Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: chumpy7 on July 24, 2016, 18:42

Title: green manure
Post by: chumpy7 on July 24, 2016, 18:42
Hi, I.m going to use green manure this year for the first time. Do I base my plant choice on what I grew in the area this year, or what I intend to grow in the area next year, or does it not matter. I have 3 areas, one had spuds this year, one had brassicas and the last one alliums.I have heavy clay soil.
                   regards Mick
Title: Re: green manure
Post by: mumofstig on July 24, 2016, 18:50
I would choose either a legume which you can use anywhere in rotation (this also applies to my favourite GM Phacelia) or match it to this years crop.

Green manure list here
https://www.greenmanure.co.uk/pages/choosing-the-right-green-manure
Title: Re: green manure
Post by: chumpy7 on July 24, 2016, 19:04
Does that mean I can use field beans everywhere ?
                    regards Mick
Title: Re: green manure
Post by: mumofstig on July 24, 2016, 19:23
Yes.
Title: Re: green manure
Post by: Salmo on July 24, 2016, 23:08
Does that mean I can use field beans everywhere ?
                    regards Mick

No.

If you have grown broad beans this year or plan to grow broad beans there next year I would avoid field beans as they are the same plant.

If you put in phacelia or mustard now they will grow rapidly and can be dug in with your usual Winter digging.

Things like field beans, grazing rye and vetches stay over the Winter to be dug in the Spring. Think about when you need to plant next Spring. If you need the ground early you need to Winter dig on heavy soil. If you do not need the ground until later e.g. runner beans, then Spring digging is fine.