Cover crop seed mix

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Stephen Cronk • Jul 27, 2026

I’m considering which cover crop seeds to sow in my vineyard in Provence post harvest. I’ve read about quorum sensing, and am hearing that I should be using a blend of at least 7 varieties. But my team is questioning this, saying it’s better to sow 3 species as a more dense cover crop than the weak growth of >7 species.

Considerations:

Which sowing equipment to use:

- We know that direct seeding does not work well on the estate because our soils are prone to crusting, low in organic matter, and heavily compacted by tractor and machine harvest
- The seed drill has only a single seed hopper, so all seeds are sown simultaneously and are generally poorly distribute

The typical annual rainfall here is roughly 690–740 mm, with published averages clustering around 700 mm. November is the wettest month at around 115 mm.

Thank you

Stephen

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Becky Sykes • Jul 27, 2026

Hi Stephen,

Others will have more specific advice for your circumstances I’m sure. However, generally:

Start with your objectives, what ecosystem services you want your cover crops to deliver. For decompaction, length of roots are important (e.g. radish). For increasing soil organic matter, amount of biomass (e.g. mustard). For nitrogen fixing, legumes (conversely avoid these if you don’t want additional nitrogen). Maybe it’s weed suppression, providing habitat for beneficial organisms/pollinators, water infiltration, stopping soil erosion (fibrous root systems)
Experts all agree that it is the number of different families of plants that is important, rather than the number of species. The excellent EcoVineyards people say a good starting point when developing a ground cover mixture is to look for different functional groups, for example:
• Grasses (cool and/or warm season)
• Legumes (cool and/or warm season
• Tall and short broad leaves (cool and/or warm season)– Brassicas– Chenopods (a sub-family of amaranths)– Other families .
Generally, aim to have at least four of the above functional groups represented in a multispecies mix
and at least two species of each where possible
If you know that direct seeding doesn’t work well for you, then prepare the soil and drill
The issue with seed hoppers is universal. The big seeds vibrate to the top. Many people recommend putting only 1-2kg of seed into the hopper at a time for that very reason.

Take a look at the EcoVineyard best practice management guide. It’s Australian but the principles apply in France EcoVineyards-BPMG-on-ground-covers-in-Australian-vineyards-V3U-sm-1.pdf

We also have lots of resources on the website Cover Crops | Regenerative Viticulture Foundation including a really cool Californian database Cover Crop Selection | California Cover Crops Resources.

Sorry there’s nothing French…

Hi Stephen, 
Others will have more specific advice for your circumstances I&#8217;m sure. However, generally:
<ul>
<li>Start with your objectives, what ecosystem services you want your cover crops to deliver. For decompaction, length of roots are important (e.g. radish). For increasing soil organic matter, amount of biomass (e.g. mustard). For nitrogen fixing, legumes (conversely avoid these if you don&#8217;t want additional nitrogen). Maybe it&#8217;s weed suppression, providing habitat for beneficial organisms/pollinators, water infiltration, stopping soil erosion (fibrous root systems)</li>
<li>Experts all agree that it is the number of different families of plants that is important, rather than the number of species. The excellent EcoVineyards people say a good starting point when developing a ground cover mixture is to look for different functional groups, for example: • Grasses (cool and/or warm season) • Legumes (cool and/or warm season • Tall and short broad leaves (cool and/or warm season)– Brassicas– Chenopods (a sub-family of amaranths)– Other families . Generally, aim to have at least four of the above functional groups represented in a multispecies mix and at least two species of each where possible </li>
<li>If you know that direct seeding doesn&#8217;t work well for you, then prepare the soil and drill</li>
<li>The issue with seed hoppers is universal. The big seeds vibrate to the top. Many people recommend putting only 1-2kg of seed into the hopper at a time for that very reason.</li>
</ul>
Take a look at the EcoVineyard best practice management guide. It&#8217;s Australian but the principles apply in France <a href="https://ecovineyards.com.au/wp-content/uploads/EcoVineyards-BPMG-on-ground-covers-in-Australian-vineyards-V3U-sm-1.pdf">EcoVineyards-BPMG-on-ground-covers-in-Australian-vineyards-V3U-sm-1.pdf</a>
We also have lots of resources on the website <a href="https://regenerativeviticulture.org/resources/toolkit/cover-crops/">Cover Crops | Regenerative Viticulture Foundation</a> including a really cool Californian database <a href="https://ucanr.edu/site/california-cover-crops-resources/cover-crop-selection">Cover Crop Selection | California Cover Crops Resources</a>.
Sorry there&#8217;s nothing French&#8230;

