Botanical name
Onobrychis viciifolia
Family / Genus
Fabaceae / Onobrychis
Plant category
Green manure
Enrico Blasutto / CC BY-SA 4.0
Facts and figures
Light requirements
Sun
Nutrient requirements
Light feeder
Difficulty level
Intermediate
Green manure
Fixes nitrogen through root nodule bacteria, Loosens compacted deep soil layers, Valuable bee and insect pasture, Binds soil nitrogen to prevent leaching
Frost resistance
Hardy to -20 °C
Row spacing
15 cm
Plant spacing
5 cm
Growth height
30 - 90 cm
Sowing depth
3 cm
Germination temperature (minimum)
8 °C
Germination temperature (optimal)
15 - 20 °C
Germination type
Dark
Planting & harvest times of Sainfoin
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Direct sowing
Direct sowing from Early April to Late August.
Good and bad companions of Sainfoin
Good neighbours
Bad neighbours
Berseem clover
Clover rot attacks all clovers, lucerne and sainfoin. Its sclerotia survive several years in the soil.
Crimson clover
Clover rot attacks all clovers, lucerne and sainfoin. Its sclerotia survive several years in the soil.
Lupin
Two legumes encourage the same root diseases. Growing them together brings no extra nitrogen.
Persian clover
Clover rot attacks all clovers, lucerne and sainfoin. Its sclerotia survive several years in the soil.
Red clover
Clover rot attacks all clovers, lucerne and sainfoin. Its sclerotia survive several years in the soil.
Subterranean clover
Clover rot attacks all clovers, lucerne and sainfoin. Its sclerotia survive several years in the soil.
White clover
Clover rot attacks all clovers, lucerne and sainfoin. Its sclerotia survive several years in the soil.
Predecessors and successors of Sainfoin
Bad predecessors
Berseem clover
Rotation break: 4 years
Broad bean
Rotation break: 2 years
Broccoli
High residual nitrogen suppresses nodulation. Weak-competing sainfoin is then overgrown by weeds.
Rotation break: 3 years
Brussels sprouts
High residual nitrogen suppresses nodulation. Weak-competing sainfoin is then overgrown by weeds.
Rotation break: 3 years
Bush bean
Rotation break: 2 years
Cauliflower
High residual nitrogen suppresses nodulation. Weak-competing sainfoin is then overgrown by weeds.
Rotation break: 3 years
Cavolo nero
High residual nitrogen suppresses nodulation. Weak-competing sainfoin is then overgrown by weeds.
Rotation break: 3 years
Chickpea
Rotation break: 2 years
Chinese cabbage
High residual nitrogen suppresses nodulation. Weak-competing sainfoin is then overgrown by weeds.
Rotation break: 3 years
Common vetch
Clover and vetch work well as a mixture but share the root rot Aphanomyces euteiches in rotation.
Rotation break: 3 years
Crimson clover
Rotation break: 4 years
Flower Sprouts
High residual nitrogen suppresses nodulation. Weak-competing sainfoin is then overgrown by weeds.
Rotation break: 3 years
Hairy vetch
Clover and vetch work well as a mixture but share the root rot Aphanomyces euteiches in rotation.
Rotation break: 3 years
Kale
High residual nitrogen suppresses nodulation. Weak-competing sainfoin is then overgrown by weeds.
Rotation break: 3 years
Kohlrabi
High residual nitrogen suppresses nodulation. Weak-competing sainfoin is then overgrown by weeds.
Rotation break: 3 years
Lentils
Rotation break: 2 years
Lupin
Two legumes encourage the same root diseases. Growing them together brings no extra nitrogen.
Rotation break: 3 years
Mizuna (Asian greens)
High residual nitrogen suppresses nodulation. Weak-competing sainfoin is then overgrown by weeds.
Rotation break: 3 years
Pak choi
High residual nitrogen suppresses nodulation. Weak-competing sainfoin is then overgrown by weeds.
Rotation break: 3 years
Pea
Rotation break: 2 years
Persian clover
Rotation break: 4 years
Pointed cabbage
High residual nitrogen suppresses nodulation. Weak-competing sainfoin is then overgrown by weeds.
Rotation break: 3 years
Pole bean
Rotation break: 2 years
Red cabbage
High residual nitrogen suppresses nodulation. Weak-competing sainfoin is then overgrown by weeds.
