[JohnB47]

A silly question perhaps but is the idea just to turn the soil over in whole clumps when digging in winter manure, so that as much of the green is buried? i.e. use a spade rather than a fork on loose soil?

If I use a fork, I imagine that lots of the plants will still see daylight and keep growing. Or maybe I should dig over any which way and cover it until needed?

Thanks.

[Yorkie]

Don't know; I'm hoping someone will answer this too 

[mumofstig]

I dig a shallow trench just removing the first row of greenmanure and a little soil.
Then turn the next row over into the trench,soil uppermost, carry on to the last row and fill with what was removed from the first trench leaving soil and roots uppermost.
Mine had settled ready for raking over after a couple of weeks

[Trillium]

I agree with MoS - you need to bury the whole top by turning it right over with a spade. This is one job that a fork won't do well.

[Yorkie]

Ta 

[JohnB47]

Thank you.

[bigben]

I have heard the idea is to cut it down to the ground and leave it for to wilt then dig it in. However I say this with all the certainty of someone who has never managed to grow a green manure. The first time it all came up and the slugs ate it and the second time the seeds were a bit old and I had left it late so nothing came up!

[Trillium]

I find that cutting it down first helps a lot but the rest won't wilt - it will just start up again.

Plus, it needs 3 weeks turned over before you can plant in that area. Something about the decomposing will stunt new plants/seeds if done any sooner.

There's more info here: http://www.allotment-garden.org/fertilizer/green-manures.php

[kevinp]

I made the mistake on a couple of my beds of not cutting it down and let it die over the winter when I came to dig it in the stems were tough and have since turned hard and brittl so I then ended up cutting the tops of this year and just gently turning the soil over to mix the roots in.

Next time I will strim the plants finely and then leave them on the top of the beds.

[Coach]

I have heard the idea is to cut it down to the ground and leave it for to wilt then dig it in. 

This is the way I do it. Leave seed sowing for 3/4 weeks to allow the g/manure to rot!