How to make leafmould
Category: Soils and soil improvement
Trench composting is an underused way to improve your soil texture and add fertility to your soil. And it has the added bonus of getting rid of those tough old stems of spent sunflowers, sweetcorn and brassicas. We spent a day trench composting the quarter of our allotment in which we shall be growing our roots next year. Many books tell us not to add manure or humus to the patch where you are planning to grow your root crops but we have found by experience that if the trenching is carried out in early autumn it works just fine. As the depth of soil on our plot is less than a border fork deep we need to keep adding to it in an attempt to build up some depth.
The job gets started as Jude, aka Mrs Greenbench or The Undergardener, takes out a 2 foot wide trench down…
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Where’s Wally? 250 Master Gardeners and Composters (including me) line up for the annual group photo
It was an early start- 5.45.a.m to be precise. Having travelled into Norwich and boarded a coach, we set off for Ryton Gardens, near Coventry. Garden Organic’s HQ, formerly known as the ‘Henry Doubleday Research Association’ in honour of the pioneer organic grower, presents a rich mix of gardens aimed at informing, educating and inspiring gardeners in the ‘organic way’.
I attended the annual ‘Masters Conference’ last year and got to see the gardens for the first time too. This year’s visit was equally interesting and energising, not least due to the concentration of 250 plus growing and composting enthusiasts in one place for the full day conference.
No, not a set from ‘Dr. Who’, just a display of ‘dalek’ and other types of compost bin!
Garden Organic do things right – a highly professional outfit, with some world class credentials when it comes to research and education in organic growing, they value their volunteers, and this shows. Little, but important touches like personalised ‘goody bags’, name badges and schedules as well as the cheery welcome from the large number of staff and volunteers around helped to make the day a big success. And of course there are the annual awards, lots of cake and coffee and the group photo that all bind this volunteer community together in their ‘crusade’ for food growing and composting.
One of two Cakes specially made to celebrate the conference-a masterly effort from a Norfolk Cake maker!
It was interesting finding more out about community composting, some of the ‘goodies’ in the garden (as far as bugs are concerned) and of how projects are using food growing to reach communities that find it difficult to fully engage with society for various reasons.There were also some wonderful tales of Master Gardeners and Composters from around the country who are helping people not only to grow food, but to ‘grow’ themselves! And several of these were from Norfolk.
Apart from the chance to look round the gardens once more, the highlight was veteran naturalist Chris Baines, who gave an inspiring talk about how important it is to create parks, gardens and other green spaces in an increasingly urbanised world to help keep cities cool, air clean, provide habitats for wildlife and psychological respite from living and working places that will in all probability become ever more hectic, hassled and hot! He shared some encouraging signs that developers are starting to integrate such features as ‘rain gardens’ and other nature havens in their plans.
The other cake…
Physalis
Chris Baines
Phacelia
Squash tunnel
A rather large pot…
NMaturalistic planting area
Further information:
Ryton Gardens
Garden Organic
Master Gardener
Master Composter/ Home Composting
Old School Gardener
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Soil that you can make pots from is a challenge…
Having ‘good’ soil is one of the most important elements in successful gardening, though some plants are well adapted to and actually prefer ‘poor’ soils. A good soil is especially important for growing food crops. The terminology and approaches to creating and keeping good soil can be confusing, as this week’s questioner illustrates:
‘My garden seems to have a very heavy clay soil. i want to know what to do to make it easier to work with and I’ve heard the terms like structure, texture and tilth – can you explain what these terms mean and advise me on what to do to improve my soil?’
So writes Lise B. Lowe from Hereford. Well Lise, a good way of summarising the different terms is:
Texture = the mix of different types of soil particle
Structure = the spaces between these particles
Tilth = the quality of the structure
The basic types of soil texture
Texture
Garden soils contain particles of varying size. Clay particles are minute and tend to clog together (which is why your clay soil is so heavy and difficult to work). At the other end of the scale, gravel consists of very large particles; this type of soil drains very easily and so is known as a ‘hungry’ soil. Between these two extremes will be found comparatively small soil particles, known as silt, and larger particles of sand. The majority of soils consist of mixtures of the different sizded particles. The proportions of large, medium and small particles in a given soil determine its texture.
The components of soil structure
Structure
A soil has good structure if it contains a balanced range of particle sizes that provide air pockets of a size to accommodate the right amount of air and moisture for healthy plant growth; it drains well; and contains adequate humus (decayed organic material like leaves and stems which will not decay any further) and other organic material.
