On 14/01/2014 17:26, Bob Hobden wrote:
"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.

Buckwheat?

--
Stewart Robert Hinsley