Allotments 4 All

After I finish weeding i plan to plant green manures while I get the rest of the plot straightened out and the blueberries planted. What's the best green manure for keeping the weeds supressed but grows quickly and can turned in?
My plot mainly has bindweed but that is being eradicated as I type.

TrailRat

There's lots of info on green manures on Gavin's site and the web in general, but something I recently discovered is that Turnips very thickly sown will kill bindweed through chemical secretions. Apparently, you need to sow very thickly and thus you won't harvest any roots, just hoe the tops off when they are ready. And they will over-winter. Sown twice a year for 2 years should see off Bindweed.

I can see turnip seed sales increasing across the country Ross! ;D

I don't have shares, honest!
Actually, if anyone knows where you can get cheap bulk orders of seeds, please let me know. It would take a lot of small packets to cover my new plot. Where do farmers get their seeds from?

Hi Ross
You could try Tuckers - you might have to email for a catalogue as I can't get anything to load online (seeds@edwintucker.com) or http://www.seeds-by-size.co.uk/ who sell by weight.
AC x

I was told the "turnip cure" was for mare's/horse tail rather than bindweed - with a bit of luck it will be both!

I got the turnip advice from John Yeoman, author of The Lazy Kitchen Gardener, and he can personally assure that it works on bindweed. If it works on marestail too, that would be great.
Marigold (tagetes minuta?) also works apparently, but does not over-winter so not as useful

I wish bindweed would get eradicated as I type :)

I didn't have much luck getting marigolds to come up when I tried it.

I hadn't heard about the turnips -interesting. I quite often sow phacellia, which overwinters, not sure about is and bindweed though.

Jeremy

Which type of turnip is best for the job?  

Also, when you hoe the tops off do you clear them up or leave them where they fall?  

Ross, please answer the above question.  I am also waiting to hear what to do with the turnips. I was offered two large boxes of turnip seeds but turned them down, I only kept about 20 pkts because I thought I would never use them.  Had I have known about the bindweed cure I would have had them & dished them out to you all. The variety going is 'snowball' if they are still available I will let you know.
AJ

OK,OK Applejack, give me a chance..! The advice I was given did not specify a variety, so I would say any.
And just hoe off the tops and leave the root in the ground- it will be very thin because they were sown so thickly, and will just rot away.

I'm still depressed as I was told this was mare's tail!!  However, the advice was sow thickly in March, hoe tops off, and sow thickly again in September.  

ceri, don't be depressed- it may well be a cure for marestail...we're waiting for you to trial and report back!

If it works I will love you forever Ross....and so will my strangulated veggies  :D

you're on ross - I intend to set aside a bed next season and do the turnip thing - I'll let you know!

Trailrat, if you've only managed to clear a space the size of a tea towel, I estimate you will only need 4 turnip seeds. Consultancy fee: £0.50 (seeing as you've to stand approx. 200 people a drink in your local after the clear-up operation).

Ahhhh, i also failed to mention that they have to reply on the wanted thread to qualify for the drink so I can work out a deal with the landlord ;D

TrailRat

Isn't tagetes minuta otherwise known as stinkweed? Will any of the pretty marigolds work?  :D