Ground breaking plant
 

I read that some plants that develop a strong deep tap root quickly can
be used to help to break up compacted soil. I am going to be
rehabilitating a cow pasture and I need all the help that I can get in
this repect.

I would like something that grows quickly from seed, that is strictly an
annual or can be easily contolled otherwise so that it can be removed
when it has done its job. If it was a legume and could be left as a
green manure also that would be a bonus. I am in a warm temperate area
where we are into autumn, you can expect the occasional frost during
winter but no snow, the rainfall is around 1100mm PA and the soil is
rich clay-loam river bottom. Any suggestions?

David

Ground breaking plant
 

On Thu, 22 May 2003 09:05:18 +1000, "David Hare-Scott"
wrote:

I read that some plants that develop a strong deep tap root quickly can
be used to help to break up compacted soil. I am going to be
rehabilitating a cow pasture and I need all the help that I can get in
this repect.

I would like something that grows quickly from seed, that is strictly an
annual or can be easily contolled otherwise so that it can be removed
when it has done its job. If it was a legume and could be left as a
green manure also that would be a bonus. I am in a warm temperate area
where we are into autumn, you can expect the occasional frost during
winter but no snow, the rainfall is around 1100mm PA and the soil is
rich clay-loam river bottom. Any suggestions?


Borage would be a good choice, so long as you slash it before it seeds
as it is a prolific seeder and can become a weed. It has a good deep
tap root which will "mine" deep nutrients and release them back into
the soil as the tap root decays, and you can leave the slashings as a
fertile green manure.

Potatoes may also be a good choice, if you are able to rip the soil
first.

Tara

Ground breaking plant
 

David Hare-Scott wrote in article
. ..
I read that some plants that develop a strong deep tap root quickly can
be used to help to break up compacted soil. I am going to be
rehabilitating a cow pasture and I need all the help that I can get in
this repect.

I would like something that grows quickly from seed, that is strictly an
annual or can be easily contolled otherwise so that it can be removed
when it has done its job. If it was a legume and could be left as a
green manure also that would be a bonus. I am in a warm temperate area
where we are into autumn, you can expect the occasional frost during
winter but no snow, the rainfall is around 1100mm PA and the soil is
rich clay-loam river bottom. Any suggestions?

David

Lucerne! If you get desperate it also doubles as alfalfa sprouts.

gtoomey

Ground breaking plant
 

"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
...
I read that some plants that develop a strong deep tap root quickly can
be used to help to break up compacted soil. I am going to be
rehabilitating a cow pasture and I need all the help that I can get in
this repect.

I would like something that grows quickly from seed, that is strictly an
annual or can be easily contolled otherwise so that it can be removed
when it has done its job. If it was a legume and could be left as a
green manure also that would be a bonus. I am in a warm temperate area
where we are into autumn, you can expect the occasional frost during
winter but no snow, the rainfall is around 1100mm PA and the soil is
rich clay-loam river bottom. Any suggestions?

David

Although I've asked farmers what they use in the spring (something like
winter wheat, but for spring), I never remember. Got an Agway farm store
nearby, or a cooperative extension office? You can till this stuff in when
you're done with it and it does wonders for the soil.

Ground breaking plant
 

David Hare-Scott wrote:

I read that some plants that develop a strong deep tap root quickly can
be used to help to break up compacted soil.
David
snip


I go along with Tara - spuds is the conventional plant for breakin up
and cleaning soil. The dense cover and the working kills a lot of the
weeds, as well as breaking the sod
Barrie