Topic: Undersowing rocks!

[sawfish]

This undersowing lark is great. I haven't needed to weed my broad beans at all because they're surrounded by clover and its keeping the moisture in around the roots by shading the earth. Hopefully at the end of it I'll just turn the earth and that'll be my green manuring done too.

I'm going to undersow loads of the taller veg next year.

[goodlife]

 ;D ;D I'm glad to hear that...and not only it's holding the moisture down..you'll find that your soil generally will be in better shape..no hard surface as the sun haven't baked it... ;D
I try not to leave my soil 'empty'..why to leave soil bare and have winter rains wash away all the good stuff that I have with all hard work put in over the summer months..such a waste.. ;)...and as a result of green manuring for winter..I don't need to buy half as much fertilizers anymore..win..win.. ;D

[caroline7758]

Where do you buy your green manure, goodlife? Sorry if you've already said in another thread!

[gwynnethmary]

I like this idea too, but how do you know which green manure is best after which crops so that you can keep your rotation right, if you know what I mean?

[Chrispy]

What sort of soil do you have sawfish?
I would like to undersow, but every where I read it says clover does not like heavy soil, but I can't find what could be good with my heavy soil.
I have sown field beans and grazing rye for overwintering, but these would be too tall for undersowing.

[sawfish]

I have a heavy clay loam. It grows anyway, I ignore these things. Just be careful with mustard as its a brassica and will encourage club root if used after or before other brassicas. You can get buckwheat from grain stores for next to nothing instead of green manure shops/websites. Also I've sown mustard from Asian shops and it grows fine.

[lottie lou]

Where would I find grain shops please in the middle of a city?

[goodlife]

I buy my green manures from...and there is lots of info how to use them...
http://www.cotswoldseeds.com/index.htm
Only thing is that they packs are large..but it does come cheaper too in long run...
I get through 1 1/2 kg of phacelia in a year and bit of other ones too.. ;)

[bazzysbarn]

If you have  a shop on your allotment site perhaps they could get it for you. It works out cheaper that way with the postage. We used to get it from cotswold seeds but now our site buys it to save us the postage.