Leguminous Seed

Alfalfa, Perennial
Aslike Clover
Arlington Red
Field Peas
Ladino Clover
Mammoth Red Clover
Medium Red Clover
Sweet Clover, Yellow Blossom
White Clover, Dutch

A = acre sf = square feet

Note - In 1998 soil seed prices increased, and in many cases some of the increases were quite dramatic. Seed supply is still quite low on some varieties due to drought conditions in the seed producing regions of the U.S. and Canada over the past couple of years. We'll do all we can to keep prices stable over the course of the year, but these prices are subject to change.

Alfalfa, Perennial  
Medicago sativa has a long taproot, considerable drought resistance and the ability to provide large amounts of high-quality protein-rich plant material. The plant is so high in nitrogen that dry, milled alfalfa meal is a very popular organic fertilizer. Alfalfa is used as a permanent cover crop in fields, gardens, or orchards where the entire crop can be cut and left as a mulch. It is also useful for controlling persistent weeds, scavenging nutrients from subsoil, fixing nitrogen, generating a wonderful source of compostable biomass and providing a multicut forage source. In the Northeast, at least 3 cuts are possible but allow the stand to blossom at least once. Ask your extension agent for the critical harvest date for alfalfa in your area and follow recommendations. Cutting a crop too late can weaken the stand, reduce its winter hardiness and lower future yields.

Alfalfa is relatively difficult to get established; soil pH must be above 6.0 with 6.5-7.5 being ideal. It needs land with at least fair drainage and although its taproot is strong, it will not penetrate thick hard pan. Ample quantities of potassium and phosphorus, especially during establishment are necessary for strong growth. For a high quality, long-lived forage, plant alfalfa with brome grass at a rate of 6-10#/A alfalfa and 4-6#/A brome. For a stand of alfalfa only, plant 15-20#/A. Drill if possible. A nurse crop of oats or barley can be used if the lowest range of their seeding rate is observed. Remove the nurse crop and straw once the alfalfa is established. Requires alfalfa/clover inoculant.

Alsike Clover 
Trifolium hybridum Adapted to cool climates and low, wet soils. Although it can persist up to 6 years under ideal conditions, it's usually treated as a biennial. Alsike is particularly well adapted to the Northeast and survives winters in most of New England. It is less successful in areas of protracted summer heat. It prefers a fertile clay or heavy silt soil but does well wherever there is adequate moisture. In fact, it can survive water logging that would kill most other crops and if established will grow in standing water. Alsike serves well as green manure, cover crop, bee forage, nitrogen fixer (60-120#/A.), animal forage (NOT for horse pasture) and hay crop. Use 4-10#/A. Lower rate if drilled, higher if broadcast. Seeding rates of 10-15#/A will allow the fine-stemmed Alsike to support itself on 2' stalks. Requires alfalfa/clover inoculant.

Arlington Red 
Trifolium pratense Primarily raised as a biennial but sometimes acting as a short lived perennial, red clover is used extensively in establishing and renovating pastures. Red clover is the most widely adapted of the true clovers. Maximum yields of red clover are achieved on well-drained soils with a pH of 6.0 or higher, but red clover can be grown on heavy soils or those with a more acid pH with reduced yields. For best results it is recommended to sow red clover in conjunction with a forage grass such as orchardgrass. Flowering early, red clover is also known as double-cut red clover since two or more hay crops can be harvested each year. Arlington was developed through joint efforts of the USDA Agricultural Experiment Station and Research Division of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Arlington is resistant to bean and yellow mosaic virus and is moderately resistant to northern anthracnose. It has a good winter survival and persists in the field longer than other varieties. Benefits from these improvements are most pronounced in the second and third years of hay production. Arlington Red Clover has a high resistance to northern anthracnose and powdery mildew. Early flowering variety.

	Item#	Description	Wt.	Each	Order
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	2384	Arlington Red	(50#)	$169.00

Field Peas  
Pisum sativum var. arvense These shallow-rooted annual legumes thrive in the same weather as garden peas and have a showy mix of white, pink and purple blossoms. In the Northeast they are generally planted very early. Their ability to make rapid growth in cold weather makes them useful as an early smother crop and short-term spring green manure. In most of New England, field peas will continue to produce biomass throughout the summer. Biomass yields (6000-8,500#/A) and nitrogen content (3-4%) are both outstanding. The crop should be turned under just before flowering when nitrogen fixation is at its peak.

