Regen New Land Conversion Kit

The prep requirement depends on the starting condition of the land. On recently tilled or bare ground, no additional prep is needed — broadcast directly at the full kit rate.

On weedy fallow or sod-covered ground, mow closely or apply a non-residual burndown (glyphosate or equivalent) and allow 2 weeks before seeding.

Avoid residual herbicides that persist in the soil — they will suppress germination of cover crop species as readily as weeds.

On ground with severe soil compaction, a single subsoiler or deep chisel pass before the first seeding will improve establishment significantly and is worth the effort on land with documented hardpan.

Do not apply lime until after the first cover crop cycle if ground has not been recently tested — the wide pH tolerance of all three species means the first-year stand will succeed without it.

Broadcast all three species together (or in sequence by species) at the combined rate of 4 lbs per 1,000 sq ft across the target area.

A hand-crank spreader, chest spreader, or small push spreader all work for areas under 5,000 sq ft. Rake lightly after broadcasting to partially incorporate seed, then firm the surface with a lawn roller, cultipacker, or the back of a flat rake.

Good seed-to-soil contact is critical — do not leave seed loose on the surface. If drilling is available, drill at 3-3.5 lbs per 1,000 sq ft at 1/2 inch depth.

Inoculate crimson clover seed with Rhizobium leguminosarum before mixing with the other species. Seed within 24 hours of inoculation.

Germination begins in 5-10 days under adequate moisture and temperatures above 45°F. The dense seeding rate means the stand will close canopy faster than standard-rate cover crop seedings — expect visible ground coverage within 14-21 days.

Do not apply any herbicide after seeding.

Weed pressure during establishment should be managed by trusting the stand density to suppress weeds mechanically — the heavy seeding rate in this kit is designed specifically to outcompete weeds without post-emergent intervention.

If broadleaf weeds are extremely heavy in the first 30 days, a single mow at 4-6 inches will knock back annual weeds without damaging the establishing rye and clover.

Buckwheat is frost-sensitive — do not seed the buckwheat component after the expected first frost date in your zone.

Terminate the winter rye and crimson clover stand at early crimson clover bloom in spring — typically April to June depending on zone. At this point the stand is at peak biomass and nitrogen content.

Options: roll-crimp for no-till systems, mow and leave as surface mulch, or till to 4-6 inch depth for incorporation. After termination, wait 2-3 weeks before establishing the next phase of your system.

In a full regenerative transition, year two typically involves seeding a permanent pasture mix, establishing perennial plantings, or beginning a cash crop rotation.

The suppression and fertility work done in year one makes all of these subsequent steps more likely to succeed and easier to manage than starting on unsuppressed, unfertilized ground.