Tilth
When soil has been forked and raked and its clods have been broken down to a fine, workable structure it is said to have a good tilth. This quality is particularly important when small seeds are being sown, because it enables them to make good contact with the available soil moisture. Too fine a texture does not make a good tilth because such a soil’s surface will ‘cake’ (develop a hard surface or ‘pan’) in the first shower of rain. So working the soil (and adding different materials to it like organic matter, gravel , sand) produces different tilths, some suitable for seed sowing, others for establishing and growing on different plants etc.
With your heavy clay soil the best approach is to add lots (and lots) of organic material such as compost, humus, manure so as open up the structure of the soil, making cultivation much easier. Autumn is an ideal time to do this, as once you’ve dug over the soil and incorporated organic matter, the winter weather should help to further break down the larger clumps of soil, making it easier to cultivate in the spring. Regularly adding organic matter before you sow/plant and as a a mulch during the growing season will continue to help improve the structure of the soil and add nutrients too.
Adding compost or other organic material to the soil by digging in or as a mulch is a must…
If, on the other hand, your soil, like mine, is on the sandy side, adding organic matter can help with moisture retention and add much-needed nutrients to an otherwise poor soil. I tend to add lower nutrient material such as leaf mould in the Autumn and richer material like compost and manure in the Spring so that the nutrients these contain have less time to wash away and are readily available when plants need them most, as they burst into life. However, if your soil is really in need of improvement then add any organic matter in the Autumn and give it time to break down and blend with the soil. Of course the alternative approach, where possible, is to plant things that are suited to your soil, even if it’s on the ‘poor’ side!
However, you’re probably on to a winner by adding organic material, whatever your soil!
Different soil types
Further information:
Feed your soil not your plants
Old School Gardener
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To buy or not to buy? – compost bags at a Garden Centre
Up to now I’ve relied on buying seed and potting compost from my local nursery. Until about 2 years ago this was the standard ‘multi purpose’ stuff and it contained peat. More recently I’ve switched to ‘Peat Free’ both to do my bit to reduce Peat extraction and because having used it (it’s the ‘Which?’ – recommended ‘New Horizon’ brand) I’ve generally liked it for it’s more flakey, open structure. I’ve also started to use my own compost as a top dressing around plants in the spring and have used specialist composts for ericaceous plants, aquatics and for long-term planting in pots.
I’ve had variable results when I’ve used the shop – bought multi- purpose compost for seed germination, as its larger fragments can be a bit much for some seeds to make contact with and get going. On the other hand, the special seed compost I’ve bought can be a bit too dense and water-retaining , so just the opposite problem. So, now I’m wondering if I should try to make up my own seed and possibly potting mixes. The main argument seems to be that by doing this you can tailor your compost to the job in hand, and more generally, for potting on different plants with their different needs. So, when a new ‘Master Composter’ Factsheet arrived from Garden Organic which contains some interesting information on making your own seed and potting composts, I thought that you might find it helpful too. So I’ll summarise the main points here – maybe by the end of the article I’ll decide what I’ll buy and what I’ll make myself!
Why Make your own compost?
- Organic, peat free composts aren’t always available to buy
- Even commercially produced seed and potting composts have a limited life. If you ony need a small amount buying a 50 or 60 litre bag can be wasteful
- It seems easy to do (hmm, I’ll reserve judgment on this one)
- The basic ingredients such as loam, compost and leaf mould can be readily available at no cost (hmm again, I’m not sure about the quality of my garden soil as the loam…)
- You can make the amount you need as you need it
- If you prefer using animal- free products you can be confident about the ingredients
- You can make different mixes appropriate for different plants and purposes.
What to fill seed trays and modules with?
So what’s the downside?
Apparently it isn’t as simple as it first seems….
Commercial producers spend years developing their products and it’s hard to replicate the characteristics of an ideal growing medium – good structure which retains water and air well but also drains well and which provides the correct nutrients for the plant.
Although plain garden soil will grow seedlings and plants very effectively in your garden, it won’t be as effective if it’s used in a tray or pot. For starters the number of micro- organisms in garden soil is mind blowingly large, and they create just the right balance by regulating nutrient levels, suppressing diseases etc. If this balance is disturbed by using just a small volume of soil in a tray, for example, many of the benefits of garden soil are lost and problems can occur with germination and plant development.
