In article , ken cohen
writes
There was an article on this subject in this month's Gardening Which.
The idea was that instead of laying down black plastic sheeting/old
carpet or whatever on bare soil over the winter, you sow the ground to
grow a crop eg. mustard, which will cover the ground, prevents weeds,
nourish the soil, and then in February/March, you simply dig it into
the soil which will then be ready for sowing/planting whatever you
really want to grow.

Sounds like a good idea to me, but what do people think about it?

It is an excellent organic way to condition soil. We have been doing it
for more years than we choose to remember. There are a wide variety of
green manure seed available for differing uses of the area. Mustard is
very good, but as it is a brassica it should be avoided on veg. patches
to be used for cabbages etc. Similarly soil being prepared to grow e.g.
sweet corn, should not be green manured with grazing rye, or
agricultural lupins used on an area intended for peas and beans. Green
manuring should be seen as part of the garden's crop rotational plan.

The Chase/Organic Gardening Catalogue offers many varieties of green
manure seed with very helpful cultural hints, sowing times, densities
etc. at:
www.OrganicCatalog.com
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.