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Sunflower
Broadleaf
Image Source: 1
Image Source: 2
Estimated Cost
$0.82
($/lb)
Planting Window
Summer seeded
Best for
Improving infiltration, Building soil carbon, Drought resilience, and Winter stockpiling
Alternate Species
Sugarbeet, Buckwheat, Phacelia
1. Steve Hurst, ARS Systematic Botany and Mycology Laboratory, United States, Minnesota, hosted by the USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database.
2. © Victoria Ackroyd 2020, CC BY-ND 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/> via https://covercrop.tools/images/Cover%20Crop%20Photos/Sunflower/Sunflower_flowering_Ackroyd_2020a.jpg
Seeding Detail
Sunflower
8.0
Not Recommended
20.0
Additional Information
Why We Recommend This
Sunflowers have one of the deepest root systems of any cover crop, which makes it a great N scavenger, erosion fighter, and compaction buster. They attract many beneficial insects and pollinators. Young sunflower seeds are good for forage.
Things to Watch Out For
Sunflower roots are not strong enough to break up extremely compacted soils and they use lots of soil moisture. Ensure that sunflowers are thoroughly killed before seeding the next cash crop, as they are strong competitors. Sunflowers can attract pest insects like stem borers, cutworms, thistle caterpillars, and wireworms that may damage the next crop. Nitrate levels and woody stems in mature plants can be too high for grazing.
Neither Indigo nor any of its affiliates makes any representations, warranties or guarantees as to any specific results or outcomes, including, without limitation, with respect to soil health outcomes or any minimum amount of greenhouse gasses sequestered or number of carbon credits generated. Participation in Carbon by Indigo is subject to the terms, conditions and limitations of the program contained in the applicable enrollment agreement. Any payments under Carbon by Indigo are subject to multi-year vesting and are contingent on continued long-term maintenance of regenerative agricultural practices and soil carbon levels. All Carbon Credits generated are subject to buffer pool holdbacks required by third-party crediting; participants will not receive payments for such holdback. Not available in all areas.
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