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Allotment Stuff => The Basics => Topic started by: steveuk on January 02, 2008, 16:36:00

Title: Green Manure
Post by: steveuk on January 02, 2008, 16:36:00
Was pondering to try green manure and have 2 part queston if any one could help

Mustard, Was told this was good but then a gremlin was put in, say if after potatoes were picked i planted mustard cress, on crop rotation when dig it in, you have to be carefull as mustard seeds are from the brassica family.
not sure i understand that.


2nd has anyone used  Grazing Rye, and Winter Tares, i was told these are user friendly for any part of the allotment and no worries when crop rotating , its all OK.

hope that makes  sense
thanks as all ways
Steve
Title: Re: Green Manure
Post by: VP on January 02, 2008, 16:58:32
Hiya,

I've tried mustard seed and the mistake I made was letting it run to seed before digging it in - I've had loads of it growing ever since!  :-[

The warning about brassicas is not to grow anything like cabbages, caulis, radish or rocket on the same ground afterwards as you're more likely to get clubroot in the second crop :(

I've grown Phacelia instead - it's not so good for overwintering as the others you're thinking about, though mine has survived down here in the south west. It has lovely flowers and is very attractive to bees  :)
Title: Re: Green Manure
Post by: saddad on January 02, 2008, 17:00:22
My Winter Tares are good... they are a member of the legumes family so again care with rotations recommended...
Never had much luck with rye..
:-\
Title: Re: Green Manure
Post by: Eristic on January 02, 2008, 17:26:23
It's very cold outside so I would like you all to sit down and listen to my take of this outdated farming method.

You spend valuable time and effort removing the weeds  and cultivating the ground needlessly.
You spend valuable money buying weed seeds to replace the weeds you just dug up.
When your expensive weeds look really untidy you spend valuable time digging them up to add to the original lot.
You dig the plot again and brag about the minuscule amount of fertilizer added in the process.

Why not just relax, wait till the time is right to dig, cultivate and sow crops then buy a tub of concentrated organic chicken shit.

Green manure has a role to play on a small mixed farm where the main benefits from the planted green manure comes from the fodder for the livestock and the manure returned from the animals in the process of them eating it.
Title: Re: Green Manure
Post by: saddad on January 02, 2008, 17:29:32
Not keen on the idea then Eristic....
;D
Title: Re: Green Manure
Post by: Eristic on January 02, 2008, 17:33:11
Na. I'm lazy and tight fisted. :P

And we're not allowed chooks.
Title: Re: Green Manure
Post by: Froglegs on January 02, 2008, 18:01:01
I'm a fan of Buckwheat. :)
Title: Re: Green Manure
Post by: Froglegs on January 02, 2008, 18:14:31
As anybody tried Foil-sis (Branston's)as recommended by Alan Romans. ???