Summer green manures

If you have begun clearing beds and you have no plans for follow on crops you can sow summer green manures that will rest the soil, keep the weeds off and depending on the variety you use fix nitrogen too, helping to restoring fertility. On Wednesday after the onions and garlic were taken up in the VEC garden we sowed in Mustard, a very fast growing bulky green manure. There are lots of other summer green manures that you can still sow at this time of the year;

Mustard green manure

Buckwheat
Catch crop,attracts bees,weed suppressor

Crimson Clover
Quick growing,annual N-fixer, beautiful flowers, attracts bees







Fodder Radish
Weed suppressor, deep rooting, improves soil structure

Phacelia 

Organic matter, strong roots, attracts bees. Lovely blue flowers.

Red Clover
High yield, forage, N fixer, fertility building, deep
rooting, improves soil structure

White Clover
N-fixer, large leaf, vigorous

Sowing green manure