Hi
I have grown mustard as a green manure over about half of my plot and cut it back before it flowered.
Now, I thought I read somewhere that instead of digging it in, it can be left on the top to rot and get taken down naturally as you can with a layer of manure or compost.
Or am I just trying to get out of digging :D
PtP
"Or am I just trying to get out of digging " Nowt wrong with that!!
It's what happens in nature, so why not?
Yes, i think you can leave it on top. How tall was it wen you chopped it down- I've got some in for the first time too.
mustard is quite tenacious and rots down quite slowly but it will eventually but might still be hanging on when it's time to plant - you can but wait - it would also depend on how short you cut it back as it might spring back :o
we cover our chopped up phacelia with cardboard and weed control over winter, gives the worms a chance to do their work ;D
Aren't worms great ;D
One Winter I left the plants in. They grew very big but eventually I dug them in. The only drawback was that somewhere along the line they had set (lots!) of seed. This meant that mustard came up all over the place.
You can leave Winter Rye in over the Winter, in fact you are meant to. This produces a lot of straw type growth which is great for digging in.