Vetch: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar
When and how do you sow vetch outdoors?
Sow common vetch, Vicia sativa, directly in a sunny bed once the soil has drained and no longer sticks to your tools. First choose seed suited to the season: spring types are sown as the soil warms, whereas a variety intended to overwinter can be established in late summer or early autumn, with enough time to root before severe cold. Frost tolerance varies, so a spring vetch is not automatically a substitute for a winter type.
Remove weeds and loosen the surface to make an even seedbed. Deep digging is unnecessary if the soil already has a good structure. Scatter the seeds or sow them in rows, then cover with roughly 2 to 3 cm of soil, adjusting the depth to the seed packet and soil conditions. For a dense cover crop, follow the recommended seed quantity for the area rather than applying one universal distance between seeds.
Firm gently to improve contact with the soil and water if it is dry. Keep moisture steady until seedlings emerge, without waterlogging the bed. Plan the available growing period before sowing: producing green manure ahead of the next crop and allowing seed to ripen require different schedules.
When and how should you cut vetch?
