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The mix needs to be sown and established as soon as possible after harvest and before the 15th September. To stop blackgrass heading this needs to be cut at least twice during the first 12 months and the scheme stipulates you can only cut between 1 March and 31 October.
Advantages
- Reduction in flowering blackgrass and an abundant supply of pollen and nectar-rich flowers between early and late summer
- Attractive to pollinating and beneficial insects such as bumblebees and hoverflies
- Provides foraging for adult farmland birds and chicks particularly between April and July
Sow in the autumn, at 15-20 kg/ha with the lower seed rate on light/medium soils and the higher seed rate on heavier soils. Retain for 2 years before renovation.
As with all stewardship schemes it is the growers responsibility to check the requirements of each scheme are met.