Hairy Vetch

Legume: Cool Season

Minimum Germination Temp: 60 ℉

Emergence Time: 14 days

Drill: 15 – 20 lbs. per acre

Broadcast With Light Incorporation:
17 – 22 lbs. per acre

Aerial Or Surface Seeding: 18 – 22 lbs. per acre

Hairy Vetch is the go-to crop when nitrogen production is at the top of your list for goals to achieve. By having the capability to produce 200+ lbs. of nitrogen, very few legumes can come close to the benefits hairy vetch can present. It is important to remember that with all legumes, a good rule of thumb is that have of the nitrogen produced will be available to the cash crop and the other half will be tied up in decomposition of the plant for release later in the season.

Hairy vetch is a very dependable legume as far as establishment and performance. Its ease in establishment as well as winter survival make it a resourceful tool in any farmers mix. However, it is to be noted that it can present some challenges as well. With vines reaching up to twelve feet in length it can present challenging times to the farmer if the equipment is not properly set up to handle potential wrapping of the plant on the equipment. It also can have up to a 30% hard seed, meaning that there is a highly likely chance it will be present in the field for years to come even though it was not seeded. The hard seed is mother nature’s way of ensuring survival of the species.

Hairy Vetch does an excellent job in soil tilth in the top few inches in the soil, often creating the illusion of planting in a cloud due to the soil’s looseness.   Hairy Vetch is best grown with plants like cereal rye that enable the hairy vetch to climb up the cereal rye to allow air movement across the soil surface.

Score Card