Green Manure how to video's

The videos below offer some useful tips regarding sowing and incorporating Green Manure:

How To Sow Large Seeded Green Manure Seeds Video

A short video on how to Sow Large Seeded Green Manure such as Forage Pea or Field Beans.

Clear soil of all weeds and rake soil to a fine tilth. Evenly broadcast seed and dig in seed into soil (see individual packets for required depth). Rake soil to fine tilth again and gently tamp down with the back of a rake. Water carefully.

 

How To Sow Small Green Manure Seeds Video

A short video on how to sow small green manure seeds like Mustard or Forage Rye.

Clear soil of all weeds and rake to a fine tilth. Evenly broadcast seed and gently rake into the surface of the soil. Tamp down lightly with the back of the rake and carefully water.

 

How to Incorporate Green Manure

This short video shows how to incorporate Green Manure into the soil.

Chop up top growth (foliage) into smaller pieces, we use the edge of a spade but can also use shears especially if the foliage is too coarse or long. Turnover and dig in foliage & green manure roots with a spade into soil to a depth of 15cm. Do small areas at a time. Gently tamp downs soil with back of a rake and then rake soil to a fine tilth.

Foliage can be removed or composted if it is too coarse or too hard to dig in or if you just prefer to. Then either dig in roots by turnover in small section or if you wish leave in situ and plant seedlings through roots. This last method is only suitable for annual types that die off once very closely topped, perennial green manures like clovers will continue to grow.

Leave 4 weeks before sowing seed especially with green manures like Forage Rye and Winter Tares as they have a chemical that once released inhibits the germination of small seeds – great against weed seed germination but not so for veg seeds. However small plants/seedlings are not affected and can transplanted with a couple of weeks.

It is best to dig in or top green manures before they start flowering and especially before they go to seed. The stems become woody and they are harder to break down in the soil. However you may wish to allow a few to flower especially the Clovers or Phacelia as their flowers are havens for bees & beneficial insects – they will just need careful management to ensure they do not go to seed unless you wish them to.