Rotation break: 3 years
Red clover
Rotation break: 5 years
Romanesco
High residual nitrogen suppresses nodulation. Weak-competing sainfoin is then overgrown by weeds.
Rotation break: 3 years
Runner bean
Rotation break: 2 years
Sainfoin
Rotation break: 5 years
Savoy cabbage
High residual nitrogen suppresses nodulation. Weak-competing sainfoin is then overgrown by weeds.
Rotation break: 3 years
Soya bean
Rotation break: 1 year
Subterranean clover
Rotation break: 4 years
Sunflower
Too much residual nitrogen makes sunflower prone to fungal disease and delays ripening. Both also host white mould.
Rotation break: 4 years
Swede
High residual nitrogen suppresses nodulation. Weak-competing sainfoin is then overgrown by weeds.
Rotation break: 3 years
Turnip
High residual nitrogen suppresses nodulation. Weak-competing sainfoin is then overgrown by weeds.
Rotation break: 3 years
White cabbage
High residual nitrogen suppresses nodulation. Weak-competing sainfoin is then overgrown by weeds.
Rotation break: 3 years
White clover
Rotation break: 4 years
Very bad predecessors
Alfalfa
Threat posed by clover mould (Sclerotinia trifoliorum)
Rotation break: 4 years
Good successors
Aubergine
Lasting effect: 3 years
Broccoli
Lasting effect: 3 years
Brussels sprouts
Lasting effect: 3 years
Carrot
Lasting effect: 3 years
Cauliflower
Lasting effect: 3 years
Cavolo nero
Lasting effect: 3 years
Celeriac
Lasting effect: 3 years
Celery
Lasting effect: 3 years
Chilli
Lasting effect: 3 years
Chinese cabbage
Lasting effect: 3 years
Courgette
Lasting effect: 3 years
Cucumber
Lasting effect: 3 years
Fennel
Lasting effect: 3 years
Flower Sprouts
Lasting effect: 3 years
Kale
Lasting effect: 3 years
Kohlrabi
Lasting effect: 3 years
Leek
Lasting effect: 3 years
Maize
Lasting effect: 3 years
Mizuna (Asian greens)
Lasting effect: 3 years
Oats
Lasting effect: 3 years
Oil radish
Lasting effect: 3 years
Pak choi
Lasting effect: 3 years
Pepper
Lasting effect: 3 years
Phacelia
Phacelia catches the nitrogen that legumes leave behind in the soil.
Lasting effect: 3 years
Pointed cabbage
Lasting effect: 3 years
Red cabbage
Lasting effect: 3 years
Romanesco
Lasting effect: 3 years
Savoy cabbage
Lasting effect: 3 years
Squash
Lasting effect: 3 years
Swede
Lasting effect: 3 years
Sweet potato
Lasting effect: 3 years
Swiss chard
Lasting effect: 3 years
Tomato
Lasting effect: 3 years
Turnip
Lasting effect: 3 years
White cabbage
Lasting effect: 3 years
Bad successors
Berseem clover
Rotation break: 4 years
Broad bean
Rotation break: 2 years
Bush bean
Rotation break: 2 years
Chickpea
Rotation break: 2 years
Common vetch
Clover and vetch work well as a mixture but share the root rot Aphanomyces euteiches in rotation.
Rotation break: 3 years
Crimson clover
Rotation break: 4 years
Hairy vetch
Clover and vetch work well as a mixture but share the root rot Aphanomyces euteiches in rotation.
Rotation break: 3 years
Lentils
Rotation break: 2 years
Lupin
Two legumes encourage the same root diseases. Growing them together brings no extra nitrogen.
Rotation break: 3 years
Pea
Rotation break: 2 years
Persian clover
Rotation break: 4 years
Pole bean
Rotation break: 2 years
Potato
A multi-year clover or grass stand builds up wireworms. Plant potatoes only 3 to 4 years after ploughing in.
Rotation break: 4 years
Red clover
Rotation break: 5 years
Runner bean
Rotation break: 2 years
Sainfoin
Rotation break: 5 years
Soya bean
Rotation break: 1 year
Subterranean clover
Rotation break: 4 years
Sunflower
Too much residual nitrogen makes sunflower prone to fungal disease and delays ripening. Both also host white mould.
Rotation break: 4 years
White clover
Rotation break: 4 years
Very bad successors
Alfalfa
Threat posed by clover mould (Sclerotinia trifoliorum)
Rotation break: 4 years