Growing Sunn Hemp as a Summer Cover Crop

Wow, if you want biomass, then you need to grow sunn hemp. This plant grows a lot of plant material that can be utilized as mulch in a chop and drop system. What’s great about sunn hemp is that it grows really fast and it fixes nitrogen since it is a legume.

I will plant summer cover crops when I don’t have the time to take care of a space. Rather than leaving the space empty, I opt into growing at least something that will feed the soil. The sunn hemp also outcompetes with weeds by creating dense shade.

Your following crop will have a big boost of nitrogen, organic matter and be protected by growing in a thick mulch of the spent cover.

I basically can plant sunn hemp from April to September in the San Joaquin Valley because it stays hot enough that the seeds germinate and the plants grow rapidly.

I’ll let the plants flower for a little while too so that pollinators have a chance to get some food. Carpenter bees especially love the blossoms. When the plants reach flowering, that’s when they have fixed the most nitrogen. So, you do want to terminate them after that stage before the seeds start to develop.