Soil Booster Oilseed Companion
Companion cropping can help defend oilseed rape (OSR) plants against pests and aid establishment. Soil Booster Oilseed Companion is designed to be sown either before the OSR crop or on the same day.
Earlier sowing allows the OSR crop to be drilled into the companion mix, allowing better soil health, weed suppression and increased moisture retention, which all help crop establishment.
The fast-growing legumes start to fix nitrogen quickly, releasing it to the crop along with other nutrients during the season. Buckwheat creates a large amount of biomass but will break down with frost during the winter.
Key benefits
- Nitrogen fixing
- Disguising the OSR crop from pests
- Attracting beneficial insects
- Improved soil health
- Improved OSR growth
Mixture breakdown: Oilseed Companion
| Catch crops | Weight (kg) |
| Berseem clover | 3 kg |
| Winter vetch | 3 kg |
| Buckwheat | 4 kg |
| Total | 10 kg |
Discuss your catch crop needs
Sowing rate: 1 ha pack – 10 kg
Sowing time: Sow from mid-July up until 15 September if sowing for ACRES
Sowing depth: 10-15 mm
Sowing instructions: Cultivate to achieve a fine, firm seedbed. Ploughing is not permitted if sowing in the ACRES scheme. Sow in good conditions (warm with rain forecast). Roll after sowing to ensure good soil/seed contact.
After sowing: Crop must remain in place until after 1 January if sown within ACRES. Leaving the crop in place over winter will help improve soil structure and reduce soil erosion.