[sophieann]

Hi,

I've just got my own plot and I'm busy digging it over and getting ready to plant some salad veg and french beans for the rest of the summer. Come September, I was going to sow a green manure, such as sorrel or hungarian grazing rye but someone nearby has mentioned about digging in a load of manure instead.

I'm new to all this as I've only ever container gardened. Advice please?

[AnnieB]

Personally I would go with the manure and dig this in. Always had a problem with green manure in that people dig their plots. clear it of weeds, then scatter seeds all over it that resemble grass seeds. Just seems a bit odd as I see it.

Ultimately the green manure has to grow from what is in the ground, I am guessing that only a small proportion of the nutrients comes from the atmosphere so again it seem that the green manure takes nutrients out of the ground, then you simply dig it back in. Somehow doesn't seem like a great increase.

[DD.]

Green manure will hold the nutrients in the plant rather than letting them being washed away from bare soil.

Green manure will supress the weeds you don't want.

Some green manures will fix nitrogen in the soil, unlike weeds.

Green manure will increase the amount of humus in the soil.

Green manure will....................................

I could go on, but green manures do have a few advantages over weeds.

[Pompey Spud]

Hi.
What I did in my first year last year was sow mustard where my spuds were going in to help prevent Eel Worm. It's quick growing. Cut it in the Autumn than manured.

Rest of patch if left with nothing going in, sow Hungarian Grazing Rye but be warned; it's a devil to dig in. Def need a rotavator or, a strong will. There are others that overwinter.

Green manures all the way. Great humus plus I feel it looks good in that there's no bare soil to look at.

PUP!

[gillie]

Green manure takes up the space that could be growing something edible

Green manure has to be dug in

Brown manure can be spread on the top of the soil

Brown manure will keep the soil protected during the winter

Any weeds growing in brown manure are easily hoed off

Brown manure will mostly have disappeared by spring

Thank you worms!

Cheers,

Gillie

[Pompey Spud]

And if you don't trust the manure.

There's always options with pros and cons.

PUP!

[DD.]

Green manure takes up the space that could be growing something edible

Green manure has to be dug in

Brown manure can be spread on the top of the soil

Brown manure will keep the soil protected during the winter

Any weeds growing in brown manure are easily hoed off

Brown manure will mostly have disappeared by spring

Thank you worms!

Cheers,

Gillie

I was trying to point out to the previous poster the advantage of green manure over doing nothing at all!

It's horse poo for me.

[Salmo]

Some green manures such as grazing rye and clover are quite difficult to manage. The easy ones are mustard and phacelia. When they have grown as much as you want just chop them off and leave them on the surface as a mulch until you are ready to dig. Phacelia has an advantage in that it is unrelated to any other crop plant whereas mustard is a brassica,

On a new plot I would concentrate on getting all the weeds out, breaking up any compacted layers in the soil and applying lime if it is needed. If you have mastered these  key things then by all means dig in manure or grow green manure.

[Elcie]

My OH has said that if I ever use green manure again he is not digging over the plot.

Let's just say it takes a lot of digging!

[JKJ]

I am guessing that only a small proportion of the nutrients comes from the atmosphere so again it seem that the green manure takes nutrients out of the ground, then you simply dig it back in. Somehow doesn't seem like a great increase.

almost all the nutrients in a plant come from the air.
plants are made of air and water 

[strangerachael]

I use green manure a lot because
a) I don't have access for a tractor to deliver a large enough quantity of brown manure, and no space to dump it either.
b) I'm worried about possible aminopyralid contamination in brown manure
c) My soil is quite sandy and light and it makes sense to keep it covered in winter to prevent soil erosion and leaching of nutrients, plus it adds lots of humus to improve the quality.

I have found brassicas grow better after a sowing of clover has been dug in, and personally I find the digging in quite satisfying 

[AnnieB]

DD: Never said WEEDS.
Said grass seeds.

Said that I couldn't see the poiint of digging a plot over then scattering what resembled grass seeds over it.

The only mention of WEEDS is that the people clear their plots of WEEDS.

[DD.]

And I said that it would supress the weeds you don't want.

It's OK clearing a plot, but the plants come back. With green manure you have a say in what they are.