Spacings? The smaller seeds like mustards I broadcast, but is this the same approach with field beans, tares and rye?
This is a new approach for me and I would like to do the best I can for the soil on my plots.
Yep..same..as they are not permanent crops, the spacing is not the issue..as manure you want as much as possible of their top growth..so no worries over doing it.. ;)
I decided to give green manure another go, for next year, and bought a packet of Green Manure seeds from T&M, Rye, Vetch etc. It said to scatter the seed and lightly rake over which I did yesterday.
Good luck with yours delboy
I got a T&M packet cheaply last year but was not very happy with it, the local fauna took a shine to the results. There was not much left to dig in.
Personally I like phacelia and brassicas better. I have quite a lot of saved russian kale and is a good green manure as well as providing winter green stuff. I also tried red clover but most of it did not survive the winter the small amount that did had stunning flowers.
Our soil drains very well so I like to sow something to mop up any remaining nutrients before they are leeched out duing the winter.
Oh dear, mine were cheap too ;D
Never mind, I love the sow the seed and scatter bit about it. I have high hopes for mine ;D
I did go to the effort to sow some rye in rows 8in apart, as the instructions say, just to see if there is any advantage.
Because I watered each row before sowing, they did seem to be up a lot quicker than when I broadcast them and then watered in.
I will have to wait till next spring to see if there are any other advantages, but considering how much extra effort it was, don't think I will bother again.
If you are a farmer, then you would normally drill the seeds, so you would need to know the spacing, so this is probably why some instructions say so sow in rows.
Ohh...I use greenmanures alot..and can't say they are that much work and they do so much good..
For start with nutrients do not leach out of soil like from those that were left 'empty' during winter..
I particularly like phacelia...I often grow it just after spreading BFB on ground..I let it get digested during phacelias growing time..and then all goodness is from BFB is readily available with humus from phacelia for the following crop..
this way my fertilizer use becomes to a minimum ;)
I've never bothered with any spacing..I just scatter and hey-ho..what ever comes will do..as long as soil is not 'empty' ;)
As for extra work?...as crop comes out..bit of raking (if any)..scatter,scatter..rake..water..and done ;D