Significantly improve fertility: what green manure to sow in October

Green manure improves soil structure and enriches it with nutrients. Sowing green manure can even protect the land from erosion. The root system of these plants penetrates deep into the ground, loosening it and improving aeration.

OBOZ.UA tells you which green manure is better to sow in the fall. Some of them will significantly improve fertility in the next season.

Why sow green manure

There are several advantages of planting green manure in the fall:

• soil structure improves;
• the soil is enriched with nutrients;
• legumes take nitrogen from the air and convert it into a form available to plants;
• green manure prevents the destruction of areas due to heavy rains and winds, protecting the soil with a layer of green mass;
• weed growth is inhibited.

What green manure to sow in October

For late autumn sowing, you should choose green manure that tolerates cold weather and is able to germinate quickly.

Winter rye

Rye is resistant to frost and will germinate even at low temperatures. Rye suppresses weeds, loosens the soil, and actively absorbs nitrogen. It can be sown from mid to late October.

White mustard

Mustard grows quickly and is well suited for enriching the soil with phosphorus and potassium. In addition, this plant effectively suppresses nematodes, prevents the development of fungal diseases, and structures the soil. And the green mass created by mustard can be used for mulching.

Lupine

Lupine is a member of the legume family, so it can fix nitrogen from the air. This plant improves the structure of the bed and enriches it with nitrogen, and its deep root system loosens the soil qualitatively.

Winter vetch

This legume tolerates cold and contributes to the accumulation of nitrogen in the soil. Vetch enriches the soil with organic matter, improves soil structure, and helps control weeds.

Winter rape

Rapeseed has a short growing season, so it can be planted even at the end of October, provided there are no frosts. Rapeseed actively enriches the soil with nitrogen and organic matter and helps to improve soil permeability.

How to sow green manure

The technology for sowing green manure in the fall is quite simple.

• The first step is to do minimal tillage. Plowing is not necessary - surface loosening is enough.
• Sow green manure seeds to a depth of 2-4 cm.
• Be careful with watering. In October, natural rainfall is often enough for germination. In the case of dry autumn, moderate watering can be provided.
• When the green mass sprouts, you can leave it until spring or dig it up in late autumn, when the green manure reaches its peak.

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