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Hairy Vetch Seeds

Hairy Vetch seeds develop into a fast-growing, sprawling cover crop for your garden. This legume will enrich the soil with nitrogen when chopped down as a green manure for sustainable gardening. This plant grows well in full sun to partial shade and prefers well-drained soil. It can, however, adapt well to other soil types. Vetch has small flowers with great potential to attract beneficial insects and pollinators and enhance your garden's biodiversity.
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Survival Garden Seeds provides hairy vetch seeds, suitable for gardeners looking to improve soil fertility naturally and support ecosystem health. Our non-GMO seeds are chosen for their robust growth and nitrogen-fixing capabilities, ensuring an effective and environmentally friendly ground cover.

Growing Vetch Seeds in Your Garden

  • Weed suppression
  • Nitrogen-fixing legume
  • Supports pollinators and beneficial insects
  • Heirloom, non-GMO seeds

INTRODUCING VETCH SEEDS

Hairy vetch belongs to the genus Vicia. It is valued for its role in crop rotation and soil improvement. As a legume, it fixes nitrogen in the soil. By doing this, vetch reduces the need for additional fertilizers, allowing healthier plant growth of upcoming crops. Vetch’s dense foliage helps with weed suppression. Its roots will prevent soil erosion. While primarily used for practical purposes, the plant’s flowers add beauty to the landscape. It is adaptable to many climates, and suitable for growing in USDA hardiness zones 4 to 10.

PLANTING HAIRY VETCH SEEDS

Sow vetch seeds in late summer or early fall or whenever you want to establish a cover crop that will enrich the soil for the next planting season. Plant the seeds 1/2 inch deep, and ensure good soil contact. Vetch seed will germinate within a week or two, sometimes faster. Vetch can also be sown in spring as a green manure crop. It grows quickly, sometimes reaching several feet in length.

MAINTAINING HAIRY VETCH PLANTS

Once established, the hairy vetch plant needs little maintenance. It grows best with regular moisture, especially when dry periods occur. Water supports the rapid growth and nitrogen-fixing process. As a cover crop, vetch is usually cut down and can be either tilled into the soil or left to decompose on top in the “chop and drop” method. This should be done before it sets seed to prevent the crop from going to seed and expending that stored nitrogen into seed production. The green manure enriches the soil with organic matter and nutrients.

Planting vetch can significantly increase the quality of the soil by suppressing weeds and keeping the soil covered. This characteristic, along with visual beauty, makes it a perfect crop for any plot of garden that would otherwise remain bare and be overcome by weeds. Hairy vetch grows quickly and has a stunning appearance that makes it a delightful cover crop for your garden.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are heirloom seeds?

Heirloom seeds are the types of seeds your grandparents grew. These varieties have been passed down from generation to generation. They’re old reliable open-pollinated varieties that aren’t typically grown commercially. Instead, they have a rich history that predates modern breeding techniques. You can learn more about open-pollinated, heirloom, and non-GMO seeds in our Survival Garden Training blog.

How do I know my seeds are fresh?

Every seed packet includes a "packed for" date, and we germination test each seed lot before packaging to ensure you receive viable, high-quality seeds that are ready to grow.

Are your seeds chemically treated?

No, we do not pre-treat our seeds. All of our garden seeds are untreated, open-pollinated, non-GMO, and heirloom varieties. They are kept in temperature-controlled cooler storage until they are packed and shipped to keep them pest and disease-free.

Will your seeds grow in my USDA Hardiness zone?

The seeds in our collections are specifically chosen from varieties that can be successfully grown from Zone 3 to Zone 10 USDA Hardiness Zones. However, individual varieties have specific needs to thrive in different environments. Each seed pack has optimal temperatures for germination and instructions on seed starting. Consult local frost dates to plan your garden and get the most out of your seeds.

What is the shelf life of these garden seeds?

Most seeds remain viable for 3 to 5 years or longer when stored properly. Check your seed packet for specific varieties. For best results, keep your seeds in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and moisture. Store them in an airtight container in a consistent temperature environment—a refrigerator or cool basement works well. Proper storage helps maintain germination rates and extends seed life well beyond the packed date.

Where are Survival Garden Seeds sourced?

The majority of our seeds are sourced in the United States, with a few exceptions when the seed is difficult to source domestically. Whenever we do have to source outside of the US, we ensure our seeds are safe to grow, non-GMO, heirloom varieties that meet our standards for germination and reliability.

Learn more in the blog

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