	Item#	Description	Wt.	Each	Order
	2363	Field Peas	(50#)	$25.00

Ladino Clover
Trifolium repens A giant version of white clover, which is smooth with prostrate growth habit. The plant develops a primary, which dies before or during the second year of growth. Perenniality eventually depends upon the secondary root systems from the nodes of stolons and upon the proportion and rate of auxiliary buds developing into stolons rather than flowers. Contains a high percentage of crude protein and amino acids. Bloat is particularly associated with grazing of lush green legumes, such as white clover, but proper management and methods of control can minimize the danger. Almost impossible to dry for hay. Rate is 10-15#/A.

	Item#	Description	Wt.	Each	Order
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	2374	Ladino Clover	(50#)	$295.00

Mammoth Red Clover  
Trifolium pratense var. altaswede This vigorous but short-lived perennial is a workhorse cool season legume and is widely used in the Northeast. It is pollinated by bumblebees instead of honeybees. It’s taller, larger-leafed and blooms 10-14 days later than regular or medium red clover. It over winters in most of the Northeast but does not like hot, dry summers. When used for a spring-planted cover crop/green manure, mammoth red can produce 2,000#/ A biomass in 2 months and can fix up to 75#/A nitrogen in a short season and up to 110#/A in a full season. It will scavenge nutrients from the subsoil as its deep taproot improves soil permeability. Grows on all but the poorest soils as long as the pH is above 5.5. Plant in the spring at 8-20#/A. Can also be frost seeded. Requires alfalfa/clover inoculant.

	Item#	Description	Wt.	Each	Order
	2423	Mammoth Red	(50#)	$116.00

Medium Red Clover 
is similar to Arlington, as such it is a red clover variety with an early flowering type, which produces two-three hay crops per year and has biennial or short-lived perennial growth habit.

	Item#	Description	Wt.	Each	Order
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	2324	Medium Red	(50#)	$152.00

Sweet Clover, Yellow Blossom  
Melilotus officinalis Biennial sweet clover has long been an important tool for the agriculturist dedicated to soil improvement. It does well on soils that won’t support true clovers (genus Trifolium), Yellow blossom plants have tap roots that extend as deep as 8 feet to loosen compacted soil and penetrate just about everything except ledge. The taproot sustains the plant through drought while moving minerals to the upper soil layers. Maximum benefit is reaped when spring planted with a nurse crop and allowed to grow two full seasons. Will produce 3000-7,500#/A of biomass in its second year. Use 9-20#/A with a nurse crop. Can also be frost seeded. Requires alfalfa/clover inoculant.

	Item#	Description	Wt.	Each	Order
(picture not available)
	2603	Sweet Clover	(50#)	$111.00

White Clover, Dutch  
Trifolium repens This is at the top of our list of most useful legumes. It has no equal as a living mulch in garden paths. The sight of the lush green growth between the rows and the feel of the soft, velvet-like growth under bare feet give a feeling that this is the way gardening was meant to be. Anticipate the final width of your row crop and do not sow the clover where its creeping stems will intrude too much on the crop's space. Works great when sown in potato rows right after they are hilled. Mowing with a lawn mower early in the season adds nutrients and organic matter to the adjacent vegetables. You can modify your mower's discharge chute to keep chopped clover from sticking to the plants or use a catch bag. Later when the rows narrow, the clover can be kept in check with a weed whacker. Clippings are relished by chickens or rabbits. The vegetables seem to be able to utilize some of the nitrogen that the clover is fixing as they grow much better when the clover is present. In shallow soils with inadequate moisture there may be some competition for water, but it is rarely a major concern. When kept mowed, the clover will grow faster than most weeds and the mowing is a much easier task than trying to cultivate a garden row compacted by foot traffic. The clover usually survives the winter to serve as a cover crop and can be tilled down in the spring. Last year's path becomes this year's vegetable row and vice-versa. Instant rotation! The clover should be tilled down at least 2-3 weeks prior to planting seeds or transplanting. The tilling often requires 2 - 3 passes. After planting the rows, reseed the new paths to start the process all over again. The seed is extremely small and a little goes a long way. Sow 10-12#/A or 4 oz./1000 sf as early as possible. For best results broadcast by hand or with a spreader, rake in the seed and tamp down the soil. We often just scatter the seed and walk away. It grows just fine. Requires alfalfa/clover inoculant.

	Item#	Description	Wt.	Each	Order
	2663	White Clover, Dutch	(50#)	$189.00

 

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