On Sat, 18 Jan 2014 04:46:47 -0800 (PST), michael
wrote:

On our allotment site in South Manchester,half of it has a sandy soil,and the other half heavy clay.Whereas some years ago we could not get on to the plot before March ( I have had an allotment here for 50 yrs),in the last 10-15 years,we can do some work (like turning over the plot or digging in green manure )from mid March.Must be that the climate in Manchester is changing for the better!
MichaelOn Tuesday, 14 January 2014 11:33:24 UTC, 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. Michael


Michael is is my settings or yours? Your messages and only yours, have
no word-wrap and I have to scroll along for Miles to read your
message.

Pam in Bristol