Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: Jeanieblue on March 16, 2008, 17:08
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Has anyone else used rye as a green manure over the winter time? I also went a bit mad and bought Phalacaea (? spelling) and red clover. I didn't read the instructions and these are to be planted during the summer, which isn't very useful. Thought I'd just plant two or three small patches around the lottie so that the bees and butterflies can enjoy the flowers !!! But could they be used over the winter too, as a green manure?
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Grazing rye you over winter that is plant in autumn time, it breaks the soil up with roots very similar to couch grass, so good for heavy, clay soils and uncultivated areas.
Phacelia, I think you mean can be over wintered but more commonly sown in spring for feeding an area of garden, in summer time it takes about 2 months, you cut and dig in before flowering for feeding the soil.
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Again, thanks for the advice, Gobs. I've probably left it a bit late to plant any of them for now, but as mentioned I'll probably sow a couple of very small patches just for the flowers. Not sure about the rye then, if it behaves like couch grass? I'd have to dig it all up surely, not dig it in?
Jean
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No, you can turn it in.
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Thanks