Cover Crops
Cover crops are a practical way to put idle ground to work, improving soil health, managing erosion, and adding organic matter back into your fields between cash crop seasons. From crimson clover and hairy vetch to daikon radish, forage turnips, and sorghum sudan grass, Nixa Hardware & Seed Co. carries a solid selection of cover crop seed suited to Missouri soils and growing seasons. Whether you are resting a field after harvest or building long-term soil structure, think about your timing. Warm-season covers like cowpeas and millet establish fast, while winter peas and clovers are better suited to fall seeding.
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Purple Top Turnip Seed
As low as $1.68 + Add to CartSKU: 2169
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Safe T Graze Sudan Grass Seed
$0.69 + Add to CartSKU: 225
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Milo Grain Sorghum Seed – 95 Day Safened
As low as $1.96 + Add to CartSKU: 5249
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Little Giant Spring Pea Seed
$1.09 + Add to CartSKU: 2112
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Hybrid Pearl Millet Seed
$1.48 + Add to CartSKU: 226
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Impact Forage Collards Seed
As low as $2.48 + Add to CartSKU: 886
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German Foxtail Millet Seed – Strain R
$0.86 + Add to CartSKU: 222
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Hairy Vetch Seed
As low as $1.84 + Add to CartSKU: 2126
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Forage Type Turnip Seed
As low as $1.78 + Add to CartSKU: 2189
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Crimson Clover Seed
As low as $1.46 + Add to CartSKU: 209
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Daikon Radish Seed
As low as $1.68 + Add to CartSKU: 6388
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Arrowleaf Clover Seed
As low as $2.96 + Add to CartSKU: 210
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Austrian Winter Pea Seed
As low as $0.94 + Add to CartSKU: 2166
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Cowpeas, Iron & Clay
As low as $1.18 Awaiting RestockSKU: 8299
Helpful Questions & Answers
Find answers to common questions about Cover Crops from the Nixa Hardware & Seed Co team.
What Are Cover Crops
These are essentially “green manures” that work to improve the physical and chemical structure of your soil from the inside out. By keeping a living root in the ground year-round, you are feeding the beneficial microbes and earthworms that make a garden truly thrive. Cover crops help to scavenge leftover nitrogen that might otherwise wash away, locking it into their own tissues until they decompose and release it back to your primary vegetables. They also act as a natural weed suppressant by taking up the space and sunlight that winter annuals would otherwise use to get a foothold. It is a long-term investment in your property that pays off in the form of better drainage and more resilient harvests.
What To Plant For Cover Crop
Many growers in the Christian and Greene County area prefer a mix that can provide both soil protection and a bit of forage. Planting a combination of Safe T Graze Sudan Grass and Milo Grain Sorghum creates a tall, dense canopy that smothers out weeds and builds up organic matter quickly. For a more leafy, nutritious cover, Impact Forage Collards or Little Giant Spring Peas work well to keep the ground active without being too difficult to manage when it comes time to clear the area. Whether you go withGerman Foxtail Millet or a specialty Pearl Millet, the goal is to keep the sun from baking the bare dirt during the off-season. Having a plan for your cover crop is the best way to ensure your garden stays fertile and ready for action.