Orchard & Vineyard Mixes

Cover crop options for orchard and vineyard floor management

Young green cereal grass

Cover crop options for orchards and vineyards

Compare cover crop mixes, clovers, grasses, and habitat plantings for orchard alleys and vineyard row middles. Goals may include surface cover, erosion management, traffic tolerance, soil organic matter, or flowering resources; results vary by species, site, and management.

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.

Choose for the site and management goal

Consider soil depth and texture, rainfall or irrigation, frost risk, slope, equipment traffic, mowing or termination plans, and the age and water demand of the trees or vines. Cover crops use water and can compete with the production crop. Nitrogen contribution from legumes and habitat value from flowering plants depend on species, establishment, timing, and management.

Use product-specific rates and timing

Seeding rate, planting window, inoculation, mowing, and termination differ by product and location. Review each product page and label, use local guidance, and estimate seed quantity with the Cover Crop Application Rate Calculator.