[flowerpower]

I'm planning to leave a few beds fallow this winter.

I keep reading about this green manure, but have no idea which seed(s) to choose. It all seems to be rather scientific and I'm not sure how to arrive at a conclusion.

The other idea I have is to shovel compost/manure on the beds and cover with weighted terram or weed suppressent fabric....

I could do with a few months off weeding!

Any ideas as to which way to go?

Anyone with experience of planting green manure?

Many thanks!

[Yorkie]

There's been quite a few posts recently on this subject, too many to post links to, but if you input green manure into the search box (link near the top of the page) you'll find them and hopefully they'll help you with some info

[flowerpower]

Thanks Yorkie. Should have checked first.

Having said that, I have had a look at most of the info and am still struggling to work out what to plant in which bed!

[Ivah]

I'd go with heavy mulch, let it get thoroughly wet then sheet it over.

[Brixton Crack Squirrel]

I went for Hungarian Grazing Rye to break up heavy clay in one bed - worked pretty well- and Field Beans in another - also quite sucessful although I'm not sure of the advantages (if any) of planting field beans over Broad Beans - you get to eat Broad beans!

[Yorkie]

You can eat field beans too!

[galen]

flowerpower, sorry I missed your posting before I started my last thread :

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=43952.0

I'm with you, get very confused as to where what fits. I believe from reading previous posts that White Mustard is good to follow spuds as it helps any wireworm problems but then I get lost. Where, now I've found a supplier and kind of know what they are, do I put my field beans ? They must be legumes so do I just put them in where my peas/beans etc have been this year knowing they're be out next spring and, in my case, followed by brassicas in the early summer ?

May be I'll just cover everything in a layer of manure, although that will prove to be a bit expensive even on my half plot (don't drive and no free supply)

[flowerpower]

I kwym Galen - the information is there, its just a question of applying it to your plot. As i have 11 small raised beds and hope to use a rotational system, by brain can't compute quite what I need and where!

I may just smother them with home made compost and some manure and cover over just like you!

[richardoram]

second year of planting field beans and something else, (sorry can't remember what they were, my wife planted them) on our overwintering fallow beds, worked really well. Just remember to dig them in before they set seed!

R

[peterjf]

tares is a great green manure , just let it grow and dig it in before it flowers in late february