Buckwheat

We recommend Buckwheat, a speedy, short-season summer cover crop. Its dense root system conditions the soil ahead of the next autumn crop. It also suppresses weeds and flowers heavily, which attracts pollinators and beneficial insects. It suits sandy to loam soils in areas with 550mm+ rainfall or irrigation, and we suggest sowing it at 50 kg/ha.

No, Buckwheat is not a cereal, even though its seed is used like a grain. It is a broadleaf plant, so it works as a break from cereals and grasses in a rotation. We sell it as a short-season summer cover crop that conditions the soil with its dense roots, suppresses weeds and attracts pollinators with its abundant flowers.

Buckwheat is one of the best options we stock for this. It produces masses of blossom quickly, which attracts pollinators and beneficial insects. It also suppresses weeds and conditions the soil with its dense root system. It suits sandy to loam soils with 550mm+ rainfall or summer irrigation. Sow it at 50 kg/ha into warm soil after the frost risk has passed.

We recommend sowing Buckwheat at 50 kg/ha when it is sown on its own. Use a lower rate when it is part of a cover crop mix. Sow into warm, moist soil once the frost risk has passed, because Buckwheat is frost tender. It suits sandy to loam soils and needs 550mm+ rainfall or irrigation to perform over summer.

We recommend adding Buckwheat to a summer cover crop mix. It establishes fast, shades out weeds, and its dense root system conditions the soil. Its flowers also attract pollinators. It works well with summer legumes such as our Buff Cowpea or Ebony Cowpea and with Shirohie Millet. Our Cover Crop Plus Summer Mix is another ready-made option.

No, Buckwheat is not suited to dryland summers in the wheatbelt, because it needs 550mm+ rainfall to grow well and readily wilts in hot, dry conditions. It suits sandy to loam soils where summer moisture is reliable. For drier country, talk to us about hardier options such as our Shirohie Millet, which suits 300mm+ rainfall.

Buckwheat reaches maturity in about 11 to 12 weeks when planted in early summer and about 10 weeks when planted in late summer, so it fits the short window before autumn sowing. It is easily terminated by mowing, rolling or tilling. It has no hard seed, so normally just one flush of volunteer plants will occur.

We sell Buckwheat as a cover crop and soil conditioner rather than a grazing crop. Its grain can be fed to most livestock as part of a ration, but at 30 percent or more it can cause photosensitivity in light-skinned pigs and cattle. For summer grazing, we suggest our Shirohie Millet, Bounty Forage Sorghum or Buff Cowpea.

Buckwheat is a fast broadleaf that conditions soil, suppresses weeds and attracts pollinators, but it does not fix nitrogen. Our Buff Cowpea and Ebony Cowpea are summer legumes that fix nitrogen and can also be grazed or cut for hay. Our Cover Crop Plus Summer Mix combines buckwheat and cowpeas. Buckwheat needs 550mm+ rainfall, and both cowpeas 500mm+.

We recommend Buckwheat as a summer soil conditioner for sandy to loam soils. Its dense, fibrous root system helps open up the topsoil and improve structure before your autumn crop, and its ground cover protects the surface. Sow at 50 kg/ha into warm, moist soil. It needs 550mm+ rainfall or irrigation to grow well through summer.