So, trying to come up with the right balance of nutrients in a homemade mix is a big challenge, as the levels of essential nutrients will vary in organic compost and their release is unpredictable. An over – rich mixture, for example, can be as much of a problem as one lacking in nutrients. Ideally, you don’t want a mix that breaks down, leaving trays and pots half empty, or a mix which ‘slumps’, becoming compacted and airless, let alone one which contains diseases.
What are the ingredients?
Seed and potting composts consist of two main ingredients:
- Bulky material to hold the plants upright. Loam, peat substitute or a mix of the two tends to be the most common material used.
- Nutrients to feed them
Specific ingredients are:
Loam – good quality garden soil or home-made loam from old turf stacked upside down and covered for 6 – 12 months and then sieved and pasteurised before used for seed sowing,
Peat substitute such as coir and composted fine grade wood waste. Reclaimed peat from river dredging can also be used (but this can contain weed seeds).
Garden compost is nutrient rich and isn’t needed for seed germination, but is useful in potting mixes and for longer term growing in containers. The release of nutrients can be very variable and it can contain weed seeds.
Leaf mould – 2 year old leaf mould can be used neat for seed sowing or incorporated into mixes to improve structure. It’s rich in micro organisms but low in nutrients and might contain some weed seeds.
Worm compost (from wormeries) is ideal in mixes needing plenty of nutrients and has good water – holding capacity, so is useful in hanging baskets. It can also be spread on the top of these and other containers and watered in where an additional feed is required during the growing season.
Manures – well rotted strawy farmyard manure provides both bulk and nutrients and is best used in rich mixes for long term use, such as tomatoes and peppers growing in pots.
Horticultural grit is needed to ensure good drainage if the loam is too heavy.
Organic fertilisers – bone meal, hoof and horn etc. can be added to a mix to provide the necessary plant nutrients. These ‘slow release’ materials are used in small quantities. Sea weed is another option for those who prefer animal – free fertilisers.
Worm compost- a good top dressing for containers and hanging baskets
What sort of compost?
Different composts suit different needs (all parts are by volume, not weight):
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Seed composts do not need to be very nutritious as seeds come with their own initial power store. Once a pair of true leaves has formed the seedlings need to be potted up into a richer mix. For seed compost use mature leaf mould or a mix of equal parts loam and leaf mould.
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Temporary potting mixes need to be rich enough to sustain a plant during its early life, aiming for sturdy plantlets. This is where making a mix suitable for different types of plant and different stages in their growth process comes in. It might be tempting to make up a rich mix but it’s probably better to be a bit mean on the nutrients to encourage plants grow up ‘hard’. Too much nutrient can lead to lots of soft, lush foliage which is prone to weather damage, and attack by pests and diseases. There are different recipes to try out: either equal parts loam, garden compost and leaf mould; or, 2 parts peat substitute, 1 part grit, 3 parts loam and half part garden compost; or, 2 buckets loam,2 buckets coir/ leaf mould, plus 225g seaweed meal,110g bonemeal and 85g hoof and horn; or 3 parts leaf mould, 1 part worm compost
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Long term potting mixes– a good balance of slow release nutrients is needed to sustain plants in containers for a long time. Try either 4 parts loam (no need to pasteurise) with 2 parts leaf mould or 3 parts loam; or, 3 parts loam, 1 part manure, 1 part leaf mould – this is especially good for hungry, fast growing plants like tomatoes, aubergines and peppers in pots.
Tips for success
- Pasteurise loam when used in a seed sowing mix
- Don’t sow seeds or transplant seedlings into neat garden compost – it may well be too rich
- Add horticultural grit to ensure good drainage wherever necessary
- Make different mixes for different things
- Loam-based mixes tend to be more successful than peat or peat substitutes
- Mix ingredients thoroughly
- Don’t store home – made mixes
- Try out small quantities and monitor plant reactions
- Don’t feed to a rota, but respond to plant growth and needs
- Keep mixes in use only slightly moist – wet soil rots seeds, so if in doubt DON’T WATER! (I think this is where I’ve been going wrong with my shop – bought seed compost)
My usual choice of ‘multi-purpose’ compost- other brands are available…
So will I take the plunge and start making my own seed and potting compost?
