Which Green Manure
 

Hi

I am looking at overwintering my plots with a green manure. I tried this a couple of years ago. I found however that when it came to digging it into the soil it was very difficult, and it kept growing back.

Does anyone know of a green manure that I can just chop down and leave the foliage on the surface to decompose with no risk of it growing back. i.e. the process of chopping the foliage effectively will kill the plant and the roots will decompose in-situ and the foliage on the surface.

Thanks.

Which Green Manure
 

In article ,
anthony123hopki wrote:

Hi

I am looking at overwintering my plots with a green manure. I tried this
a couple of years ago. I found however that when it came to digging it
into the soil it was very difficult, and it kept growing back.

Does anyone know of a green manure that I can just chop down and leave
the foliage on the surface to decompose with no risk of it growing back.
i.e. the process of chopping the foliage effectively will kill the plant
and the roots will decompose in-situ and the foliage on the surface.

Thanks.

Cover with newspaper, or cardboard which, in turn, should be covered
with 3" to 4" of mulch (leaves, straw, ect.).
--
- Billy
Both the House and Senate budget plan would have cut Social Security and Medicare, while cutting taxes on the wealthy.

Kucinich noted that none of the government programs targeted for
elimination or severe cutback in House Republican spending plans
"appeared on the GAO's list of government programs at high risk of
waste, fraud and abuse."
http://www.politifact.com/ohio/state...is-kucinich/re
p-dennis-kucinich-says-gop-budget-cuts-dont-targ/

[W]e have the situation with the deficit and the debt and spending and jobs. And it¹s not that difficult to get out of it. The first thing you do is you get rid of corporate welfare. That¹s hundreds of billions of dollars a year. The second is you tax corporations so that they don¹t get away with no taxation.
- Ralph Nader
http://www.democracynow.org/2011/7/19/ralph_naders_solution_to_debt_crisis

Which Green Manure
 

anthony123hopki wrote:
Hi

I am looking at overwintering my plots with a green manure. I tried
this a couple of years ago. I found however that when it came to
digging it into the soil it was very difficult, and it kept growing
back.

Does anyone know of a green manure that I can just chop down and leave
the foliage on the surface to decompose with no risk of it growing
back. i.e. the process of chopping the foliage effectively will kill
the plant and the roots will decompose in-situ and the foliage on the
surface.

Thanks.

Not knowing what your winter is like it is hard to guess.

Try a rural feed/seed store. You want something that is an annual that
suits your winter. You keep control of it by cutting it (or the heads at
least) before the seeds are mature. The plant will die of its own accord
and unless you let some seeds escape you wan't have any more next year.
Oats, rye or millet are possibilities if they fit your climate.

David

If you're in London, there is a fair chance you have got heavy clay [you're welcome to it!] It's a bit late now for this year with the green manure.
Another year try sowing either tick [field] beans, they are like a smaller broad bean or lucern. I would cut them with a mower or strimmer when about 8 inches high, let them grow again to about 6 inches, cut them again and dig them straight in.
Make sure your spade is sharp, take spits no more than 6 inches wide, and don't forget to keep an adequate trench, you shouldn't have any trouble and it will help break up that brick making stuff you have instead of soil! Good luck.
All the best Paul Rix [oldgeezer]
[author of 'beyond the potting shed']