Organic Hairy Vetch and AC Greenfix - High Protein Nitrogen Fixers for your Farm or Garden Soil

Organic Hairy Vetch

• A large seeded legume which grows quickly and is used for soil building, plow down or feed
• Can be planted as a winter-annual-like rye.
• Well nodulated Vetch can enrich the soil with 60-120# N per acre.
• It provides good grazing through May and June.
• It can be grown following any crop harvested before mid-August.
• Seed without plowing into a uniform seedbed.
• Drill 20# per acre 1/4"-1/2" deep from mid-July to the end of August.
• Winter rye is often seeded with Hairy Vetch to improve standability and winter survival.
• When overseeded into conventional hay and forage, it can add a large amount of protein to the feed.
• Mow before the stems become too tough. It can really get wrapped around the shaft of the mowers and teds

AC Greenfix is a new annual legume in the United States, developed as a fertilizer alternative to supply green manure Nitrogen for both organic and conventional growers. In only 8-10 weeks of growth an average of 80-100 lbs N/acre can be produced. This plant is drought tolerant, moisture efficient, resistant to many insects and diseases, and suitable for a variety of climates and soil types. It has been found to markedly enhance all major components of soil biological quality and boost soil fertility. AC Greenfix should be of interest to every farmer who wants to increase soil fertility and improve yields and soil conservation and cut down on fertilizer inputs to save money.

Nitrogen Production

• Four years of on-farm studies in southern Saskatchewan (with only 5-6 inches rainfall) produced on average 80-100 lbs. N/acre, with over 200 lbs. produced in a research test plot.
• The N2 from the air is fixed by Rhizobium bacteria inside root nodules in the top foot of soil beginning about two weeks after emergence and reaching maximum activity between early and full bloom.
• About 80% of the N is contained in above ground growth, with the remaining 20% found below ground.
• During optimum growing conditions, as much as 5 lbs of N can be fixed per day. Plant growth usually ranges from 18-36 inches high with plants in full bloom by about 60 days.
• Dry matter production between 2000-4000 lbs/acre is common with fields exceeding 6300 lbs/acre in a wet year in Canada.
• Approximately 85% of this nitrogen is available to the following crop. AC Greenfix has an indeterminate growth pattern and will continue to flower and grow as long as there is adequate moisture and temperature.
• For maximum nitrogen production, the plants should be soil incorporated or chemically desiccated before seedpods are filling and root nodule activity is greatly reduced.

Forage

• Researchers in North Dakota and Montana have evaluated the forage quality traits of AC Greenfix in comparison with 15-25 annual and perennial legumes.

Planting

• Very early spring planting will yield the best results. Root development during cool spring weather will enable the plant to benefit from winter moisture and withstand stress later. Indications are that this plant can usually tolerate temperatures that dip as low as 22-26 degrees F. Recommended planting time would be at or before oats are seeded in your area. Proper seed inoculation is essential for Nitrogen production.
• Proper inoculation increases legume growth by as much as 110%, water use efficiency by 130%, and reduces weed populations. Use a rhizobial inoculant designated for field peas or vetch. Inoculants designated for alfalfa, sweet clover, or soybeans will not be effective. Canadian researchers recommend using a high quality, self-sticking peat powder-type Rhizobium leguminosarum inoculant as used for peas and lentils. (Call Dakota Frontier Seeds for further information.) The large seed can be planted in the top 3 inches.
• Planting depth should be determined by the available moisture, soil type, and protection from possible freezing. Seed should be covered by at least one inch of soil. Broadcasting is not recommended. A planting rate of 50-60 lbs/acre is recommended. Many growers, especially in drier areas, have preferred to seed 60 lbs/acre.

Credits

AC Greenfix is a variety of chickling vetch (Lathyrus sativus L.) also known as a grass pea or grassy peavine, bred at the Semiarid Prairie Agricultural Research Centre in Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada, by Dr. V. O. Biederbeck.