"michael" wrote ...

I try to plant green manure these days supplemented with my own compost and
fish blood and bone.I have had bad experience with local rotted horse
manure containing pesticide residues,and have given up using it.I tend to
sow a green manure in mid August,after for example peas and potatoes have
been taken up.I sow the seeds in 2" deep grooves about a foot apart as this
protects attack by pigeons before germination,then dig it in in mid January
so that the grown green manure has rotted away by April.
I normally use a green manure called Ryecorn,which I obtain from
Tuckers.Unfortunately fresh seed for this crop tends now only to be
available in
mid September from Tuckers,which I find somewhat late to obtain good growth
by mid winter.
This year I have changed to Italian Ryegrass,since fresh years seed becomes
available in May,and this has grown very well from its sowing last August.
I think that generally I would prefer Ryecorn,since it produces a thicker
leaf and stronger root system,but it is important to use fresh seed since
the germination falls off very rapidly.
I would like to know whether anyone in this group has experience of sowing
green manure in August for digging-in in midwinter,and where they get their
seed from.

I don't use it after a very bad experience with it on our clay/silt soil, it
went solid after I dug the ryegrass in as it bound it together brick like.
Another plot holder planted a strange green manure this year, it grew to 3
or 4 feet tall very quickly and looked a bit like potato hulms, not looking
so good now.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK