Cultivation of green manure in spring and autumn

In agriculture, green manure appeared a long time ago, more than 3 thousand years ago they were actively used by plowmen from China, India and Asian countries. Russians learned and began to use the wonderful properties of green dressing since the beginning of the 20th century. Currently, not only gardeners, but also farm specialists are engaged in sowing green manure. Plants used as fertilizers significantly improve the quality of the soil and are widely available.

Green manure properties

Experts use buckwheat, wheat, oats, lupine, mustard and other types of plants.

Usually, those crops are selected that have a powerful root system and a well-developed green mass. Plants suitable for soil fertilization have a short growing season, so they are capable of being green manure.

The main purpose of green fertilizers is to saturate the soil with nitrogen, organic matter and microelements. Plants should be selected depending on the condition of the soil. In terms of productivity, the plants used are equivalent to manure. Well-developed planting roots loosen and enrich the soil with air, improve the structure, and heal a certain layer of the earth. Growing fertilizers increase the moisture content of the site, reduce acidity, effectively disinfect the earth... Positive qualities persist in the area where growing top dressing was used for 4-6 years.

Most often used as siderates rye, oats, legumes are considered to be valuable green fertilizers. Small nodules form on the roots of these plants, it is in them that the bacteria produce nitrogen, which, in turn, is necessary for the full growth of the plantings. Rye as a siderat delivers potassium to the earth layer. This culture suppresses the growth of weeds, is not demanding on the soil. The biological characteristics of the cereal make it possible to use rye as a green manure not only in the autumn, but also in the spring.

Green fertilizers have valuable phytosanitary and nectar-bearing properties. Phacelia, sunflower, mustard, vetch, clover can become necessary for insects. Parsnips, alfalfa, or phacelia are often used to control the Colorado potato beetle. Rape is good for increasing the number of beneficial insects in the soil. You can clean the land using marigolds or marigold... These plants work better than fungicides.

When choosing plants to improve the quality of the land on his site, the gardener must think over which crops will grow in one place or another. For example, after rye, potatoes, tomatoes and cucumbers grow well.

Sowing fertilizers

Sowing plants in order to deliver nutrition to the soil is possible not only in the spring and autumn, but also throughout the season. Plant seeds are applied to the ground before sowing or after harvesting the main crop. Having planted green manures in spring in near-stem circles to fruit trees, the gardener will provide the soil with rich trace elements. In addition, green fertilizers will prevent weeds from growing, and will attract bees and bumblebees to the flowering tree.

It is customary to sow siderata densely in spring, and less often in autumn. Early planting should be done after the snow has melted. For this period, cold-resistant and early maturing plants are suitable, for example, oats, fodder peas. In the fall, as soon as the land becomes free, green manure can be sown into it. Before the cold weather, green shoots grow, they are not cut off, fertilizers are laid in the ground in the spring.

Spring plant fertilizers are good because they decompose faster in the ground and have more nitrogen. Autumn green manures are best used in those places where early planting of seedlings is planned.