forgive my ignorance

[MEL78]

Hi new to allotments this year was chatting to the man in teh plot down from mine and told him that I had cleared more of my plot than I thought I would of by nowm and was stuggling to think what to put in it....he said fill if with green manure....I nodded and agreed with him ....but didn't have a clue what he meant but didn't want to appear stupid....Please enlighten me......

[Annpan]

Green manure is a crop that you plant purely to dig back in again - mustard, rye and some bean crops can be used like this (a google search should bring up places that sell the seeds)


The idea is that if you leave ground empty, the rain will wash away the nutrients and the weeds will take hold. If you plant a 'green manure' it will capture the goodness in its roots and foliage and it will provide ground cover to stop weeds taking hold. Then, about 2 weeks prior to planting in the spring, you dig your 'green manure' into the plot on which it was growing to let it release all the nutrients ready for your real crop to use.

I have never tried it myself, though have always intended to.... maybe this year?

[MEL78]

thanks ...will look into it.....

[Peggy Sue]

I've tried it and it's not that cheap, if you really need extra organic matter a nice trailer of compost is much more effective and normally cheaper
There's plenty to plant now though- spring cauli and cabbage, pak choi, spinach, carrots, beetroot, even beans may have time and if not they act as greeen manure anyway

[JulieSherris]

Mel, have a look here.... http://www.seedaholic.com/edibles/green ... ml#Edibles

Even if you don't buy anything, at least she gives a fair bit of information about green manures - you might already have some around!

I got some beautiful seeds from her this year - creeping thyme, comfrey, and some proper old fashioned ones like sweet honesty, boston ivy...... oh, and bluebell seeds!! Well, as I live right next to the woods & we don't seem to have any in there.....

Anyway, for green manure ideas, that site is a good start for info - good luck!

[Green Aura]

Just be careful if you've got a crop rotation planned out - some green manures are legumes, others in other plant families so you need to fit them in the rotation.

[grahamhobbs]

I agree with PeggySue, some (most) green manures are quite difficult to get rid of (easy with a tractor) and can be a haven for slugs and weeds. There are still plenty of things to be sown or planted out, better to do that and cultivate the land (although dug over I bet loads of weeds will still spring up).