Green manures are special plants that contribute to the structuring of the soil and its saturation with useful substances. They can be planted at different times. Annual plants that have developed roots and rapid growth of vegetative mass are used as winter green manures. Thanks to this, the plants loosen the soil. The cut green mass is used as mulching material.
What are winter green manures for?
Green manure can be planted at different times. This is done in spring, summer, early autumn. Winter sowing of plants is also possible.At the same time, it is important to prevent green manure from maturing, since they can become weeds. It is possible to achieve a good effect when mowing greenery when the shoots are 20-30 centimeters high or during budding.
Winter planting of green manure has many advantages:
- Save time when planting vegetables in spring. This applies to cabbage, potatoes, carrots.
- Increasing the period of residence of green manure in the soil structure. They may remain there until May. This improves the loosening of the soil by the roots and promotes the release of mineral salts, which are required for later crops.
- Protection from the spring sun and recurrent frosts. This effect is achieved due to the abundance of greenery. After mowing, shoots and leaves can be used as cover mulch.
Which one is better to choose?
It is recommended to choose green manure depending on the crop. Such plants belong to different families and differ in certain characteristics. So, to clear the beds of clubroot, it is forbidden to plant cruciferous vegetables - mustard, radishes, turnips.
In addition, plants differ in terms of germination time, vegetative cycle and soil requirements. So, peas develop well on light sandy loam soil. However, it does not grow in heavy soil. It is worth planting beans and beans in loamy soil.
It is important to consider that plants differ in functionality:
- Legumes help saturate the soil with nitrogen.
- Cereals and cruciferous vegetables fix nitrogen in the soil. With their help, it is possible to convert minerals into a more accessible form and prevent demineralization of the soil.
- Rapeseed and rapeseed - help increase the humus layer due to the large amount of leaf mass. They are used as green fertilizer.
- Phacelia, oats, buckwheat, lupine - help reduce soil acidity parameters.
- Oilseed radish, white mustard, calendula, nasturtium, legumes - suppress the activity of nematodes and pathogens of various pathologies.
- Phacelia, mustard, sunflower, annual ryegrass - have pronounced honey-bearing properties.
All green manures loosen the soil with their root system. This effect is especially pronounced in lupine, oilseed radish and beans.
Many plants in this category suppress the development of weeds. This is due to their high sowing density or rapid growth.
List of the best plants
It is recommended to choose green manure taking into account the problems that need to be solved. At the same time, there are a number of popular plants that have a complex effect.
Vika
This plant helps saturate the fertile soil layer with nitrogen. The culture also provides protection for seedlings from attacks by slugs and birds. Vika successfully clears the area of aphids and mole crickets.
The disadvantage of the plant is the need for frequent watering. It is recommended to plant seeds in moist soil. With the arrival of spring, the greenery needs to be mowed and the soil needs to be dug up. After the vetch, it is permissible to plant various vegetables and cabbage. At the same time, sowing legumes is prohibited.
White mustard
This green manure does not require subsequent plowing into the ground. During severe frosts, its shoots and roots rot, but manage to saturate the soil with useful substances. When planting white mustard, it is worth considering that it does not tolerate acidic and swampy soil types.
It is recommended to plant the plant to a depth of a maximum of 3-4 centimeters. It is also permissible to scatter seeds over the surface of the soil. It is necessary to mow the shoots before flowering begins and the seed material ripens.It is recommended to carry out planting work at the end of August.
Winter rye
The culture perfectly grows lush greenery and easily tolerates frost. After this green manure, you should plant cucumbers, tomatoes, potatoes and pumpkins. The only disadvantage of the plant is the small amount of nitrogen that is released during decomposition in the soil.
Winter oats
This green manure helps loosen the soil, cope with parasites and weeds, and saturates the soil with useful substances - potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen. Oats also help suppress soil pathogens.
It is best to plant the plant in early autumn so that it has time to get stronger before the cold weather arrives. Oats tolerate winter well and help retain all the necessary microelements in the soil. With the arrival of spring, the crop begins to grow rapidly. When the shoots reach 20 centimeters, it is recommended to mow the greens.
Rape
This green manure helps to structure the soil and saturate it with phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen. After this plant, it is permissible to plant tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers. Rapeseed is characterized by rapid development. During autumn planting, it ensures disinfection of the soil and prepares it for spring planting of garden plants.
However, compared to oats and rye, rapeseed is considered a more demanding crop. It does not tolerate temperature fluctuations and the influence of high humidity. Under such conditions, green manure begins to rot and die.
Working in a greenhouse
Greenhouse plants require more careful care than ground plants. After digging up the soil, it is worth planting green manure. Mustard, rye, and oats tolerate cold well. They manage to rise before severe frosts and form a powerful root system. With the onset of spring, the greens need to be buried. This will help obtain valuable humus.
