[sillysuffolk]

Has anybody tried green manure? I'm struggling to acquire enough compost for my plot this year, I have one dalek compost bin and a small pile of manure so not enough really. I thought i'd give green manure a go. The seed I have bought contains rye, vetch, italian rye grass and forage pea. Is it a worthwhile endeavour?

[sunshineband]

It certainly is!

Green manure captures nutrients from deep down and then you recycle them into the top layer where your veg will be growing 

[Zippy]

Yes defintely. i grew my early potatoes in a bed and followed them once cleared with a miscellaneous bed of cherry tomatoes, late peas, late runner beans, lettuce, swiss chard and beetroot.

When they are clear in autumn, I will then sow with Winter Tares ( a legume) to bring up nutrients from below and hold the soil in place over winter. Then I just hoe the top growth off and let it die down and the worms drag it down - I don't dig if I don't need to. Next year this bed will be my Three Sisters (sweetcorn, squashes and mange toute), runner beans, dwarf beans and peas.

Its a great way to get the best out of a piece of ground without driving its nutrients down. ... and no digging!

[Pompey Spud]

A definate yes from me.

Have always done it in the 3 years of gardening. IMO a good habit to get into.

Plus I prefer something growing in winter thats doing the soil some good.

I grow Hungarian Grazing Rye as the roots are extensive and so break up a heavier clay soil like mine. Bit of a devil to dig in mind.

[FERDY]

Crimson clover for me the flowers are attractive & you can save the seed for next time. It adds heaps of nitrogen to the soil.

[Kristen]

Don't buy it from the garden centre conventional seed racks = small packets that don't cover a shoe-space but cost a fortune!

http://search.thompson-morgan.com/search?w=green+manure £4 for seed for 5 sq.m.

http://www.kingsseeds.com/kolist/1/VEGETABLES/V-G/GREEN+MANURES £10 for 300 sq.m

[peterjf]

try your local angling shop for 2-3 bags of tares,

soak in water for 3-4 hours then scatter ,

dig in before the flowering starts ,

[paintedlady]

I'd like to grow something over winter especially on the plot where I grow mostly summer crops and I've been looking at Moles seeds http://www.molesseeds.co.uk/flower_and_vegetable_seed_store_uk/Products_Green_Manure_4010.html and seriously thinking about sowing winter tares and forage peas (£2.70/kg each) + p&p

[robbodaveuk]

For anyone interested in growing tares, the best place to get them is a pigeon supplies corn merchant. A 25kg bag will cost a max £15.

  Robbo.

[Weeble]

I prefer Mustard or Poached Egg Plant as green manures.
 

[JRRD]

I prefer Mustard or Poached Egg Plant as green manures.
 

Anybody have any idea where to get bulk quantities of Poached Egg Plant.
I read about his before as green manure but can't really find where to get it that isn't in small seed packet size !

[Salmo]

These are cheaper than most

http://www.greenmanure.co.uk

Phacelia grows quickly and is easy to dig in.

[Lardman]

Anybody have any idea where to get bulk quantities of Poached Egg Plant.
I read about his before as green manure but can't really find where to get it that isn't in small seed packet size !

You could always buy a small packet and let them run to seed for next year.

[madcat]

Anybody have any idea where to get bulk quantities of Poached Egg Plant.
I read about his before as green manure but can't really find where to get it that isn't in small seed packet size !

Moles sell it by the gramme - up to 100gs on the website.  More than that, and I bet there is a deal to be done!