Sunn Hemp - Key Growing Information

Sunn hemp cover crop
Scientific Name: Crotalaria juncea
Uses: Warm-season legume with tremendous biomass production and nitrogen fixing. Heat and drought tolerant with the ability to grow in challenging soils.
Culture: Sow at ½–1" deep after the soil has warmed to 65°F (18°C). Sunn Hemp is not great at outcompeting weeds, so is best grown in mixes with other competitive warm-season grasses like sudangrass or millet. Inoculate with a Sunn Hemp/Cowpea inoculant (#6354) to maximize production and nitrogen fixation. Performs well in drought and low-fertility soils.
Seeding Rate: 1 lb./1,000 sq.ft., 30–50 lb./acre alone or ¼ lb./1,000 sq.ft.,4–8 lb./acre in a mix.
Light Requirements: Full sun to partial shade.
Soil Requirements: Grows in most soil conditions.
Height: 48"+
Harvest: Can be grazed until flowering.
Caution: Flowers and seeds can be toxic to livestock.
Termination: Due to its biomass and stemmy nature, Sunn Hemp can be challenging without larger equipment. Close mowing is effective at terminating, especially when followed by tillage. Sunn Hemp is not frost tolerant, so it can be effectively winterkilled.