How to plant mustard in spring. Siderates - mustard in the fall before winter. White mustard: useful properties for the soil

Novice gardeners have only a generalized understanding of the principles of soil greening, while this technology has been used in agriculture for many years to increase the yield of fertile soils and build up nutrients in depleted soils. The technology of using green manure, which is also called, will be of interest to fans organic farming, because it allows you to achieve excellent results in garden plots without resorting to the use of chemical fertilizers.

Ground cover plants that can be used as green manure crops are represented by a wide range of about four hundred names. One of the most popular green manure crops used by farmers in central Russia is mustard. This plant, which has thick, juicy tops and a branched root system of the rod type, helps to balance mineral composition soil, improve its drainage qualities and optimize the water permeability of the earth.

This article will provide information on how to sow mustard on green manure in autumn and spring and achieve optimal farming results with minimal cost, simply by introducing the principle of using "green fertilizers" on the site.

Positive and negative aspects of using mustard as a "green manure"

Numerous green manure plants - mustard, rapeseed, alfalfa, sainfoin, peas, clover, etc., differ in growth vigor, seed cost, cultivation techniques and the nature of the impact on the soil. Before choosing a particular green manure crop, gardeners should study its strengths and weak sides. This section will talk about how mustard is used as green manure in agriculture. Also from the section, readers will learn about the advantages and disadvantages of white and yellow mustard green manure, as well as how they differ from other crops.

So, according to the research of agronomists, soils are considered healthy, with a content of organic matter from 2.5 to 4 percent.

All summer residents who care about the quality of the crop and the preservation of soil health strive to achieve such benchmarks. White or yellow mustard can help them in this matter. Planted mustard as green manure before winter or in spring allows you to achieve the optimal balance of trace elements in the soil and prevent its erosion.

In addition, mustard has other benefits:

  • plant delays nutrients in the soil and protects fertile soil from leaching;
  • spring planting of seeds improves soil structure, and winter mustard as green manure improves the organic composition of the earth;
  • green manure provides the necessary nutrition for the development of microbial life in the soil;
  • mustard helps to increase the nitrogen content in the earth due to the unique structure of the root system;
  • mustard is compatible with most soils;
  • the developed taproots of the plant “lift” nutrients from the bowels of the earth and deliver them to the surface;
  • the plant assists in inhibiting the spread of weeds and pests on the site;
  • mustard allows you to achieve optimal soil porosity for the best growth and development of various horticultural crops.

Among negative aspects siderata it is worth noting the following factors:

  1. the need to equip an irrigation system to moisten the substrate and ensure the development of a sufficient amount of mustard vegetative mass;
  2. high financial costs for the purchase of seeds (to plant one hundred acres of land, the farmer will need to purchase about two hundred grams of mustard seeds).

Despite some shortcomings, the list positive aspects this green manure culture is impressive. In general, mustard as a green manure does an excellent job and allows farmers to achieve good harvests even on depleted soils. However, before going to the store and purchasing seeds for embedding in the ground, the farmer should familiarize himself with the features different varieties mustard.

In particular, white mustard is great for enriching heavy clay soils. This plant has a good vigor of growth and is characterized by an excellent level of seedlings. However, this culture can freeze during frosts when spring planting. But yellow mustard as green manure has great resistance to cold and can be sown on acidified and waterlogged soils. This plant is characterized by drought resistance and unpretentiousness, so it is chosen by summer residents cultivating land in arid regions with problematic soils.

How to sow green manure?

Fortunately for gardeners, the agricultural technology of mustard as green manure is not particularly difficult - the use of this type of "green fertilizer" is within the power of every summer resident. Growing a crop is not very laborious and does not involve large time costs. White or yellow mustard as green manure in autumn and spring is planted in open ground manually. On one hectare of land, the farmer will have to harvest from one hundred to two hundred grams of seeds, depending on the desired results and current state soil. If the number of seeds per hectare is calculated correctly, the farmer will receive the optimal amount of vegetative mass necessary to improve the condition of the land.

The timing of planting green manure should be determined in such a way that the temperature of the earth is suitable for seed germination. Agrotechnics for growing mustard provides for the technology of autumn and spring landing seeds. In spring, mustard must be planted a few months before planting the main crops, and in autumn - after harvesting vegetables or melons. You can read about what other siderats can be planted in the fall.

