Plant library
Pioneer species
Buckwheat
Fagopyrum esculentum
Zones 1–11
The fastest soil-builder there is: 6 weeks from seed to a smothering blanket of biomass that mines phosphorus, crowds out weeds, and feeds bees by the acre.
Sun
Full sun
Water
moderate
Spacing
Broadcast, roughly 3 in apart
Soil
Any soil, even poor and acidic, pH 4.5-7.0
Difficulty
easy
Zones
1–11
When to plant
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Timing shifts with your zone — the Genie can pin down exact dates for you.
How to care for it
Broadcast seed and rake in lightly; keep moist until germination (3-5 days). Cut down at first flowering and either leave the biomass as mulch or dig it in, then replant every few weeks through summer.
Good companions
Follows any vegetable beautifully; feeds pollinators nearby
Harvest
Chop at first flower (35-45 days) for green mulch, or let 10-12 weeks pass and thresh the grain.
Want a plan for growing Buckwheat?
Your Genie can give exact timing and care for your zone.
