Lphta - The Bank

SLOPE STABILIZATION WITH CROWN VETCH, U. Ky. Dept. of Agronomy http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/agr/agr83/agr83.htm Advantages and Uses of Crown vetch: Once established, crown vetch provides an excellent, almost maintenance-free, cover for slope beautification. It grows approximately two feet tall and blooms from June through September, producing pink to pinkish-purple flowers. Crown vetch is strongly rhizomatous (underground root stalks) and grows well. It is highly recommended for low maintenance areas such as slopes around commercial or public buildings, highway and/or driveway slopes, lawn areas or slopes too steep for safe mowing. Establishment & Planting: Most crown vetch is established by seeding. However, crown vetch plugs are available. These are usually much more expensive, require much hand labor to set the plugs (usually planted on 2 feet centers), and seldom increase the rapidity of establishment. Also some irrigation may be required to insure survival of the small crowns. The best time to establish crown vetch by seeding is from mid-February through March. Very little maintenance of vetch once planted, is required. Crownvetch -- http://extension.missouri.edu/xplor/agguides/crops/g04510.htm Univ. of Missouri.

Crownvetch, Coronilla varia L., is a cool season, hardy, perennial legume. It has been used for soil stabilization and as an ornamental for many years. Crownvetch is particularly adapted to road bank stabilization and erosion control. At the present time this seems to be one of the best uses for the plant. The usual seeding rate is 5 to 15 pounds per acre. Spring seed from March 15 to May 15. Vetch http://www.outsidepride.com/catalog/Vetch-Hairy-p-16518.html Vetch is a hardy, viny, annual or biennial legume, attaining a height of 24 inches when planted alone. Thin, branched stems can reach more than 8 feet long. Compound leaves are made up of 8 to 24 paired, narrow leaflets. Leaves terminate with a tendril used for climbing. Despite its name, stems and leaves can be hairy or smooth. Hairy vetch has a taproot that extends 1 to 3 feet deep. Hairy vetch flowers in April and ripens seed in May-June. Groups of 10 to 40 small, long, blue flowers hang from one side of a long flower stem. Spherical seeds (approximately 28,000/lb) are smaller than common vetch seeds. They develop in small pods and usually are grayish or black. Hairy vetch is hardseeded. Environmental preferences and limitations Vetch tolerates cold well and is winter-hardy. It tolerates frozen soils, remaining dormant until spring. Warm spring temperatures bring rapid growth. Vetch grows on most soil types if drainage is good. Vetch is drought-resistant. Vetch offers excellent spring weed suppression and grows well SEEDING RATE: 40 to 45 lbs per acre. 1 ¼ lbs per 1,000 square feet 10 pounds @ $25.00

LPHTA – The Bank