White mustard as a green manure, when to sow it—this is one of a series of questions that often arises when discussing this environmentally friendly and affordable fertilizer. Gardeners choose this plant not only for its excellent performance but also for its low cost. Do you know how to use it? Growing potatoes wisely without weeding and hilling?
What is green manure?
This method of fertilizing soil gets its name from the French word "sideration," which translates into Russian as "stunning effect." It's a method of cultivating certain plants by intentionally cultivating them as green mass. This mass is plowed into the soil, improving its structure and enriching it with various organic and mineral substances (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium).
Green manure is most often an annual plant with a rapid growth period for green mass. This typically lasts 30 to 60 days. It can grow up to 700 kg per 100 square meters, which is excellent.
White mustard isn't the only green manure crop; legumes, lupines, rye, and even vetch are often planted for this purpose. When the green mass grows, mow the plant before it flowers. Then, dig the mown mass into the soil (or use it for compost).
White mustard as a green manure, when to sow?
White mustard, a plant that acts as an organic soil amendment, can be planted at any time during the growing season. In the fall, when sowing frost-resistant crops, grow a green manure and mow it before planting the main crop. In early spring, mustard can be sown in the garden about two weeks before planting the main vegetables. It will gain mass quickly.
Advice! The plant's roots should be left in the soil. They will rot there, improving the soil structure and enriching it with oxygen and various nutrients.
White mustard, in addition to being grown as a organic fertilizer, protects the soil from overheating and weathering. These are important advantages that should always be kept in mind when choosing a specific green manure for your plot.
On the effectiveness of mustard as a green manure
White mustard is an annual plant that belongs to the same family as all types of cabbage. As mentioned above, this plant has a short growing season. Because mustard contains many essential oils and phytoncides, it is a unique preventative against many plant diseases, repels pests.
Advice! If you need to get rid of slugs, wireworms, or cockchafer larvae in your garden, you can safely plant white mustard.
As a fertilizer, white mustard has many advantages over other green manure crops. It germinates in just a few days and will even germinate at temperatures as low as zero degrees Celsius. The sprouts can withstand temperatures as low as -5 degrees Celsius. The high yield is also a plus.
This herb contains nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and organic matter. So, as an organic fertilizer for any garden, this herb is ideal. During flowering, mustard can attract many beneficial insects that will pollinate the garden or destroy pests plot.
About proper cultivation
So, growing white mustard seeds in your garden is completely straightforward. You can buy bulk seeds at any store. Mustard should be sown fairly thickly for fertilizer. Use 300 grams of seeds per 100 square meters. Scatter the seeds over the soil and then lightly rake them in. Manure and ash can be added to the soil when sowing.
The seeds will germinate as early as four days later, even in cold weather. The sprouts quickly gain mass, and it's advisable to water the soil several times during the thirty-day growth period. When the plant reaches a height of 20 cm, it can be mown down.
Advice! It's not recommended to leave mustard in the garden until the plant begins to set seed. Even if you mow the mustard along with the seed heads, some of them will still fall into the soil and begin to germinate. The green manure will then simply become an unwanted and annoying weed.
So, if you're growing white mustard as a green manure, sowing time is crucial. Fortunately, there are no specific timing or strict rules. The green mass will grow within 2-3 weeks, so you can sow this crop within the designated time before planting your main crops.
Oleg
I often use white mustard at my garden plot. Last year I sowed it to prevent potato scab. This year, there's no trace of the scourge left, and the weeds have significantly decreased. This year, I'm thinking of planting it between the rows to reliably repel pests. I don't want to use chemicals, and mustard is the best solution for me.