Topic: Green Manure

[Clayhithe]

Wardy,

No,  I've never used any other GM (I'm a bit stuck in my ways!)
and Phil is right about the rotation:  as I said,  I've been lucky.

I wouldn't dare use brassicas everywhere,
but beans seem to have few (?no) soil-borne diseases.

I s'pose my beans are not really GM because I don't often dig them in:  prefer to compost them,  then spread the compost:  I understand what Phil says about the germination-inhibitor,  and digging is a pain.

[Lillypad]

I used phacelia overwinter on one of my beds. When I went to dig it in earlier this year, I found dozens & dozens of slugs & snails had made their home in it. Obviously a highly des. res.  :o

Lillypad

P.S. I'm in North Yorkshire

[wardy]

Is there anything on the plots that the b u g g e r s don't like?  :(

[redimp]

What is the best green manure for putting in before Legumes.  What I want is something that bulks up the soil and improves its texture and moisture retentiveness.  Not bothered about nitrogenising before legumes - will use clover between them and the brassicas, and probably after the brassicas as well.

[kenkew]

Not sure about the 'best one' but a brassica greenmanure like
mustard might be as good as anything prior to legumes. It's a fast grower and the whole thing can be dug in.

[philcooper]

RC,

HOw long have you got for the GM to grow?

Phil

[redimp]

The legumes will follow alliums in the rotation so from whenever they are lifted.  I think leeks will be planted in the next year's allium bed - after the first earlies have been lifted as they will be following the potatoes.  So I think an over wintering GM would be the best bet.

[philcooper]

If it's overwinter then you can go for Hungarian Rye, it takes a bit of digging in but it does produce a large amount of material.

I believe alfalfa is similar in both these respects but alfalfa is deeper rooting so brings up nutrients and can break up the sub soil - I haven't tried it

Phil

[Andy H]

All very confusing on what to use? Been reading all night so have forgotten what I first read!!! :(

Was thinking of something later in the year around start of august or end of, willing to mow and willing to roti in...(at end yr or next spring). Prefer weed supressant as opposed to nitro savers.

What do you lot recommend?

Considering Field beans,fodder radish or blue lupins or phacelia tanecetifolia???

Andy H

[Merlins Mum]

So glad this thread is still going.  Did I dream it or can buckwheat be put in anywhere in the rotation and doesn't therefore have to be moved around with one particular group.

MM

[philcooper]

Andy,

If it's weed suppression that you want then  forget the beans (unless you can afford to sow them very thick and I don't think lupins will grow quick enough at that time of year.

Radish will but does it last the winter (I haven't tried it)

Phacellia is very good on weed suppression and will over winter (despite what most information says) but is a bit dried up come Spring (rotovating will solve that)

Grazing rye is the best over winter that I know of and will suppress weeds if sown close enough.

On nitrogen, any GM will conserve it (the cover reduces the rain leaching it away), lugumes will add nitrogen (provided you dig the roots in)

MM,

Buckwheat can go anywhere its a grass

Phil

[redimp]

Won't anything that grows quickly and gives good cover also supress weeds?
On my packet of red clover seeds, it says it can be used as overwinter cover if sown in autumn and clover grows quickly and densely, and fixes nitrogen.

Thanks Phil for the information on the overwintering bulk material.  I shall get my order in with the Organic catalogue soon.

[Merlins Mum]

Phil Thanks  :)
MM

[kitty]

mm-the sweetie- ;Dgave me a present of a n envelope of red clover-i shall wait to put it on a bare patch at the end of the summer and over winter it