The best green manure for the garden

Green manure has been used as a natural fertilizer since ancient times. But this is only a small fraction – they have much more useful properties. Let’s find out what siderates are and how to use them.

Growing a good crop of fruits and vegetables is not an easy task. Most crops require fertile soils, but few have black soil in the area – more often clay. And besides, gardeners and gardeners are constantly annoyed by diseases and pests. You fuss all summer, you plant, water, feed, and the harvest is zilch. And hands down…

Let them go down. But in bags with green manure seeds. This group of plants can work wonders – they increase fertility and help get rid of pathogens. Let’s find out what siderates are, what they give and how to use them.

What are siderates

Green manure is a group of plants that are grown as a natural fertilizer. They are allowed to grow, after which they are embedded in the soil – they cut off the green mass, scatter it evenly over the site and then dig it up (1). Gradually, it decomposes and saturates the soil with useful elements, which are subsequently used by cultivated plants (2).

This is an environmentally friendly fertilizer and, moreover, a safe means of protecting plants. Many siderats can be sown from spring to autumn, for example, in areas that have already been harvested. Or in the garden, under fruit trees and between berry bushes.

The benefits of green manure

Green manures are called green fertilizers, but in fact they have much more useful properties.

Increase soil fertility. These plants grow green mass very quickly, and when it is embedded in the soil, it gradually decomposes. As a result, humus is formed – the basis of fertility (3). The more often you sow green manure, the more humus will be. And where there is a lot of humus, beneficial soil microorganisms and earthworms actively multiply, which also increase fertility.

Improve soil structure. The root system of many types of green manure penetrates deeply into the soil and improves its structure – it makes it loose, permeable to water and air (3).

Suppress the growth of weeds. Green manure quickly grow leaves, and since they are sown densely, they create a fairly dense shade. Without light, weeds cannot grow. In addition, some species release special substances into the soil that inhibit the germination of seeds of harmful plants (4).

Reduce the number of diseases and pests. Some green manure produce substances that repel pests (4). For example, radish rids the site of nematodes, and mustard inhibits the development of scab.

Help increase yield. Many siderates are also good honey plants – they attract pollinating insects, which at the same time pollinate vegetable plants, fruit trees and berry bushes. And that means more fruit will be tied. In addition, the yield increases due to the saturation of the soil with organic matter, and, as experiments have shown, green manure is more profitable than manure, because it is cheaper (5).

TOP 10 best green manure for the garden according to KP

There are quite a few plants that can be used as green manure. Most of them are included in 3 groups of plants:

beans;
cereals;
cruciferous.

But there are representatives of other families.

Vika

This legume helps store nitrogen in the soil. On its roots there are nodules in which nitrogen-fixing bacteria live – they capture atmospheric nitrogen from the air and convert it into a form accessible to plants. In addition, vetch also makes phosphates available. It also protects soil from erosion.

Spring varieties are sown during June. Winter vetch – at the end of October. Norm – 15 g of seeds per 1 sq. m. Since vetch is a climbing plant, it is better to sow it in a mixture with other green manure: oats, barley, mustard, colza or phacelia.

You can use it in any area, except for the beds where legumes grew – peas, beans, beans.

Lupine

Another legume plant and also an excellent green manure. Even on poor soils, it grows a lot of green mass – up to 400 kg per hundred square meters! So, it perfectly enriches the soil with organic matter. In addition, like all legumes, it saturates it with nitrogen (up to 200 g per 1 sq. M.) And converts phosphorus into a form accessible to plants. Its roots penetrate very deep, up to 2 m, and extract minerals from there that are inaccessible to many vegetables with a superficial root system (for example, tomatoes and peppers). Perfectly loosens the soil. Repels the bear and the larvae of the cockchafer. And on top of that, it looks very nice. But let’s make a reservation right away: not perennial lupins, which are grown in flower beds, are used as green manure (they also have useful properties, but they are still intended for admiring, and not embedding in the soil), but annuals.

Lupins are sown in April or August, but it is better at the end of summer. Norm – 15 – 20 g per 1 sq. m. Mow it 1,5 months after germination.

You can not sow lupine after legumes. And after the rest – you can and should.

Clover

3 types of clover are used as green manure:

white clover;
red clover;
pink clover (hybrid).

Like all legumes, these types of clover enrich the soil with nitrogen. In addition, they protect it from erosion and are good honey plants, attracting beneficial insects to the site. They can be sown in the garden, and also used instead of a lawn.

All types of clover can be sown from April to August. Norm – 1 – 2 g per 1 sq. m. Mow 2 weeks before planting vegetables. White clover, because it has creeping shoots and they lie down, it is better to sow in a mixture with meadow timothy grass, phacelia or spring crops – this way you get more green mass.

Cannot be sown after legumes. Excellent siderate for the garden.

alfalfa (Medicago sativa)

As green manure, 2 types of alfalfa are used:

blue alfalfa;
yellow alfalfa.

Both of them enrich the soil with nitrogen – if you sow alfalfa in one place for 3 years in a row, then after mowing and digging in total they will give as much nitrogen as half a ton of manure per hundred square meters. In addition, alfalfa improves soil structure and reduces its acidity.

You can sow alfalfa in 2 terms:

from April 20 to May 15;
from 15 July to 15 August.

The sowing rate is 1,5 g per 1 sq. m. Mow it after 1,5 months.

Alfalfa is good as a precursor for any vegetable crops except legumes.

