Each winter, Peter and the boys plant a green manure crop in 3 of our 6 vegie beds. This year it was planted in mid May and the seeds sewn were Wheat, Feed Oats and Beans.
All they do is scatter some seed, cover it with soil and they also place nets over to stop the pesky birds from eating the seed before it germinates.
The green manure crop is not grown to harvest,
but to be returned to the soil
for the nutrients and organic material it provides,
including nitrogen.
Bit like a fertiliser I guess.
The crop is a bit over knee high so, this weekend Peter is hoping to get into the patch to
All they do is scatter some seed, cover it with soil and they also place nets over to stop the pesky birds from eating the seed before it germinates.
The green manure crop is not grown to harvest,but to be returned to the soil
for the nutrients and organic material it provides,
including nitrogen.
Bit like a fertiliser I guess.
The crop is a bit over knee high so, this weekend Peter is hoping to get into the patch to chop the green manure with his shovel and dig it into the soil.
The green manure will then break down into the soil releasing all it's yummy goodness.
The green manure will then break down into the soil releasing all it's yummy goodness.
The beds will be ready for the spring planting in about 4 weeks.
Happy digging boys and bye bye green manure!
I just want to roll around in it!! Great pics pics Jacquie, looks like the boys enjoy it too.
ReplyDeleteAwesome photos!
ReplyDeleteI love this idea, I was reading somewhere about someone growing some extremely hardy root crops in clay soil and leaving them there to rot, aerating the soil and adding organic matter - gee I find organic gardening amazing!
i am extremely envious of your yard, your vegie patches are so neat and orderly!
ReplyDeletewhat a great idea! we've never tried green manure before. now i know how it's done. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post...cover crops are such a great way to amend the soil! Wonderful post...LOVE your garden...Kim
ReplyDeleteI've never tried green manure crops either. It looks pretty neat!
ReplyDeleteThat is such a cool idea! Love this post. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting photos of your cover crop. That is an idea I will be trying this fall---I had just never actually seen anyone do it. Now I feel more ready for the attempt.
ReplyDelete