I can see the advantages of mixing different things for different plants and stages in development and as seed compost is quite expensive to buy it is probably well worth me making this up for myself. As to potting mixes, I think I don’t produce enough leaf mould and compost and have a good enough loam to make it a realistic option on any scale. It might be best overall if I use most of my own leaf mould as a soil improver in the autumn and garden compost as a mulch in the spring as now, but perhaps use some of these ingredients (and grit) to amend the multi – purpose (peat free) compost I normally buy to make up different potting mixes according to the plants and their stages of development.
What’s your experiences of shop- bought and home-made compost? I’d love to hear from you.
Source: ‘Potting composts: Making your Own’ – Master Composter Factsheet 5 – Garden Organic
Old School Gardener
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Nettles are one of the most widespread and well-known plants in Britain. You might think of them as weeds or nasty things to avoid with bare legs, but they do have some uses in the garden (as well as for making paper, dyeing cloth and eating)!
Urtica dioica – the perennial or common stinging nettle
Urtica urens- the annual or small nettle
The two types – the perennial or stinging nettle and the smaller annual nettle- grow everywhere and their main benefits in the garden are:
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For attracting beneficial insects– the perennial nettle supports some 107 different species, including hoverflies, lacewings, parasitic wasps and ladybirds- all great for natural pest control.
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In the compost heap– freshly cut nettles, especially young, soft growth, make an excellent compost activator, as they provide a good source of nitrogen for the bacteria that start the decomposition process.
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Liquid plant food– research in Sweden has shown that liquid made from nettles gathered in the spring has high mineral content and so if you have access to plenty of nettles at that time of year, you can harvest them and dry for use later in the season to make nettle plant feed. To do this soak 1 kilo of nettles in 10 litres of water for about 2 weeks stirring occasionally. It won’t smell too good, but it’s worth the pong! You then strain the liquid off and use it diluted 1 part nettle juice to 10 parts water. The Nettle remains can be added to the compost heap but won’t act as an activator.
Making Nettle Plant Food- image from Tracey the transitioner
The roots of the perennial nettle form a dense mat from which they regrow each year- I have lots on the edges of the wood next to Old School Garden and they are constantly trying to invade! If you want to use the foliage and still keep them growing, cut them back only twice a year- if you want to be rid of them cut them back 3 or 4 times a year, even so it will probably take a couple of years to clear them entirely!
Source: Garden Organic Master Composter Factsheet 6
Further information:
Nettles- Royal Horticultural Society
Perennial Nettle- Garden Organic
Top ten uses for Nettles- Daily Telegraph
Old School Gardener
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‘Friend or foe?’
‘Prevention is better than cure’ applies to many situations in life and controlling the pests and diseases in your garden is one of them.
As part of the ‘Master Composter’ project providing advice to families and groups about using green waste to make compost and enrich their soil, I’ve recently been sent a useful factsheet about organic pest and disease control. And pest control – specifically pigeons and blackbirds – is presently keeping me well exercised in the garden! More positively, I don’t seem to have had much of a problem with either slugs and snails, aphids or caterpillars – so far. A harsh winter and dry spell may be part of the answer. Anyway, I thought I’d share the basics of this factsheet with you (plus a few thoughts of my own).
Here are 7 tips for effective action to prevent your crops and plants being trashed by those not – so – welcome forces of nature!
1. Healthy soil
Too much fertiliser and your plants will be soft and sappy – providing a lovely lunch for pests and encouraging you to spray to deal with them. Not good practice. Better to feed your soil with a ‘wholefood’ diet of garden compost and leaf mould rather than those ‘fast food’ fertilisers designed to feed the plant and not the soil.
2. Resistant plants
Choose varieties of plant that can withstand the attack of pests and disease; e.g. blight resistant potatoes such as ‘Remarka’ and Sarpo’ and root aphid resistant lettuces like ‘Milan’.
Leaf mould – a great way to improve your soil
3. Rotate your crops
Focusing on the veggy garden, crop rotation is an essential technique to build soil fertility and controlling the build up of pests and diseases. Divide your veg into at least four groups (those in the same or similar families and having similar feeding habits) that stay together each year, but move onto another part of the garden every spring.
4. Barriers and scarers
Keeping pests out of your crops and off your choice plants is probably the most effective way of reducing if not preventing damage. There is a range of different barriers and scarers suited to different types of crop or plant:
- Fine mesh netting – works well for carrot root fly and pea moth as well as pretty well most pests that attack cabbages (flea beetles, cabbage white butterfly, leaf weevils, birds and white fly).
