Tomatoes are quite a soil-demanding plant. To grow juicy and tasty fruits, tomato bush takes away a lot of nutrients from the soil, and its root system makes it more dense and less permeable to air and water.

As OBOZREVATEL found out, experienced gardeners recommend after harvesting tomatoes and even before the onset of cold weather to plant a plant on the bed, which will help to improve the state of the soil on the bed. This plant is from the group of so-called siderates - mustard.

What are siderates

This group of plants is also called green fertilizers. They are grown on temporarily vacant plots of land to enrich it with nitrogen, slow the growth of weeds and improve soil health.

Before they bloom, they are mowed and then either left lying on the ground or mixed with the topsoil. By decomposing naturally, the plants saturate the soil with nutrients and change its structure for the better thanks to their extensive root system.

What mustard can help with

Mustard as a siderate crop has several useful properties at once. Let's dwell on them in detail.

Restoration of the nutrition of the land. Mustard is able to restore the balance of nitrogen in the soil. Consequently, and avoid the accumulation of harmful salts, as well as the depletion of the land, which will have a good effect on the next year's vegetables. Also, when used properly, it works as an organic fertilizer with a good combination of nutrients. Some of these substances go directly into the soil and some of them feed beneficial microorganisms.

Improved soil structure. The deep and branched roots of the plant loosen the soil even better than digging or weeding. This helps to make it lighter and more permeable to water and air. It's also how the plant secures the soil from erosion. Quality soil will not be washed away by rains or melting snow or scattered by the wind.

Pest and disease control. Mustard has learned to produce stinging substances precisely for protection against pests. Therefore, it is a natural way to revitalize the soil and reduce the risk of infection of vegetable crops with various diseases in the future. This means less chemicals will be needed next year to protect your crops.

How to grow mustard as a siderate

The plant can be sown soon after the tomato harvest. Mustard will germinate quite quickly and turn the bed into a nice green lawn.

However, even before the plant blooms, the area where it grows should be dug up with the seedlings, leaving the remains of the plant in the ground. During the fall and winter, it will naturally rot and do its work.

But the main thing is not to miss the moment and do not let the mustard to form seeds and, especially, to populate. This can turn it into a weed, which will be very difficult to get rid of.

Previously, OBOZREVATEL told when and how to properly harvest beets and carrots in the fall.

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