Orchard Alleyway’s Cover Crop Pt2 – 2025

Posted on February 7, 2025February 8, 2025 by qwertyqweryt61

Orchard Alleyway’s Cover Crop Pt2 – 2025

With advice from Plant Health all the alleyways and around the trees were Spring weed killed with glyphosate, with a mix of Flazasulfuron 25% w/w as a pre-emergent. This unfortunately helped create soil compaction and loss of biomass, and ultimately waterlogging.

We have experienced unpredictable weather, with lots of rain and summer droughts, that exacerbated waterlogging and soil compaction.

We also use a lot of Mason bees that we bring out in the spring and take back in in the autumn, as an attempt to help pollinate the fruit trees.

After lots of in-depth reading (see recommended reading at bottom of this page) and advice from Cotswold Seeds Ltd, we came up with a strategy. To try to resurrect biomass and in-depth root systems as well as nutrient reservoirs in the alleyways.

Each alleyway throughout the orchard has a row spacing of 1.5m and a length is 58m (approx. average)

I would initially be looking at sowing just 4 rows, ie 1.5 x 58 x 4, and then see how it goes. With the other rows as a follow-up next year.

The preference would be for perennials and annuals (self-seeding) that only require topping to 10cm once a year in September/October. All biomass would be left in situ.

Cotswold Seeds Ltd. created 2 different mixes specifically for my orchard application. I also selected 2 mixes of wildflower seeds, primarily because I like them, but I believe they might help attract bees and associated insects, etc. I will try to add to the end of each species a reason why it has been selected. It could be Nitrogen fixer, deep-rooted, ground cover, bee/butterfly friendly, etc.

Cotswold Seeds Ltd – 2.00 kgs SPECIAL Multi Species Annual Cover Crop

Cotswold Grass Seeds Ltd, Cotswold Business Village, London Rd, Moreton-in-Marsh GL56 0JQ
• Email orders@cotswoldseeds.com
• Call 01608 652552

21.4286 % (0.4286) certified MULIKA ORGANIC spring wheat
33.5712 % (0.6714) certified Humbolt forage rye
5 % (0.1) certified Luxurial black oats
10.7143 % (0.2143) certified KORA ORGANIC buckwheat
1.4286 % (0.0286) certified Symbol mustard
2.1429 % (0.0429) certified Structurator tillage radish
2.1429 % (0.0429) certified Toro Fodder Radish
5 % (0.1) certified Justess spring linseed
5.7143 % (0.1143) certified Apalache winter linseed
1.4286 % (0.0286) certified Stala PHACELIA
7.1429 % (0.1429) certified Shorty grain sorghum
4.2857 % (0.0857) commercial sweet clover

Spring Wheat – Prevents erosion, suppresses weeds, scavenges excess nutrients, adds organic matter, encourages helpful soil microorganisms, and the fine root system improves the tilth. 10cm Soil Penetration. Large biomass.

Humbolt Forage Rye – Not ryegrass. Nitrogen fixer and improving soils over winter. Short-lived annual. Best winter green manures. Sow in mid-September. 35cm Soil Penetration.

Black Oats – Soil improving crop or green manure, produces large amounts of biomass. Short-lived annual species. Spring sow. 35cm Soil Penetration.

Buckwheat – Weed suppressor. Large amounts of biomass. Pollen and nectar-rich and attracts beneficial insects, like hoverflies and predatory wasps. April or May sowing.

Symbol Mustard – Nitrogen Lifter. Fast-growing weed suppressor. Sow late spring to early summer. Produces chemicals toxic to soil-borne pathogens and pests, such as nematodes, wireworms, fungi, and some weeds.

Tillage Radish – Deep rooting ability to break through compacted layers. Late spring sowing. 60cm Soil Penetration through heavy soils. Scavenge nutrients from deep in the soil and bring to the surface.

Spring Linseed – Over winter wild bird food as it holds it seed long into the winter. Sow late spring. <10cm Soil Penetration.

Phacelia – Nitrogen lifter and high amounts of nectar. Large root mass to improve soil. 10cm Soil Penetration. Sow late spring.

Sorghum – Seed for birds and wildlife. Sow late spring. 25cm Soil Penetration and regarded as a subsoil loosener. Produces chemicals that suppress weeds and nematodes.

Sweet Clover – Nitrogen fixing biennial. Nearly 1.5m Soil Penetration. Soil structure improvement is regarded as a subsoil aerator. Attracts beneficial insects. Sow in Spring.