- Other Netting – useful for preventing birds eating/ damaging fruit and vegetables, but remember it should be tightly drawn to the ground to avoid any gaps – my own experience is that pigeons and blackbirds are past masters at finding the smallest of holes and working their way in! Netting can also prevent cabbage white butterflies from laying their eggs on Brassicas, but the gauge of the net needs to be fine enough to stop them. Also, having used hard plastic mesh netting for a while, I’d suggest investing in those made of softer, string -like material (nylon?), as this will drape more easily over crops.
- Cabbage collars – a collar of carpet underlay around the neck of a young cabbage will prevent cabbage root fly from laying its eggs at the base of the cabbage.
- Bottle cloches – made out of plastic bottles (tops and bottoms cut off) and placed over newly planted vegetables will prevent them being eaten by slugs or anything else that takes a fancy to them.
- Small gauge chicken wire – always useful, this can be placed over newly sown peas to stop them being eaten by mice while germinating or being scratched up by cats. Wrapped around flowering bulbs, it can prevent them being dug up by squirrels.
- Bird scarers – a ‘humming line’ (sometimes called buzzwire) criss – crossed over veg and which vibrates in the slightest of breezes will help scare off birds. You can come up with any number of other devices that use the wind to create noises or flashes of light and colour that will put off the birds, but move them around, as birds get used to things being in the same place and will eventually ignore them. I’ve just bought (for the princely sum of £2.50) a colourful windmill that I’ve stuck atop a cane and put over a spot where pigeons come to pinch my raspberries – we’ll see how effective that is! Another method is to tie up old CDs/DVDs to lines between canes to let them flash and move in the breeze. I’ve also seen some pretty realistic models of Owls and other birds of prey and a host of other devices that you can set up to ward off other birds – I’m not sure if they are effective, though.
A beer trap will entice slugs
5. Traps
Beers traps for slugs do work. Codling and Plum moth traps hung from apple trees and other ‘sticky’ traps can also be effective, using a pheromone stuck to a sticky base which attracts male insects and gets them stuck in the glue. Greasebands painted around the trunks of apple trees in autumn will prevent the wingless female winter moth from climbing up the tree to mate. Sticky glue is also useful for glasshouse staging if you have a problem with ants. Sticky yellow bits of card hung up in greenhouses can help reduce the white fly population.
6. Beneficial bugs
These are your best friends when it comes to controlling pests in your garden. Planting simple annuals among the veg (e.g. Marigolds, Californian poppies), will attract a wealth of beneficial insects like ladybirds and hoverflies which will gobble up your aphids. I’ve put some marigolds alongside my tomatoes in the greenhouse for this reason and also planted Nasturtiums which can attract cabbage white butterflies as a diversion away from my Brassicas.You can also plant a few native shrubs and herbaceous perennials (e.g. hazel and hardy geraniums), create a pond, leave a small pile of logs in the corner of the garden or create a ‘bug hotel’ and feed the birds throughout the winter. There are other ‘biological controls’ that you can buy to deal w ith specific problems- little packets of some of the bugs for use in the greenhouse as well as nematodes that can attack some of the more troublesome pests. Any or all of these will keep enough wildlife in your garden to eat literally thousands of pests and their eggs!
‘Bishybarnabee’ – or a ladybird- will eat loads of aphids at one sitting
7. Keep it clean
Think ‘clean cut’. If you’re removing a dead or diseased branch from a tree (e.g one with coral spot), make sure you cut into healthy wood and always wash your tools in boiling water or wipe them with surgical spirit afterwards. Scrub out pots and give your greenhouse a good scrub every winter to get rid of over wintering pests. Maximise air circulation by correct pruning of plants and leaving just a little more space between plants will help control fungal diseases, though his needs to be balanced of course against closer planting to keep weeds under control! Controlling powdery mildew in Roses is something that benefits from greater air circulation, for instance. Finally, and most importantly, be vigilant and check your plants regularly so that any pests and diseases don’t get a foothold. For example, start checking the centre of any Gooseberry bushes in April for Sawfly eggs and larvae. Also be wary of accepting gifts of onion and cabbage plants, as they may well carry onion white rot or clubroot respectively!
So, not a spray in sight – rather planning, forethought, observation and simple control measures can help you beat those garden pests and diseases!