After sowing the seeds, agronomists advise to bury them in the soil with a hoe to a depth of two to three centimeters, and then irrigate the earth by sprinkling. The first shoots of green manure can be seen on the third or fourth day after planting. Next, gardeners will be interested in one more important question- how much mustard grows as green manure and how to properly dig its vegetative mass to achieve optimal results. This aspect of green manure cultivation will be covered in the next section.

How to close green manure into the soil?

After choosing the optimal time for planting seeds, farmers are looking for an answer to the question of what to do with mustard green manure next. If the planting was made before winter, after harvesting potatoes or tomatoes, then the mustard tops can simply be left on the ground for further decay and assimilation. This technique is popular with fans of no-till farming.

However, some experts in the field Agriculture have a different opinion about whether it is necessary to dig green manure mustard in autumn and spring. They insist that using a shovel to dig up the earth allows you to better structure the soil and achieve the desired result faster. It is better to dig green manure within 30-40 days after sowing. During this period, the vegetative mass is sufficiently developed and suitable for embedding in the ground.

If mustard is planted on the site for the first time, not all summer residents know correctly how to plant green manure in the soil. To avoid mistakes, they should study the specialized literature and give preference to a certain type of embedding the tops in accordance with the specifics of the site and the goals set.

Use of alternative green manures

In addition to mustard, gardeners are also interested in other green manure crops, so you can often hear from them the question of what is better as green manure - mustard or winter rye? Farmers and other green manures compare rapeseed or mustard - which is better? - this issue is also often discussed on thematic forums by lovers of organic farming. To understand the correct choice of a particular green manure culture, it is necessary to study its characteristics.

So, winter rye, rapeseed and mustard have some similarities.

These crops have sufficient frost resistance, have a developed vegetative mass and help the soil "rest" after harvesting the main crops. Winter rye belongs to the cereal family. It improves the structure of the soil and helps to establish the optimal acid-base balance of the soil. This green manure is used in fields intended for growing melons and nightshade crops. You can find out more about when and how to plant rye as green manure.

Rapeseed and mustard belong to the cruciferous family. They are suitable for enriching the soil, which previously grew potatoes and early summer vegetables. Cruciferous green manure - mustard in the fall before winter or rapeseed planted in late September, help prevent soil demineralization, but they cannot be used to enrich the land on which cabbage, radish or radish grew.

As you can see, various green manures have a certain range of effects on the soil. It is important to know how to plant green manure - mustard after potatoes, for example, will help improve the mineral composition of the soil, but after cabbage or radish it will lead to the accumulation of pests and pathogens in the soil. In view of this final choice green manure should be produced taking into account the characteristics of the soil, as well as the nature of the crops cultivated by farmers on certain plots of land.

By knowing how to properly use mustard as green manure, farmers will be able to make the most of their garden plots and achieve excellent yields of major crops. Subject to the agricultural practices of the culture, the planted mustard will provide the effect of “live mulch” in the garden and help protect the soil from erosion, weathering and other destructive factors. Mustard will prevent the spread of weeds in the area, improve soil structure and help increase the amount of organic matter in the soil during the off-season. By learning how to use mustard as a green manure, the grower can stop using herbicides and chemical fertilizers and enjoy all the benefits of organic farming.

There are many ways to improve fertility, but in my opinion, one of the most effective is to sow the area with white mustard. I constantly use this method, it perfectly enriches the soil, makes it loose, breathable, and this, in turn, increases the yield several times. How to sow green manure correctly, why white mustard is preferable to other helper plants, this will be discussed in this article.

white mustard has a lot of advantages compared to other types of green manure: it spicy plant quickly increases the green mass and is able to make the soil rich in vitamins, microelements and other components useful for plants in just a few years.

This crop has many varieties, but the white species is most often used as a soil conditioner. This annual plant belongs to the cruciferous family and is also widely used in the field of cooking and as a folk doctor. Among her relatives, the most “close relatives” can be distinguished: cabbage, horseradish, radish, turnip.

In one summer, green manure grows up to a meter in height, and this is the best thing, it affects fertility, because all this green mass, after being embedded in the ground, perfectly nourishes the structure of the earth, in addition, white mustard is an excellent honey plant, which undoubtedly has a positive effect on fruiting.