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Aude Isnard • Jul 28, 2026

Bonjour Stephen,

Ce tableau peut peut-être aider a la prise de décision, il est organisé en fonction des objectifs recherchés. Toutes les espèces listées sont adaptées au climat méditerranéen:

Espèce	Décompaction	Azote	Biomasse	Mulch	Biodiversité	Tolérance sécheresse
Radis fourrager	★★★★★	☆	★★★	★★	★	★★★
Chicorée	★★★★★	☆	★★	★	★★	★★★★
Vesce	★★	★★★★★	★★★	★★	★★★	★★★
Féverole	★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★	★★★	★★	★★
Trèfle incarnat	★	★★★★★	★★	★★	★★★★★	★★★
Seigle	★★★	☆	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★	★★★★★
Avoine rude	★★★	☆	★★★★	★★★★	★★	★★★★
Phacélie	★★	☆	★★★	★★	★★★★★	★★★
Sainfoin	★★★	★★★★	★★★	★★	★★★★★	★★★★★

En espérant que ca aide!

Bonjour Stephen,
Ce tableau peut peut-être aider a la prise de décision, il est organisé en fonction des objectifs recherchés. Toutes les espèces listées sont adaptées au climat méditerranéen:
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Espèce</th>
<th align="center">Décompaction</th>
<th align="center">Azote</th>
<th align="center">Biomasse</th>
<th align="center">Mulch</th>
<th align="center">Biodiversité</th>
<th align="center">Tolérance sécheresse</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Radis fourrager</td>
<td align="center">★★★★★</td>
<td align="center">☆</td>
<td align="center">★★★</td>
<td align="center">★★</td>
<td align="center">★</td>
<td align="center">★★★</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Chicorée</td>
<td align="center">★★★★★</td>
<td align="center">☆</td>
<td align="center">★★</td>
<td align="center">★</td>
<td align="center">★★</td>
<td align="center">★★★★</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Vesce</td>
<td align="center">★★</td>
<td align="center">★★★★★</td>
<td align="center">★★★</td>
<td align="center">★★</td>
<td align="center">★★★</td>
<td align="center">★★★</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Féverole</td>
<td align="center">★★★★</td>
<td align="center">★★★★★</td>
<td align="center">★★★★</td>
<td align="center">★★★</td>
<td align="center">★★</td>
<td align="center">★★</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Trèfle incarnat</td>
<td align="center">★</td>
<td align="center">★★★★★</td>
<td align="center">★★</td>
<td align="center">★★</td>
<td align="center">★★★★★</td>
<td align="center">★★★</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Seigle</td>
<td align="center">★★★</td>
<td align="center">☆</td>
<td align="center">★★★★★</td>
<td align="center">★★★★★</td>
<td align="center">★★</td>
<td align="center">★★★★★</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Avoine rude</td>
<td align="center">★★★</td>
<td align="center">☆</td>
<td align="center">★★★★</td>
<td align="center">★★★★</td>
<td align="center">★★</td>
<td align="center">★★★★</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Phacélie</td>
<td align="center">★★</td>
<td align="center">☆</td>
<td align="center">★★★</td>
<td align="center">★★</td>
<td align="center">★★★★★</td>
<td align="center">★★★</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sainfoin</td>
<td align="center">★★★</td>
<td align="center">★★★★</td>
<td align="center">★★★</td>
<td align="center">★★</td>
<td align="center">★★★★★</td>
<td align="center">★★★★★</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
En espérant que ca aide!

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