Buckwheat is a quick growing annual used mostly for a short term cover crop. It establishes, blooms, and is ready for incorporation in 35 to 40 days and its residue breaks down quickly. As a grain, it reaches maturity in just 70 to 90 days. Buckwheat suppresses weeds and attracts beneficial insects and pollinators with its abundant blossoms. It is easy to kill, and reportedly extracts soil phosphorus from soil better than most grain cover crops. Buckwheat thrives in cool, moist conditions but it is not frost tolerant.

Buckwheat prefers light to medium, well-drained soils: sandy loams, loams, and silt loams. It performs poorly on heavy, wet soils or soils with high levels of limestone.  It is also not drought tolerant. Extreme afternoon heat will cause wilting, but plants bounce back overnight.

It is best utilized as a monoculture for a quick cover. We do not recommend using buckwheat in seed mixes due to its fast growth and its potential reseeding. The plant should be termiated by the use of chemicals or mechanical means such as  plowing at flowering to reduce potential reseeding.

Benifits

● Reduces soil compaction
● Improves soil aeration and water penetration.
● assist in  recycling deeper harder to reach nutrients.
● Palatable to livestock and wildlife