Flowering occurs from mid-summer, but it is not necessary to wait for siderat to bloom, usually gardeners mow bright and useful greens and use it either as a fertilizer or as a mulch.

What happens to the soil after the incorporation of green manure

Protecting the soil from weeds is far from the last important purpose of a green manure plant. Under reliable protection greenery, the sun does not destroy the structure of the earth, the roots of the plant serve as an excellent natural baking powder for the soil, and the plant itself enriches the soil with substances indispensable for it: nitrogen and phosphorus. During the growth of mustard, sparingly soluble organic substances and vitamins are absorbed from the earth, this processing process is very important for plants, because in the end, they receive an easily digestible form of elements.

Spicy plant does not allow washing out of the soil valuable minerals during rainstorms, it delays them and at the same time prevents the spread of pathogenic bacteria and fungi. For example: if you plant white mustard after potatoes, then subsequent vegetable crops will not suffer from various fungal diseases, they will not be affected by rot.

Pay attention! The roots of white mustard can grow up to three meters deep into the ground, which means that it is at this distance that the soil is able to receive nutrition. This happens from the very surface to deep layers. Even when the plant is mowed, the root sitting in the soil continues to carry out air exchange processes.

White mustard repels harmful insects and serves as protection against diseases, so grow it next to vegetable crops becomes quite profitable. There are known examples of getting rid of the wireworm on the site in just 2-3 years of planting white mustard. This plant is not welcomed by the pest, and he leaves this area forever.

Is it possible to plant white mustard in spring before tomatoes? Of course, but only if before that radish, cabbage or any other representatives of this family did not grow in the garden.

Agrotechnical features

This plant is able to grow on any soil, however, mustard grows worse on sandy soil, so for these areas it is better to choose a different type of green manure.

Cold resistance is good, the sprouts can withstand temperatures up to -7 degrees, so many gardeners plant the plant themselves. in early spring to get a full mass of greenery by June. In addition, before planting other crops, the soil will have time to receive a dose of nutrition and enrich it with oxygen.

Planting in the spring

For the successful cultivation of white mustard on the site, it is absolutely not necessary to dig it up. To plant seeds in the ground, you can only slightly loosen the ground, add seeds, and then level the soil with a rake, of course, if the size of the plot allows it.

Planting material is quite small, so deep embedding is not required. Seeds are densely scattered over the surface and then harrowed. If it is necessary to plant in rows, the seeds are planted in rows with a distance of at least 15 cm between them.

Approximately 45 days pass from the planting date to the moment of flowering, but you should not wait until this period, the mustard is mowed 14 days before the peduncles are thrown out and dug up with the ground. After that, you can plant vegetables.

The only negative point of sowing is that birds often peck seeds out of the soil, so before the seedlings appear, it is necessary to cover the ridge nonwoven fabric. And yet, in the beds where the cruciferous grew before, better mustard do not plant, as diseases are transmitted "by inheritance". Other types of green manure are suitable here: for example, buckwheat, alfalfa, phacelia, rye or oats.

Watering the culture is not required, since the long root is able to make its way to moisture on its own. In general, this plant is distinguished by its unpretentiousness and speed dial green mass under any adverse conditions, so all farmers, without exception, like to plant it, from inexperienced gardeners to experienced gardeners.

Many use the plant throughout the summer, and also make winter sowing. Then in early spring you can get the first shoots. Seeds winter well and germinate as soon as the snow melts. In any case, this reliable and inexpensive tool will help in enriching the soil, supplying it with all the necessary substances, vitamins and microelements. White mustard is that simple fertility remedy that can be used almost all year round.

In nature, there are several different types of mustards, but as cultivated plant only two are used: white mustard and gray mustard, or sarepskaya.
Familiar to us mustard powder and oil is made from blue mustard. But white mustard is grown as a fodder crop, and this mustard is also used as green manure, although oil is also made from it.

Most of all, mustard was loved by gardeners for its precocity: it quickly sprouts and grows green mass even in the cold season. Seeds are able to germinate already at +1 - +2°С in spring, the plant withstands late frosts at -4 -5°С and continues to develop in autumn at +3 - +4°С. This allows you to sow mustard from the end of March to mid-September.

The green mass of this green manure is rich in useful trace elements and contains:

  • 22% organic matter,
  • 0.71% nitrogen,
  • 0.92% phosphorus,
  • 0.43% potassium.

