Buckwheat is a fast-establishing broadleaf used as a summer-planted cover crop – with the goal of improving soil and encouraging pollinators.
Seeding Rate (lbs. / acre)
- Drill: 45-50
- Broadcast: 50-75
- In a mix: 5-10
Buckwheat Benefits & Info
- Fast growing broadleaf with fibrous roots
- Great for improving soil tilth and mineralizing phosphorous
- Can flower within 35 days of emergence
- Terminates with the first frost
- The perfect option for summer pollinator plots
- Can also be used as a nurse crop
If I were to make a list of underutilized crops in American agriculture, buckwheat would be near the top. Buckwheat is a short-season broadleaf grain crop that is very easy to grow and can thrive in hot and dry conditions. As a cover crop, it is renowned for its ability to mineralize phosphorus from the soil as well as provide late-season pollinator habitat.
Dustin Johnson