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green manures
yoweeyahoo2
Posts: 30
in Fruit & veg
ive got a few emoty spaces on myallotment where crops are finished and ive nothing to replace it.
I was thinking of sowing green manures to overwinter but have nerver had much luch with the rye, buckwheat mix/
Any advice on suitable green manures?
0
Posts
Try Phacelia. Its a great green manure.
I use phacelia or crimson clover to fill any empty patches of the allotment in spring and summer, then sow a mix of rye and common vetch for overwintering (sow late august so they aren't too large come the first frosts when they'll stop growing) .
These may or may not remain green throughout winter, but they should have put on some good growth and developed a good root structure to hold the soil together throughout winter and prevent compaction by the first hard frosts. The soil patches planted with this mix is always the first to dry out and start being used for cultivation in spring!
Personally I've never had much luck with green manure 'mixes', best to buy the seed separately and make a good ratio mix yourself.
Last edited: 20 July 2016 10:30:12
Stuart, when do you dig in the rye? I tried it this winter for the first time and dug it in in (I think) February or March and it was very hard to sow and plant in the patch even a month or two later, because of all the rye.
Hi Aster, Dig it in early march to give it a bit of time to break down if that space is going to be used for planting plugs or potatoes. I actually tend to pull all the rye up if i'm going to be sowing direct where it was growing then compost this along with everything else for the following spring.
Perhaps not the traditional way of doing things but as soon as I pull them out completely, last years composted stuff is added back. Makes sowing seed much easier a month later and like I mentioned the ground is always much drier and lighter than patches which are bare over winter.
Thanks, Stuart, that's really helpful.