The yield of mustard green mass can be 400 kg per hundred square meters, which can be equated to the application of 300-400 kg of manure.

The biomass of decomposed mustard becomes an easily digestible fertilizer, while the soil is replenished with organic matter and humus.

And although mustard is inferior to green manures of the legume family in the accumulation of nitrogen, it is able to absorb sparingly soluble nutrients that are inaccessible to other plants and convert them into readily available ones.

An important feature of mustard is that it prevents the leaching of nutrients from the cultivated soil layer, accumulating them in itself.

Soil-forming and soil-protective qualities.

The tap root system of mustard can penetrate to a depth of 2 - 3 m. Due to this, it well loosens, drains, structures the soil and increases its air permeability and moisture capacity.

Considered one of best crops to protect soil from water and wind erosion throughout the season. And if you leave it for the winter, then in the winter. Plus, it delays snow, contributes to less soil freezing.

Phytosanitary qualities.

The main trump card of mustard, as a phytosanitary, are essential oils, which are found in all parts of the plant. Even the very fact of growing this crop in the beds brings a lot of benefits.

Active improvement of soils with mustard consists in:

  • Prevention of pests - their population is decreasing (wireworm, slugs, codling moth, nematodes).
  • Prevention of fungal infections such as rhizoctoniosis, potato scab, root rot.
  • Suppression of the development of weeds, if it is sown in cultivated soil.
  • Improving the living conditions of microorganisms and worms.

Important! A significant nuance is that mustard belongs to the cabbage family, which means it can suffer from the same diseases. It cannot be planted in beds that had cabbage plants last season or will be next. This precaution is necessary in order to reduce the possibility of the spread of the keel.

cultivation

Mustard is demanding on soils: they must be cultivated. It grows best on sod-podzolic soils that have been fertilized with organic matter. Can normally develop on sandy and cultivated peat soils. But on heavy clayey, floating acidic soils or salt marshes, it will not work to wait for the mustard harvest.

In respect of temperature conditions considered a cold hardy plant. Although the peak of the development rate is reached at a temperature of + 29 + 35°C. Under such conditions, mowing ripeness occurs already 37-40 days after germination.

Mustard does not tolerate drought well and requires abundant watering during budding and seed germination.

Planting mustard as green manure

Before planting, the soil must be loosened with a flat cutter to a depth of 5 cm.

You can sow mustard in furrows with a row spacing of 15 cm. Then the seeding rate will be 120 - 150 g per 1 hundred square meters.
And you can - "scattered", then the seed consumption will be 300 - 400 g per hundred square meters. We deepen by 2 - 3 cm. To do this, just speed up the bed with a rake.

In the spring, they are sown before the main crops.

You need to sow a month before planting potatoes and other vegetables. Seedlings appear after 3-4 days.
Before planting root crops, the green mass must be cut off and left on the beds. If the bed is prepared for seedlings, then it can be planted in specially made holes. Mustard will protect young seedlings from negative influences nature. When the seedlings get stronger, we cut the mustard with a flat cutter and leave it in the garden or use it as mulch elsewhere.

During the summer in the aisle of the main crops.

As a phytosanitary officer in busy beds to repel pests, you can sow mustard between rows. The main thing is to ensure that the overgrown green mass does not interfere with the development of the main crops.

Mustard sown before August 10 will bring the most benefits as green manure. With a later sowing, it will perform soil-protective and phytosanitary functions, but the green mass will be reluctant to grow.

For the prevention of beds and changes in soil properties.

On free beds, mustard can be sown 2-3 times per season, be sure to cut off the green mass before flowering.

Important! For maximum effect from mustard as green manure, the green mass must be cut off at the beginning of budding before flowering and must be left on the beds without plowing it into the deep layers. From above, it will bring much more benefit.

As you can see, mustard is a rather whimsical plant. Despite its cold resistance, it imposes strict requirements on soils, which means it is not suitable for everyone. In addition, it slightly acidifies the soil. It is possible that you will additionally have to regulate the acid-base balance.
Be sure to pay attention to this when choosing a green manure. If you didn’t notice any contraindications in your area, you can safely sow mustard - she will answer a hundredfold.