Source: Master Composter Manual Factsheet 4, Jojo Norris, Garden Organic 2013
Old School Gardener
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My previous articles on green manure have covered the why, what, where and when – this final article deals with how to use them to best effect.
Processing your green manure so that the ground can be used again begins around 3 – 4 weeks before you want to make use of the plot for another crop or plant, or alternatively when the green manure approaches maturity – whichever comes first.
There are various ways in which to process the green manure:
- Dig it in – simply turn the plants back into the soil, using a sharp spade, chopping up clumps as you go. Aim to bury the plants no more than 15cms deep on heavy soils, or 18cms on lighter ground. grazing Rye and perennial green manures can be tough to dig in if they have grown well – to make it easier cut down the foliage first and leave it to wilt and possibly dig the plot twice with a gap of a week or two between each dig.
- Leave it to the frost – if you sow a frost tender green manure in late summer you can leave this to be killed by the first frost, and the remains can be left on the soil as a cover over winter.
- Hoeing – annual green manures, like mustard and buckwheat, can be hoed off, leaving the top growth in place or added to a compost heap. You can plant through the green mature foliage or cultivate it further to create a seed bed.
- Mulching – a light excluding mulch can be used to kill off the green manure – black plastic or large sheets of cardboard held down by straw or bricks etc. Annual green manures will die off in a few weeks whilst perennials and grazing rye will take a bit longer – but you can always plant through the mulch.
A mixed Green Manure ready for digging in
Digging in Grazing Rye
No Dig = no green manure?
You may garden using the ‘no dig’ method. If so, you migth feel that grazing rye, even though it is an excellent soil improver, should be avoided. However, you can cut down the rye, spread it with well-rotted manure if required and then plant a crop of ‘no dig’ potatoes on the surface. these can then be covered with a mulch of hay or straw (around 10cm deep) adding more of this as they grow, and topping off with layer of grass mowings before the potato foliage meets across the rows.
Too tough to dig in?
If you forget to deal with your green manure in time and it becomes tough and woody, don’t worry. Just cut off the tops and put them on the compost heap, then dig in the roots or cover with a thick mulch.
Timing is everything…
If you dig in young annual green manures during the summer they will decompose rapidly, leaving you able to plant up the area within a few days of digging in. Tougher plants, like grazing rye, need to be dug in a few weeks in advance of when you need the ground again, especially in spring when decomposition is slower. If you’re aiming to create a fine seed bed after your green manure remember to leave the ground for a longer period than if you are simply planting into the ground. And avoid using green manures where you plan to sow small seeds such as carrots, parsnips and spinach as some green manures have a chemical which inhibits germination.
I hope that these articles on ‘Green Gold’ have been useful, and that you’ll be using green manures in your garden. I’m certainly planning to build on my early experiences last year with sowing more green manures over the coming winter.
Phacelia in flower
Source: ‘Green Manures’- Garden Organic Guide. September 2010
Other articles in this series:
Green Gold: 12 plants for soil improvement
Green Gold- 7 reasons to use green manures
Green Gold: Where and when to use Green Manures
Old School Gardener
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Lupins are useful green manures in light acid soils
I’ve written a couple of articles about green manures and today I thought I’d set out a handy guide to some of the commonest types and their pros and cons.
When choosing a green manure it’s important to check:
- Your soil – some green manures prefer heavy soil, and others lighter soil, some alkaline, some need more acidic conditions.
- Hardiness of the green manure – not all green manures are winter hardy.
- Growing period– choose a green manure that will fit in with what you want to grow next. it must be able to germinate and mature to fit in with your growing plans.
- Crop rotation– choose a green manure that is compatible with your crop rotation. For example Mustard is a Brassica so should be moved around in rotation with that sort of crop. Most of the others listed below are Legumes (peas/beans), but Buckwheat, Phacelia and Hungarian Grazing Rye can be used more flexibly as they aren’t members of one of the main vegetable groups.
- Sowing time– success depends on sowing the green manure at the right time.
- Following crop – some green manures, once turned into the soil, can inhibit seed germination for following crops. Avoid growing green manures in areas where you’ll be sowing crops with small seeds like carrots.
