G IS FOR GREEN MANURE
We planted out our first green manure crop this week.
For the uninitiated, green manure crops consist of oats, millet, clover and legumes like broad beans &chickpeas. These are allowed to grow until flowering stage, are then cut back at ground level and left on top of the soil so the foliage can to decompose back into the soil.
The idea is that if using legumes you fix nitrogen back into the soil in a form that future plants can access. Millet, oats etc are used to increase the organic matter in the soil attracting worms and retaining moisture. The big bonus is that all of these plants have deep roots. This means that they drag up minerals from deep in the soil, it’s good because short rooted veggies like lettuce and spinach love these minerals and they will only get access to them if you grow a green manure crop or replace them chemically.
I’ve settled on oats, millet, chickpeas, broad beans, clover and rye. I have mixed all the seeds together in a bucket and have thrown them all over the garden beds to grow over winter.
Our first sowing last week was a dismal failure due to the restaurant like attitude of the growing sparrow population but we have covered the beds with bird netting and they seem to be back at the aphids with only a wistful look at the garden now and again.
I’ve got a small planting of lettuce, carrots and spinach for us over winter and I've put in garlic and shallots which will be ready about June/July; until the soil is replenished I don’t want to plant too much. The good thing is the amount of worms in the beds at the moment. Obviously the soil is still really healthy. I had a little dig around yesterday and there are worms in there a good 12 cm long. In fact any longer and we’d have to call them snakes.
People are losing the ability, skill and knowledge to grow gardens. I grew up in a garden like a weed myself, but I've never had more than a backyard variety since I left home. I still remember my Grandparents' self-supporting gardens with fondness. Those are some huge earthworms! I found a medium one in my potting soil this morning along with some very healthy crickets. Good post.
ReplyDeletethankyou, and you are right, there are a lot of people out there who dont know where their food comes from. My Grandparents and parents had veggie patches and fruit trees & my Dad is from a farming family but none of the knowledge was really passed on. I find that most people will buy frozen rather than grow it themselves. Its a pity really as they can grow so many in pots now & the difference in taste is amazing.
ReplyDeleteThe worms were a surprise, normally we have the normal sized ones but I have been layering mulch and compost in there for over 1 1/2 years now and we seem to be breeding biguns.
Sounds like a really cool project. I remember growing vegetables in my grandmas garden a few years ago. She fertilizes with cow manure because they raise cows. We had kale hip-high and carrots everywhere! It was crazy! Her garden is amazingly fertile.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the challenge!
Dianna Fielding
sociologyfornerds.com
Thanks for stopping by Dianna. Cow poo is brilliant for veggies no wonder your Grandma had a good garden.
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