Every avid gardener wants to achieve a gorgeous and tasty harvest. Today, there are thousands of ways to improve crop performance with a variety of chemical fertilizers and additives. But what if you do not want to resort to chemistry? In this case, natural fertilizers come to the rescue, and green manure is among them. These natural helpers include different types crops: legumes, rapeseed, lupins, rye, mustard. Mustard as green manure has proven itself in the long-term practice of professional gardeners. It will be discussed below.

Green manures are real green manures. They can enrich the soil on their own. The concept of "siderat" means "high effect". For the cultivation of such fertilizers are used annual plants, which are able to quickly increase the mass (up to 700 kg per hundred square meters).

Siderate is introduced into the soil in two ways:

  1. They mow the green mass before it blooms, make compost, bring it into the ground where necessary.
  2. After mowing, the green mass is trampled into the ground in the same area of ​​the garden.

Sowing of green mass is carried out in the fall, when winter plants are planted, or in the spring. Siderat should be mowed 2 weeks before planting the main crops. Such fertilizers prevent the development of weeds, protect the soil from wear and tear. sunbeams, loosen it, enrich it with minerals, especially nitrogen and phosphorus.

The roots of green helpers can deliver nutrients to other plants, because they penetrate deep into 3 m. And when the green manure roots die off, the earth acquires good water permeability and improved air permeability. Among other things, green manure It can repel harmful insects, attract bees for pollination, and prevent plant diseases. Mustard is a representative of green manure of the cabbage family, and its relative, winter rapeseed, which has similar characteristics, is also included here.

Types of mustard

Nature has rewarded the world with several types of mustard. Of these, only the White and Sarepta are considered cultural. The second is grown as a spice, and the first is fully used as a green manure. This green manure has been known for a long time, and began its journey in the Balkan regions. The climate of our country is quite suitable for sowing crops in order to improve the soil.

Mustard white

White mustard can grow to a height of about a meter, this plant has yellowish seeds, which in the amount of 1000 pieces weigh 6 grams. The shape of the grain resembles small balls. Swampy, acidic lands are not suitable for this crop, and the seeds ripen at 2 degrees. With a growing season of about 2 months, white mustard tolerates frost well and is a winter crop.

Sarepta mustard

This species is also known as Russian mustard. Normally, she grows taller than her relative. Its seeds have an oblong oval shape. yellow color with a weight of about 4 grams in the amount of 1000 pieces. This species will thrive in dry conditions, but more high temperature the cold is fatal to her. The growing season reaches 3.5 months.

Video "How to sow green manure and why it is necessary"

An informative video on how to sow green manure and why it is necessary.

Features and Benefits

Mustard - excellent green manure. root system can deepen up to 3 m. In autumn and spring, it is indispensable as a buffer against erosion, but if the culture is not mowed, it will protect the garden even in winter. Rapeseed has similar properties, but it is more expensive in terms of cost. Mustard can also hold back snow, so it's a good idea to plant it among winter crops. Mustard and rapeseed love moisture very much - the more moistened the soil, the more beneficial properties the green manure will give it.

The main benefits of mustard as a green manure are:

  • seeds germinate quickly, and the culture builds up a large biomass;
  • contains a huge percentage of nutrients;
  • absorbs micronutrients that are difficult to access for other crops and converts them into a digestible form;
  • sowing green manure clears the area of ​​weeds;
  • protects against insect pests;
  • protects against freezing and improves soil quality;
  • sowing can be done in different times years: autumn, spring, summer.

Nevertheless, before sowing mustard, you need to take into account the rules of crop rotation.

Growing green manure in the garden

When and how to sow green manure? The sowing of this culture is quite easy - it is not whimsical to external conditions, therefore, by laying the seeds in the ground, you can be sure that they will sprout in 5 days, and in 3 weeks after sowing they will be full-fledged crops. White mustard has fairly large grains, they can be planted at a distance of 10-15 cm from each other.

The accelerated sowing method occurs by the usual scattering of grains over the plot (5 g is enough for 1 square meter land). After that, the seeds are leveled, deepened with a rake by 1-1.5 cm - this is enough for the full growth of green manure. Mustard is suitable for sod-podzolic soil, soil with peat, well-moistened terrain. With cabbage, radish, radish, lettuce, rapeseed and mustard have the same diseases, so this green manure should not be used before planting these crops.