Buckwheat has flowers that are attractive to beneficial insects
Sow green manures from spring to autumn depending on the variety, and sow broadcast if they are small, or in rows if larger. Rake the ground to a fine level tilth – prepare a good seed bed as you would for other crops. Leave the green manure to grow until three or four weeks before you want the ground for something else, or until the green manure approaches maturity, whichever comes sooner. Green manures vary in their time to reach maturity; e.g. Mustard goes over rapidly as it flowers, so it’s best dug in once the first flower buds show. Other annuals can be dug in at or just before flowering. Clovers and other perennials can be cut down after six months or so to encourage re – growth.
Field Beans prefer heavy soils and can be over wintered
What to plant?
Alfalfa – Sow April – July. Grows 1 year plus. Avoid acid and wet soils. Nitrogen fixer*. Deep rooting and can be grown for several years, using cut foliage as a mulch.
Buckwheat – Sow April – August. Grows 1-3 months. Thrives on poor soils. Not a nitrogen fixer. Attractive pink flowers attractive to beneficial insects.
Crimson Clover – Sow March- August. Grows for 2-3 months, may over winter. Prefers lighter soils. Nitrogen fixer. Dramatic crimson flowers, attractive to bees.
Essex Red Clover – Sow April – August. Grows 3 – 18 months. Sow in good loam. Nitrogen fixer.
Fenugreek – Sow March – August. Grows 2-3 months. Well drained soil. Unlikely to fix Nitrogen in the Uk due to lack of suitable bacteria.
Field Beans – Sow September – November. Grows over winter. Prefers heavy soil. Nitrogen fixer. Sow alternate rows with grazing rye to improve weed control.
Hungarian Grazing Rye – Sow August – November. Grows over winter. Likes most soils. Not a Nitrogen fixer. The best for soil improvement, especially on clay soils – but will inhibit small seed germination after digging in.
Lupin – Sow March – June. Grows 2-4 months. Light, acid soils. nitrogen fixer.
Mustard – Sow March – mid September. Grows 1-2 months. Prefers fertile soil. Not a Nitrogen fixer.
Phacelia – Sow March – mid September. Grows 1-3 months, may over winter. Most soil types. Not a Nitrogen fixer. Scented lavender flowers attract bees and beneficial insects.
Winter Tares – Sow either March – May or July – September. Grows 2-3 months, over winter. Avoid acid and dry soils. Nitrogen fixer, and this is quickly available to new plants after digging in.
Trefoil – Sow March – August. Grows 3 months+ . Will stand light dry soils, preferably not acid. Nitrogen fixer. Good for under sowing, e.g. with Sweet Corn.
*Some plants have the ability to gather Nitrogen from the air and ‘fix’ this in nodules on their roots- this supply of Nitrogen is very beneficial to the plants following on.
Mustard is a Brassica and grows very fast, but doesn’t do well in very dry weather
My final ‘Green Gold’ article will give some tips on making the most of these valuable plants.
Source: ‘Green Manures’- Garden Organic Guide. September 2010
Other articles in this series:
Green Gold- 7 reasons to use green manures
Green Gold: Where and when to use Green Manures
Old School Gardener
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‘Iron Man’ Gorilla outside the County Council tent- one of many hand painted gorillas that have just been put on display around Norwich in aid of a local children’s charity.
Yesterday I spent an enjoyable day at the Royal Norfolk Show, the County’s long established ‘agriculture plus’ event that has its own show ground at Easton near Norwich. My main reason for being there was to help man the ‘Master Gardener’ and ‘Master Composter’ stand, offering information and advice about growing food at home and, of course, how to compost effectively.
Just popped in to the show…
All the fun of the fair…
The right pedal is the accelerator…
See that man with the camera? – shoot some water at him….
Climbing wall from Whtlingham Broad Outdoor Centre
Yours truly holding the F.A. Youth Cup (Soccer), which my team, Norwich City, won this year! Come on you yellows….
Something for everyone….
Before this afternoon stint I was able to stroll around, camera in hand, and soak up the atmosphere on this first of the two day show. Over both days the organisers are expecting around 90,000 people to attend, and they are aiming to ‘break even’ financially. It’s interesting that the show has managed to survive the tough financial times as some other county shows have folded completely due to dwindling attendances, not moving with the times or a lack of facilities to cope with poor weather. No signs of that at Easton, where there was a busy, joyful atmosphere, especially as the weather (until the very end of the afternoon) was warm and sunny.
