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I'm hoping to sew some green manures this year. I'm confused about where to plant them. I have a strict rotation for my crops but how do I fit the manures in? I know I shouldn't plant mustard where I'm hoping to plant brassicas but where do I plant winter beans or clover? Is it where my beans have just been or where they will grow next year, or where they'll be in 2 years time? I don't have enough space not to break the rotation. Help.
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An té nach gcuireann san earrach
ní bhaineann sé san fhómhar.
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I was of the opinion that green manure was only sown to fill up an empty space over the winter so as to keep the weeds down. I know its also sown to improve the soil but aagain, only on a space where there is nothing growing over the winter. Good Luck
And when your back stops aching,
And your hands begin to harden.
You will find yourself a partner,
In the glory of the garden.
Rudyard Kipling.sigpic -
see the other thread on rotation RM. Stricktly speaking you shouldn't plant Brassicas on the same ground (Mustard) or Legumes where the peas & beans go (this includes field beans & lupins) but then you start to get into difficulties. SO you can either take the pragmatic approach & sow where those crops have been already or just limit yourself to Hungarian grazing rye for winter (maybe clover) & then you'll get the benefit withou the problems of crop roataionntg
Never be afraid to try something new.
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Regarding mustard (see my post on the green manure thread), we've got brassica growers using Caliente Mustard in their rotations with no problems so far. If you don't suffer from club root then i wouldn't be too worried, however, if you do then i'd avoid it to be on the saffe side. We're doing club root trials at the moment but no results as yet.
The way i look at it, if you are incorporating the green manure back into the soil you've not taken anything away (unlike harvesting a crop) so all the goodness is going back in. It also helps to mop up excess nitrogen and prevents leaching over the winter. Remember though that mustards are not generally very frost hardy so either incorporate before ther first frosts or sow it late and attempt to overwinter it at the 2-3 leaves stage (not all mustards will do this though).There's vegetable growing in the family, but I must be adopted
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