Kidney vetch is a popular plant with many insects, in particular the small blue butterfly. Kidney vetch is the only plant small blue caterpillars eat, meaning that without a healthy supply of kidney vetch, small blues just won’t be able to survive.
So why not help our small blues and grow some kidney vetch pot plants! Then plant these out in your garden and watch them nourish a whole host of pollinators, or donate them to Species on the Edge – we have a range of community groups we work with who would be very grateful to receive your kidney vetch plants.
How to grow kidney vetch
Grow your own kidney vetch plants in 5 easy steps:
- Collect kidney vetch seed from your local Species on the Edge or Butterfly Conservation team (explore our area map to find the details of your local team, or email sote@nature.scot). The seed comes in its own special case to protect it and you can leave it in this case when you plant it. Kidney vetch seed is best planted in spring or autumn.
- Use a gritty seed-potting compost or mix some gravel through seed compost. Plant two seeds in each seed compartment of your tray. Or, rather than a tray, you can use old toilet roll holders and plant the seeds in these. Remember to always use peat free compost, it’s better for our environment.
- Cover the seeds lightly with grit or more potting compost. Water the seeds, but make sure they can drain. You don’t want your plants to have a soggy bottom!
- Make your own labels and place the trays outside in a sunny sheltered spot and wait for them to grow!
- Once the seedlings are ready to plant out (see the photo below to see what they look like when they’re ready to plant out), plant them in your garden in areas of poor soil where many pollinators will enjoy them. If you want to donate them back to the project, get in touch with your local Species on the Edge team who will arrange a planting date at a relevant site. These dates will take place in autumn and spring.
