Common Vetch

• Vicia
• Vicia sativa (common vetch)
• Vicia hirsua ( hairy vetch, hairy tare)

Type of weed: annual
Family: Leguminosae
Uses: Edible
Poisonous: Uncooked seeds are toxic

Vetch: A Versatile and Helpful Plant

Vetches are considered weeds by most gardeners, but they are a beautiful and versatile plant that can be used for a variety of purposes.  They are known for their scrambling habit of growth, their tendril-tipped leaves, and their nitrogen-fixing abilities.

Personally I find common vetch very attractive and don't mind leaving the one or two that pop up in my garden every year to do their own thing.  Especially as they are so good for wildlife and the soil.

Vetches and Legumes

Vetches are members of the legume family, which also includes broad beans, peas, and sweet peas.  This means that they have the ability to fix nitrogen from the air into the soil, which can help to improve soil fertility.

Common Vetch

Common vetch (Vicia sativa) was a widely grown species that was often used as a green manure crop.  It was sown densely in the autumn to smother weeds over the winter.  When dug in before the plants set seed, common vetch adds nitrogen and organic matter to the soil.

Hairy Vetch

Hairy vetch (Vicia villosa) is another popular species that is known for its copious production.  This makes it a valuable plant for pollinators such as bees and butterflies.  Hairy vetch can also be used as a green manure crop or as a forage crop for livestock.

Vetches and Wildlife

Vetches are beneficial for wildlife in a number of ways.  Their flowers provide food for pollinators, and their seeds are eaten by birds and other small animals.  Vetches also provide cover and shelter for wildlife.  Common vetch also has an abundance of pollen-rich flowers, it even produces ''extrafloral nectaries'' producing even more nectar in drops along the stems.

Edible Vetch Seeds

Vetch seeds are technically edible, but they are not very tasty and require careful preparation as the uncooked seeds are toxic to humans.  They are best used as a green manure crop or as a forage crop for livestock.

Conclusion

Vetches are versatile and helpful plants that can be used to improve soil fertility, attract pollinators, and provide food and shelter for wildlife.  They are a valuable addition to any garden.

More articles about wildlife gardening:

How To Grow Catmint
What is the difference between a cultivated wildlife friendly and a wild garden
Simple gardening tips to help you have a beautiful garden that also helps wildlife find a home they can thrive in
Eight plants to help bees through winter into spring
What is yellow rattle
Oxeye daisy leucanthemum vulgare
10 of the best climbers for wildlife
Wildlife Gardening Tips
The secret to getting birds into your garden
The best flowers for bumblebees
Plants to add to your garden for caterpillars
The best flowers for honeybees
The best shrubs for butterflies
What you need to know before starting a wildlife-garden
How to attract bees to your garden
How to attract birds to your garden

Wildlife gardening diary:

Wildlife gardening jobs for January
Wildlife gardening jobs for February
Wildlife gardening jobs for March
Wildlife gardening jobs April
Wildlife gardening jobs May
Wildlife gardening jobs June
Wildlife gardening jobs July
Wildlife gardening jobs for August
Wildlife gardening jobs for November
Wildlife gardening jobs for December