[rowlandwells]

our mustard [green manure] what a crop its produced so well i couldn't believe how its grew a carpet of green manure that looks a lovely thick green crop and no weeds  I'm just thinking i need to cut it and plough it in very soon i think I'm going to use my old grass mower to chop it up prior to ploughing it in its going to be interesting to see if it improves the ground ?

[edited to replace 'rape' with 'mustard' as per reply #1 - Yorkie]

[rowlandwells]

please accept my apology the topic should have read growing mustard not rape so now brain's in gear i mite find some friends who would like to comment on this topic I'm putting my error  down to my age don't you know 

[edited for you - Yorkie]

[Plot 1 Problems]

Glad the typo was fixed

Mustard is a great green manure, I normally sow it as a follow on to my spuds. Only thing to keep in mind is that it's a brassica and therefore you should keep that in mind for your crop rotation.

[rowlandwells]

good thinking plot1 i was intending to leave the ground clear after ploughing it for my potato crop next year what do you think?

[Plot 1 Problems]

For me , I'd do what I do with every bed when it's finished and sow phacelia as a green manure.

[rowlandwells]

i did look at growing phacelia plot 1 do you think its a better choice than growing mustard ? because you seem to favour growing phacelia

the area we would be sowing is enough to use our tractor to plough it and i wondered if phacelia would be a better choice to grow and follow on  with our potato crop?

[Plot 1 Problems]

The reason I favour phacelia is simply because it doesn't affect crop rotation. It's just me being lazy with my choice of green manure

[rowlandwells]

so basically you pays you money and make your choice plot 1 that's the best way 

[al78]

I've got a mix of green manures to sow for overwintering, as well as some mustard, once the useless OTT temperatures cool down a bit. I am not too religious about crop rotation, I have a rotation plan for my crops, but when it comes to green manure, I just try to avoid growing plants from the same family in the same bed in consecutive years.

[basketcase]

I've got some phacelia
And an earworm.

For some reason,buzzing through my head is "Phacelia, you're breaking my heart.  You're shaking my confidence daily..." etc.  All the way through the song.

Fortunately, it's a good rhythm for digging, hoeing etc 

Any thoughts on grazing rye?  Having just taken over the plot, I'm still finding out about what's underneath.  Some of the weed-ridden bits seem to be over patches that could be compacted, thin topsoil or ( ) CARPET. 

I'd read that rye improved soil structure.  Has anyone used it?  If so, would you recommend?

[al78]

I've got some phacelia
And an earworm.

For some reason,buzzing through my head is "Phacelia, you're breaking my heart.  You're shaking my confidence daily..." etc.  All the way through the song.

Fortunately, it's a good rhythm for digging, hoeing etc 

Any thoughts on grazing rye?  Having just taken over the plot, I'm still finding out about what's underneath.  Some of the weed-ridden bits seem to be over patches that could be compacted, thin topsoil or ( ) CARPET. 

I'd read that rye improved soil structure.  Has anyone used it?  If so, would you recommend?

Grazing rye is good for breaking up heavy soils and the roots can hold light soils together. It is hard work digging it in come Spring, and in my experience it takes some time to rot down to the point where you can cultivate. Italian ryegrass is supposed to be easier to dig in than Hungarian grazing rye.

[Yorkie]

I agree with al78 about grazing rye.  Nightmare to dig in and I still found clumps of it in the soil many weeks later.  Wouldn't use it again!

[basketcase]

Thanks for getting back.

Glad I asked! 

[bobbyt]

First time using green manure, I've just planted Phacelia (yesterday), as I read somewhere its good for loosening up clay type soil. Do I need to regularly water it, if there's no rain? Also, how long do the seeds normally take to germinate? I also read somewhere it should be dug in before it flowers (4-6 weeks), or can you just chop and leave on the surface without any digging in? Sorry about so many questions, just want to get more info from people actually using it. Thanks.

[mumofstig]

It can take from a week to a fortnight to germinate, here The weather forecast looks as if we're all going to get some rain over the next week or so, so you shouldn't have to water it. Colder nights mean the soil gets damp at this time of year as well.
I don't ever dig mine in,  I find a good hard frost kills the top growth so the roots just rot in situ leaving drainage channels for winter rain, and softened soil by spring, ready for gentle work over with the 3 pronged cultivator  If you don't get hard killing frosts where you are, I'd strim it down in early spring and leave it for the worms.
It shouldn't try to flower sown at this time of year, mine never has...