[rowlandwells]

we have been growing green manure for several years now usually mustard white and it seemed to have help deter wireworms and improve the soil however the ground we have planned for next years potato crop  may have wireworms and other soil born pests so I'm thinking of sowing some cliente mustard because its said to improve the ground for potato crops after its chopped up and dug in I think they call the process  bio fumigation but its like everything ells seeing is believing

so I wondered if any of our fellow gardeners had used this type of mustard prior to planting your potato crops and if you used it  how you rated it I think cliente  mustard is also called brown mustard in some garden catalogues so any feed back on this subject would be very much appreciated RW

[mumofstig]

I've never used it but at my old allotment site there were many plots worked by Nepalese and Chinese families - and they sowed mustard every year, in late Autumn and then forked it in. They said it 'cleaned' the soil...
I don't think they would have bothered to do it, if it didn't work 

[rowlandwells]

thanks for that reply Mum I think that's true from what your saying because I believe it does clean the ground  I just wasn't sure about using the clienty or brown mustard as we always use the white mustard it seems its not a thing gardeners use these days ?

[vikingraider]

I've been thinking about using a green manure later this year. Which would you recommend for me just to dig in early near year?

[Potty Plotty Lotty]

I would avoid any rye unless you love digging. 

Phacelia grows quickly but the frost will kill it. Last year I grew winter tares which fix nitrogen as a bonus. They both grow well for me. I also have grown field beans but I find I don't get much growth, foliage or ground cover for these by the time I want to dig in (March).

[coldandwindy]

Things I've tried
clover- might be nourishing the soil but didn't suit me at all - doesn't keep the weeds down and has ambitions to become a weed itself.
phacelia- bees like it, pretty, a bit hit & miss depending on weather.
field bean- weeds grow up between it, so it makes a lot of work. Fibrous stems don't rot after digging in.
lucerne (alfalfa) - tried the first time this year. Fairly clean soil I sowed it in, germinated very well, not looking weedy atm, will report back.

Also bear in mind it doesn't have to say 'green manure' on the packet. You  can fill a bare area with leftover seeds that you think will have got too old to sow next year. Anything non-invasive & in the right rotation group can be closely sown and dug in. A mixed pea forest loosens the soil up nicely!