Often grown with cereal grains. Cautions May climb trellises. If the soil is dry, irrigate or plant before a fall rain. Common vetch roots need to be colonized by an appropriate strain of rhizobia bacteria to be able to convert atmospheric nitrogen into plant-available forms. Generally, inoculation of seed is not necessary in Oregon because the bacteria are present in the soil.
Common vetch tolerates close mowing before flowering and high mowing during flowering.
Close mowing during peak flowering may kill common vetch. Mowing before incorporation in spring prevents tillage implements from becoming entangled by the viny stems. Vetch residues are succulent and decompose quickly. In western Oregon, planting common vetch in mixtures with a cereal greatly improves winter weed suppression compared to a monoculture of either. Some spring cereal varieties are likely to winter-kill if planted in early September, allowing the vetch to grow without competition in spring.