Definetely a day of hats… 
More hats/helmets… 
Summer hats… 
And more hats… 
Red and black… plus tea and cakes 
and other hats…
As expected the crowds were a curious mix of ‘old and new’, or perhaps more accurately, different social groups – the well dressed ‘County Setters’ in their blazers, shirts and ties, flowery hats and summer dresses (most involved in farming in some way), alongside groups of school children and more casually dressed families, teenagers and older couples. A microcosm of the local community in what remains predominantly a rural, agricultural County. Of course an agricultural show wouldn’t be the same without the ranks of huge and intricate machinery, some old, some brand spanking new as well as age-old crafts like horse shoeing and sheep shearing – including an impressive display by the Gressenhall Fam Manager, Richard Dalton, using a set of 100 hundred year old hand cranked clippers!
Steam traction engine from yesteryear 
A trio of Fordsons not quite so old 
Morris Minor Van – on podium 
Big boy 
Horse shoeing display 
Dina and Hannah (in the red) attednignt o the Gressenhall sheep before they were shorn… 
Milking practice… 
Richard Dalton sheep shearing
It’s always impressive to see some of the ‘beasts’ entered for the various cattle, horse, pigs and other animal competitions and the efforts put into their grooming and presentation for the judges. On the horticultural front there was an impressive floral display in one marquee, including some delightful orchids, chrysanthemums and looser mixed arrangements of garden plants nicely in flower and leaf. There were also some amazing floristry displays and the usual competitions for different types of home grown fruit and veg- some impressive Gooseberries caught my eye in particular. I managed to come away from the Norwich and Norfolk Horticultrual Society ‘plant tombola’ with a hand full of very nice seed packets, so I now have a supply of purple Pansies, Amaranthus, Morning Glory and Carrots to add to my seed bank!
Champion bull 
Champion cow 
Pigs being ‘persuaded’ to walk round the ring 
Guinea pigs looking rather ‘sheepish’- part of the Norfolk Industries for Disabled people stand – this social enterprise makes animal bedding. 
Turkeys 
One of the Cromer Crabs gathered from the sea that morning and destined for a restaurant in a couple of days time… 
A beautiful wild flower display 
Orchids 
Exotics – Cannas 
Elephants… 
You can cover almost anything with artificial grass… 
Floral design winner 
Hostas heaven 
Chrysanthemum combos looked super
And the varieties of food on offer reinforced the summery feel too – tumblers full of freshly cut fruit, strawberries and cream and of course ice cream a plenty. And not wasting food was one of the key messages of the Norfolk Waste Reduction Team’s display, which also hosted the Master Composter/Gardener stalls, along with some fascinating crabs illustrating the work of the Fisheries Conservation Agency. This was a great draw for the children who continually asked ‘which one is the most dangerous?’- in truth none of them really, as despite their fierce looking claws, the staff were able to pick them up to show the to the crowds without any apparent fear – or nipping!
Prize winning Gooseberries 
Prize winning onions 
Strawberries and cream 
Fruit cocktails
My afternoon was spent talking to show goers about growing their own food and composting. I had some very interesting chats including a teacher from a local High School who teaches horticulture there and sounds to have a splendid school garden, several couples about starting or improving their compost, helping children to make paper pots and sow seeds to take home (along with all the other ‘trophies’ they collected from the stalls at the show), and other show goers clearly just enjoying growing their own food and with whom I shared tales of the late spring, compared potato growth rates and discussed rhubarb diseases. The next door County Council tent with which we were associated also put on a splendid carousel of displays and activities (including live music) illustrating the array of ways in which the Council serves Norfolk – in fact it (and we) were so good that the whole stand won the Show’s top prize for ‘trade’ stands, so congratulations all round!
Master Composters/ Gardeners 
The Stand 
David Hawkyard (Master Composters Coordinator) discussing composting with a show goerw goer 
Reducign waste food and turnign soem of it into compost- via a wormery 
Not the sort of vintage you’d have on the dinner table! 
Welcome to the County Council tent…
Master Composters/ Gardeners
The Stand
David Hawkyard (Master Composters Coordinator) discussing composting with a show goerw goer
Reducign waste food and turnign soem of it into compost- via a wormery
Not the sort of vintage you’d have on the dinner table!
Welcome to the County Council tent…
So, as you can tell, I had both a very pleasant day out – and one that boosted my energy, interest and optimism for gardening!
Old School Gardener
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Old School Garden 