Phacelia

This is one of the most popular green manures and it is no coincidence. It grows very quickly and blooms within 6 weeks after germination. And it blooms profusely and spectacularly, and the inflorescences of the phacelia are very unusual – they look like curls. Great site decoration! Percas honey plant – pollinating insects massively flock to it. At the same time, it repels wireworms, nematodes, caterpillars, wood lice and locusts, significantly reduces the number of aphids, weevils and caryopses. It also deoxidizes the soil, making it neutral – which is exactly what most vegetables need.

Phacelia can be sown from the end of March to the end of August, or before winter. Norm – 8 – 10 g per 1 sq. m. You can mow after 1 – 1,5 months.

You can grow after any crops, but it gives the greatest effect after tomato, potatoes and cucumbers.

Mustard

It loosens the soil, fills it with organic matter, but most importantly, it suppresses the reproduction of pests and diseases. Its roots release sulfur into the soil, which repels mole crickets, May beetle larvae, wireworms, slugs and has a depressing effect on pathogenic fungi, including pathogens of late blight and fusarium. Mustard can be of different types; white mustard and Sarepta mustard are more often used as green manure (5).

You can sow mustard throughout the summer and before winter. Norm – 1,5 – 2 g per 1 sq. m. Mow it after 40 days – before the appearance of buds.

Mustard should not be sown after cruciferous plants – cabbage, radish, radish, turnip. After other crops, it is possible and necessary, and it is especially good after potatoes – it heals the soil.

Rape

There are 2 types of rapeseed: spring and winter, they are sown at different times, but they work the same way – they enrich the soil with organic matter, phosphorus and sulfur. Attract bees and other pollinating insects. In addition, rapeseed destroys the wireworm and inhibits the development of pathogens of potato diseases – scab and rhizoctoniosis. And winter rapeseed also delays snow on the site.

Spring rapeseed is sown in mid-April. Winter – in the second half of August. Seeding rate – 1,5 g per 1 square. m. Spring mowed after 1 – 1,5 months. Winter – in the spring, at the end of April.

An excellent precursor for potatoes – experiments have shown that after rapeseed, the infestation of potato plantings is reduced by 17,3% (4). It is impossible to sow before and after cruciferous plants: cabbage, radish, radish, turnip, daikon.

Radish

This is not the radish that we grow for the sake of root crops, this one is oilseed. It perfectly loosens the soil, enriches it with organic matter, but most importantly, it disinfects the site: it helps to get rid of wireworms and nematodes, inhibits the development of potato diseases (scab and rhizoctoniosis), the growth of wheatgrass and other weeds.

Oil radish can be sown 3-4 times per season – from April to August. You can sow it before winter. Norm – 3 – 4 g per 1 sq. m. Mow it after 1,5 – 2 months, or in the spring, if sown in October – November.

An ideal precursor for potatoes. Do not sow before or after cruciferous vegetables.

Oat

In addition to organic matter, it also saturates the soil with potassium. And its roots contain substances that prevent the development of root rot and repel nematodes. Perfectly loosens the top layer of soil.

Sow oats 2 times per season – in spring and in August. Norm – 130 – 200 g per 1 sq. m. Cut it when the plants reach a height of 15 cm.

After oats, it is good to plant tomatoes, peppers and eggplants. But it is undesirable to plant and sow root crops and potatoes after it – a wireworm can settle in its roots.

winter Rye

It enriches the soil with organic matter, nitrogen and potassium. But most importantly, it suppresses the development of the most malicious weed – creeping wheatgrass. That is why winter rye is often used in the development of new areas – in the fall, virgin soil is dug up and sown with this cereal.

Sow from August 25 to September 20. Norm – 20 g per 1 sq. m. Mow in the spring or summer of next year.

Winter rye is an ideal predecessor for any vegetable. But it cannot be sown after cereals, such as corn.

When to sow green manure

Most green manure plants are cold-resistant plants, so they can be sown from early spring to the end of August. Even when sown at the end of summer, they manage to benefit, because they are usually mowed after 1,5 months, that is, in this case, in mid-October. And this is just the right time to dig the soil.

And some green manure can be sown before winter.

In the spring

In the spring, green manure can be sown from mid-April, and in the southern regions or in early spring – from the end of March.

If vegetables are supposed to be sown late, for example, some varieties are rare and daikon is sown in July, then green manure can be sown later – in May.

Lettom

In summer, green manure can be sown from the beginning of June until the end of August. In this case, they are usually sown on plots from which the crop has already been harvested. For example, they harvested radishes or lettuce – you can sow bean green manure in their place. They dug up early potatoes – in its place you can sow cruciferous green manure.

In the autumn

In autumn, winter green manure or winter crops are sown. Winter crops are usually sown in September – they must have time to rise to build up the green mass, which goes under the snow. Winter crops, for example, oilseed radish, are sown later: in late October – early November.

Such green manure is cut and dug up in early spring, in the second half of April.

How to sow green manure

All green manure is sown in the same way – the seeds are evenly scattered over the surface of the soil and carefully covered with a rake. In spring and autumn, this is usually enough, and in the summer after sowing, the plot must be watered – otherwise they will not sprout.

When and how to bury green manure

All siderates are used in the same way – they are allowed to grow for 1,5 months (for some crops, the terms may be slightly less or slightly longer), then they are mowed with a scythe or a sickle. The green mass is evenly distributed over the surface, after which the soil is dug up.

Gradually, the leaves, shoots and roots of green manure decompose and enrich the soil with organic matter.

Siderata honey plants can be left for the whole summer – they will attract bees. And you can sow them on empty plots or in the garden.