It is important to plant green manure in the soil in a timely manner, without allowing it to finish flowering, otherwise the idea will no longer be so useful.
At the same time, each period – summer, autumn and spring – has its own characteristics. We will tell you how and when to incorporate green manure into the soil in the spring.
Spring planting. Timing
In this case, the determining factor is not only the beginning of flowering, but also the time remaining before planting the main crops.
Therefore, the soil with green manure shoots is plowed or dug 2-3 weeks before the vegetables are planted. Among the early green manures, not only mustard and oats give good shoots, but also sweet clover, radish, alfalfa and phacelia, vetch and peas, serradella.
How to incorporate green manure into the soil
There is no point in deep digging - it is harmful to the fertile soil layer. In addition, this can raise weed seeds to the surface of the earth. The green manure itself, if buried deeper than required, will be left without air and moisture.
It is better to do this with flat cutters or another tool to cover the shoots to a depth of 8-10 cm. Remaining in the upper soil layer, the grass will quickly turn into organic fertilizer. Anything that remains on the surface can be used as mulch.
You can leave green manure
Planting main crops in green manure is practiced. This protects the bed from weeds and pests, but it is important to take into account that green manure does not outgrow vegetable crops in growth.
