils.
Smuts Finger Grass Cover Crop
Smuts finger grass is a summer growing perennial forage crop. Smuts finger grass plants can be highly variable with regards to their manner of growth;
Sunn Hemp – Cover Crops
Sunn Hemp is an erect, herbaceous annual shrub. It is a summer legume crop with a well- developed taproot system.