First half of the year: the plant is grown in spring. It is important that night frosts end, usually in April. It will take up to 7 weeks to develop a culture as a green manure. In the fall, when the harvest is already harvested, you should prepare for the winter - fertilize the soil. Seeding mustard or rapeseed will also help here. They are grown after potatoes, cereals. If you sow fertilizer closer to winter period, then in the spring they will sprout, and until that moment the seedlings should be at rest. Here it is important to take into account the temperature of the earth, as seeding is done in loose cold soil.

As a green manure, mustard can be sown even in summer. Then it is planted between the main rows of crops, while you need to make sure that the fast-growing phytomass does not interfere with the main seedlings. Ideal Period- laying seeds until August 10. If there are free beds in the garden, then 2 times a season you can sow green fertilizer on them. It must be cut before the flowering period, otherwise the strengthened stems will cause inconvenience.

The norm of mustard seeds as a fertilizer will be: 200-300 g per one hundred square meters in the period spring-mid-August, and 300-400 g in the period autumn-spring. Mustard seeds can be purchased at the market or in a specialized store. You can also collect your own supplies. To do this, the culture is planted in the spring, but not too densely. Collect seeds of white mustard in the afternoon, in the evening, in the morning.

Mustard is a wonderful green helper for all kinds of plants. It is undemanding, easy to handle. Due to the wide sowing period both in April-May and late autumn, it is always available in stores. As a fertilizer, the culture has established itself as an excellent natural supplement for any garden.

Video "How to sow mustard"

Video instruction on how to sow mustard, helpful tips.

Mustard - a well-known spice can be found almost anywhere the globe. The plant is unpretentious, sometimes it is even called a tenacious weed, it adapts well to different climatic conditions. In addition to cooking and animal feed, mustard (Latin Sinapis) has recently been used as a green manure crop to nourish and loosen the soil. There are several varieties of cruciferous, but the subspecies of white mustard is most suitable for fertilizer.

Siderate use of mustard came to us from the Mediterranean. The Balkan climate is similar to the weather conditions middle lane Russia. The main function of the annual is to replenish the deficiency of nitrogen and phosphorus in the earth. Placed in the ground, the green mass passes on to the successor crops valuable trace elements. In addition, mustard is planted for:

  • suppression of weeds on the site;
  • soil improvement. Essential oils of the plant repel many pests (wireworm, codling moth, etc.), and also prevent the spread of fungal infections;
  • stopping soil leaching;
  • protection of the soil from freezing during frosts.

Growing a plant does not require special costs, and seeds can be bought at almost any store.

The only disadvantage of a valuable perennial is its increased susceptibility to rust and powdery mildew.

When to sow mustard as green manure in autumn

The plant does not like acidic, clay and saline soils. In such an environment, a cruciferous representative is sick and does not grow well. They try to throw mustard seeds into the ground immediately after harvesting potatoes or tomatoes, around mid-September. Sometimes gardeners practice planting an annual during the growth of tomato bushes, around the end of August. Tomatoes are already pulled out by mustard seedlings, thus accelerating the process of growing green manure. It is possible to plant a plant in early spring before planting the main crops. The mustard that has reached 20 cm is cut off and laid in the beds.

How to sow mustard on green manure

For an annual, a sunny open space with a pH of 4.5 to 8.2 is chosen. The soil after harvesting the main crop is cleared of weeds. It is advisable to introduce humus into the soil before planting mustard (1-2 buckets per 1 sq.m.) and, if necessary, dolomite flour for deoxidation.

The plants are planted in a row, or seeds are poured into the prepared beds in handfuls. They try to make the beds as close to each other as possible so that the seedlings are thicker. Thus, they protect the earth from erosion and washing out of the elements.

When sowing, it is important to adhere to the planting depth, do not bury the seeds deeper than 1 cm.

They finish the work by harrowing the earth with an ordinary rake. The first shoots appear on the 3-5th day. Some gardeners practice covering the plot for 3-4 days with a film to speed up seed germination and lightly irrigate crops.

Seeding rate of mustard on green manure

Usually seed consumption depends on the location of the beds:
with manual scattering - 300-400 g per hundred square meters;
with a row spacing of 15 cm - 120-150 g.

These rates may vary depending on the structure and depletion of the soil.

