In article , ken cohen
writes
Alan Gould wrote in message
news:eV5FNdCzFXG$Ewnf@a
golincs.demon.co.uk...
It is an excellent organic way to condition soil. We have been doing it
for more years than we choose to remember. There are a wide variety of
green manure seed available for differing uses of the area. Mustard is
very good, but as it is a brassica it should be avoided on veg. patches
to be used for cabbages etc. Similarly soil being prepared to grow e.g.
sweet corn, should not be green manured with grazing rye, or
agricultural lupins used on an area intended for peas and beans. Green
manuring should be seen as part of the garden's crop rotational plan.

The Chase/Organic Gardening Catalogue offers many varieties of green
manure seed with very helpful cultural hints, sowing times, densities
etc. at:
www.OrganicCatalog.com


Thanks for that. I am hoping to use my new allotment to grow
vegetables, including cabbages, so I will avoid mustard. But this
raises a more general question about how to rotate crops sensibly.
Is there some comprehensive database of compatible and incompatible
crops for rotation purposes? The Chase Organic Gardening Catalogue,
although full of interesting stuff, didn't seem to help on that
particular issue, but I may have missed something.

The August "Gardening Which" article on green manures also reported
particularly good results from phacelia and crimson clover. Are
there any contra-indications for using these as green manures?

Clover is a legume, so should be avoided where peas and beans are to be
grown. Phacelia is fairly neutral in the crop rotational sense, but it
is one green manure I have not myself tried.

*Other information can be found in the Organic Gardening Catalogue.
*In depth details can be viewed via the HDRA website at www.hdra.org.uk.
*A lot of other useful related details are contained in my urg FAQ about
Organic Gardening at:
http://www.nugget.demon.co.uk/MetaFA...gardening.html
*Gardeners practising organic methods will be happy to answer questions
about it here in urg.

--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.

In article , martin
writes

If you really want to grow organic you need to get the soil checked to
ensure that it's not full of the previous user's chemicals.

That is obligatory for commercial growers wishing to sell food labelled
as organic for public consumption.
Recreational gardeners wishing to grow crops organically for their own
use can do so without tests.
Guidelines for recreational organic gardening are available from HDRA
at: www.hdra.org.uk
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.

In article , martin
writes

If you really want to grow organic you need to get the soil checked to
ensure that it's not full of the previous user's chemicals.

That is obligatory for commercial growers wishing to sell food labelled
as organic for public consumption.
Recreational gardeners wishing to grow crops organically for their own
use can do so without tests.
Guidelines for recreational organic gardening are available from HDRA
at: www.hdra.org.uk
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.

martin wrote:

On Sun, 20 Jul 2003 11:06:37 +0100,
(Jim W) wrote:


I can recommend the Encyclopedia of ORganic Gardening by Geoff
Hamilton.. However I suggest you check out your local library first,
and maybe some book reviews online, before choosing 1 or 2 and ordering
via www.bookbrain.co.uk

www.abe.com is a good source of second hand books.

It is indeed.. Bookbrain searches for the cheapest delivered price for
new books from 15 online book suppliers (one of which, swotbooks, is an
affiliate of abebooks)
//
Jim

In article
1fyc9ns.oz6fsg1jt6z51N%00senetnospamtodayta@macun limited.net,
(Jim W) wrote:

field beans

You can eat these too! They are like a small broad bean, taste quite
good and are early and prolific.

- Plant in autumn on a 6" grid (bed system).
- (Survived about -5C here without cloches)
- Harvest late may and through June
- Note lack of weeds due to heavy shade cast by beans
- Plant area with lettuces and turnips in July.

Steve Harris - Cheltenham - Real address steve AT netservs DOT com