Cotswold Seeds Ltd – 2.00 kgs SPECIAL Perennial Alleyway Mix

Cotswold Grass Seeds Ltd, Cotswold Business Village, London Rd, Moreton-in-Marsh GL56 0JQ
• Email orders@cotswoldseeds.com
• Call 01608 652552

44.9999 % (0.9) certified Esquire dwarf perennial ryegrass
26.6667 % (0.5333) certified Borneo (AMENITY) tall fescue
6 % (0.12) certified Sparta Cocksfoot
2.6667 % (0.0533) certified Altaswede late flowering red clover
3.3333 % (0.0667) certified Leo Birdsfoot trefoil
2 % (0.04) certified Aurora alsike clover
2 % (0.04) certified Buddy white clover
2.6667 % (0.0533) commercial sweet clover
1.6667 % (0.0333) Ribgrass forage herb
5.3333 % (0.1067) Burnet forage herb
2.6667 % (0.0533) certified Puna / Endure chicory blend

Dwarf Perennial ryegrass – Sow in Spring. Hard wearing to walking on (high wear tolerance).

Fescue – 50cm Soil Penetration. High biomass. Sow in Spring.

Cocksfoot – 75cm Soil Penetration. Grows on soils prone to flooding. Attractive to insects.

Red Clover – 45cm Soil Penetration. Nitrogen fixer and improves soil structure and weed suppression. Short-lived perennial. Sow in Spring.

Birdsfoot Trefoil – 45cm Soil Penetration. Sow in Spring.

Alsike Clover – Fixes Nitrogen. Grows better on wetter soils. Sow in late Spring.

White Clover – A long-lived perennial. Attracts beneficial insects.

Sweet Clover – Nitrogen fixing biennial. Nearly 1.5m Soil Penetration. Soil structure improvement and it is regarded as a subsoil aerator. Attracts beneficial insects. Sow in Spring.

Ribgrass – Over 1.5m Soil Penetration. Retrieves trace elements.

Burnet – 70cm Soil Penetration. Retrieves trace elements.

Chicory – Sow warm Spring. Over 1.5m Soil Penetration.

Mix of Wildflower Seeds that took my fancy – Mix 3

Wild Flower – Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) – 4g
Wild Flower – Chicory (Cichorium intybus) – 1500 Seeds
British Wild Flower – Autumn Hawkbit (Scorzoneroides autumnalis) – 400 Seeds
British Wild Flower – Crosswort (Cruciata laevipes) – 70 Seeds
Wild Flower – Common Toadflax (Linaria vulgaris) – 1400 Seeds
British Wild Flower – Hoary Plantain (Plantago media) – 600 Seeds
British Wild Flower – Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris) – 300 Seeds
Wild Flower – Common Valerian (Valeriana officinalis ) – 300 Seeds
British Wild Flower – Greater Knapweed (Centaurea scabiosa) – 100 Seeds
British Wild Flower – Rough Hawkbit (Leontodon hispidus) – 450 Seeds

Mix of Wildflower Seeds that took my fancy – Mix 4

British Wild Flower – SAINFOIN (ONOBRYCHIS VICIIFOLIA) – 20 GRAM ~ 1000 SEEDS –
British Wild Flower – PURPLE LOOSESTRIFE (Lythrum salicaria) – 1.2 GRAM ~ APPROX 27,600 SEEDS
British Wild Flower – VIPER’S-BUGLOSS (ECHIUM VULGARE) – 1.25 GRAM ~ 360 SEEDS –
British Wild Flower – COWSLIP (Primula veris) – 0.5 GRAM ~ 500 SEEDS
British Wild Flower – YARROW WHITE (ACHILLEA MILLEFOLIUM) – 0.4 GM ~ APPROX 2800 SEEDS
GREEN MANURE BUCKWHEAT – 50GM FINEST SEEDS
GREEN MANURE (PHACELIA TANACETIFOLIA) – 50 GRAM ~ APPROX 28,000 SEEDS
HERB PARSLEY PLAIN LEAVED ( FRENCH) – 2500 SEEDS – CERTIFIED ORGANIC
British Wild Flower – HERB BORAGE (Borago officinalis) – 500 FINEST SEEDS
British Wild Flower – YARROW WHITE (ACHILLEA MILLEFOLIUM) – 1GM ~ APPROX 7000 SEEDS

Orchard Alleyway’s Cover Crop Pt2 – 2025