When planting mustard, one should not forget about compatibility with other crops. Below is a table that will prompt the choice of "friendly" and "hostile" green manure:

When to mow and bury mustard like green manure

Plant growth is directly related to weather conditions. After 1.5 months, when the height of the stem reaches 20 cm, the mustard is cut. A prerequisite is the harvesting of the plant before flowering, otherwise the stems will thicken and the culture will take useful substances from the soil. And if you leave a faded crucifer in the ground, then in the spring it will turn from green manure into an annoying weed.
Digging mustard is carried out in calm weather using a walk-behind tractor or a shovel. For complete decomposition of the material, the crushed plant is moistened once a week (2 buckets per 1 sq.m) or Baikal EM-1 is added to accelerate the effect.

Mustard yellow like green manure

What is white, what yellow view plants are very similar in appearance. They are annuals, reaching a height of up to 80 cm and the color of their flowers is identical - yellow. Both species quickly germinate and grow green mass. The only difference between the cultures is the color of the seeds, in the second it is noticeably yellower and richer. This is where the name of the species comes from. Yellow mustard is a valuable honey plant, but it is rarely used as a “green manure”. Plant and grow a plant in the same way white mind. This plant is different high yield, 400 kg per hundred square meters.

White mustard as green manure in autumn

The white type (English) of mustard is best known in Russia. It has several varieties: Zeeland, Rainbow, Talisman and Standard.
As a green manure, it is applied both in autumn and early spring before planting. For this, open or closed ground. On the fourth day after sowing, the first shoots of this valuable plant appear on the site. In terms of efficiency, mustard exceeds the effect of manure several times.
In autumn, the plant is planted immediately after harvesting, they wait until it begins to bloom, mow and dig up the ground.
Other cruciferous plants cannot be planted on the mustard site, because. seedlings turn yellow and grow poorly.

Siderata rapeseed or mustard which is better

Choose one or another "green fertilizer" depending on the type of soil, growing season and greater biomass. For cold regions, such as the Novosibirsk region, mustard is more suitable, because it can be sown twice per season.

That the first, that the second culture belongs to the cruciferous, so the plants are not planted in place of the predecessors of cabbage and radish. It is also not permissible to plant a plot with rapeseed before planting the main crop - beets.

Rapeseed is more demanding on the soil, dying in wet areas. The spring species is planted in the ground in late autumn, and by mid-May, the green mass is mowed and dug up. A sharp change in weather conditions in a plant causes root rot.

Phacelia or mustard as green manure which is better

Phacelia is superior to mustard in many respects. A versatile plant can be sown in any area, despite the crop rotation, and after mustard, other cruciferous plants are not planted. Phacelia is a leader in growing green mass, moreover, it tolerates cold well and looks much more beautiful from mustard in the garden. Plus she's creepy garden pests: aphids and codling moth. A green fence made of phalecia along the perimeter of rows with potatoes scares away essential oils wireworm and soil nematodes.

The only disadvantage of phalecia is the high cost of seeds.

Mustard as green manure reviews

  • Irina, Taganrog:“I consider mustard to be the cheapest green manure, only 60 rubles. for a sachet. I sow greens on the plot after harvesting three years in a row. The earth is like fluff, without lumps.

  • Marina, town. Yablonovsky:“I started using mustard in the form of green manure in the greenhouse. I was surprised by her germination and fast growth. With the advent of buds, the plant was mowed and sunk into the ground with a chopper. Now I got used to planting it in open ground, leaving it uncut in the winter. For three months of cold weather, it rots and enriches the site.
    The only thing to consider when choosing a site is the alternation with other cruciferous.

  • Ivan, Abdulino:“As I understand it, green manure mustard displaces weeds well and enriches the soil. Because of the construction, there is absolutely no time to take care of the site, so this year I will sow all my 10 acres with mustard. Let the “green protector” loosen the soil and protect it from weeds.”

  • Ekaterina, Belovo:“After harvesting the onion, I always sow the area with mustard, and this year I transplanted strawberries and also sown a valuable crucifer in the aisle. After a month and a half, I cut it off, put it in the grooves and fall asleep. By spring, everything rots perfectly and the earth is like fluff.

For those who do not like to introduce chemistry into the ground, growing green manure mustard perfect solution enrichment and protection of soil from pests and diseases.