Legume Cover Crop Seed

Plant Legumes for Better Soil and Stronger Growth

Dense leafy legume cover crop

Legume cover crops include clovers, vetches, peas, beans, alfalfa, trefoil, sunn hemp, and related species grown for soil cover, biomass, forage, flowering, or nitrogen fixation. Choose among cool-season, warm-season, annual, biennial, perennial, raw, Nitrocoated, certified-organic, and conventional options.

Choosing for a home garden? Use the Cover Crop Selector for Home Gardens to answer a few quick questions and get recommendations based on your growing space, season, and garden goals—plus estimated seed and inoculant needs.

How Legumes Fix Nitrogen

Legumes can fix atmospheric nitrogen through a partnership with compatible rhizobia bacteria that form nodules on their roots. The crop must have the correct rhizobia, establish successfully, and produce adequate growth. Nitrogen contribution also depends on species, climate, stand development, termination timing, and how the residue is managed.

Choose Legumes by Season and Use

  • Cool-season annuals: Vetches, winter peas, bell beans, fava beans, crimson clover, and mixes are commonly planted for fall and winter growth.
  • Warm-season legumes: Cowpeas, mung beans, sunn hemp, and other heat-loving species are selected for summer rotations.
  • Perennial and longer-lived legumes: Alfalfa, perennial clovers, trefoil, and persistent mixes can be used in orchards, vineyards, pasture, and other managed stands.
  • Legume-grass mixes: Grasses can provide support, biomass, and carbon-rich residue while legumes contribute diversity and potential nitrogen fixation.

Raw Seed, Nitrocoated Seed, and Inoculants

Raw legume seed may require a crop-specific seed inoculant. Match the inoculant to the exact crop group listed on its label. Nitrocoated seed already includes an appropriate inoculant coating and generally should not receive the same treatment as raw seed. Organic certification, coating, and inoculation are separate characteristics; verify each on the product page.

Plan Establishment and Termination

Compare planting season, winter hardiness, water needs, growth habit, mature height, seeding rate, and the time available before the next crop. Plan how the stand will be mowed, grazed, cut, rolled, incorporated, or otherwise terminated before sowing.

Browse Fall Planted Cover Crops, Warm Weather Cover Crops, or Perennial Clover Seed. For grasses, grains, brassicas, and other alternatives, visit Non-Legume Cover Crop Seed.

Match Raw Legume Seed with Rhizobia

Use the Legume Inoculant Compatibility Chart to narrow the group for clovers, alfalfa, peas, vetches, beans, soybeans, cowpeas, and specialty legumes. Then read Legume Inoculants: Rhizobia, Nitrogen Fixation and Application for treatment, storage, planting, nodulation, and troubleshooting.

Always confirm whether the selected seed is raw or already inoculated and use the current product label as the controlling source.