Green manure plants contribute to the restoration of the fertility of the land and keep it in this state for a long period. Various cereals and legumes are used as green manure. But still, gardeners and gardeners give more preference to white mustard. This member of the cruciferous family has many positive qualities.
The benefits of mustard as a siderat
- Unpretentious in care and maintenance.
- Gives high yields.
- Possesses early germination.
- Green mass contains a large amount of nutrients.
- It is a cold-resistant crop.
- Scares off harmful insects.
- It is able to prevent the spread of most plant diseases.
Mustard planting process
Sowing seeds
Sowing mustard seeds in the autumn is carried out in the same way as in the spring. Seeds that do not require any preparation should be scattered over the prepared area and the soil should be leveled with a rake or sprinkled with a thin layer of sand. The speed of the appearance of the first seedlings will depend on the thickness of the top layer, so do not deepen the seeds too much.
Covering crops
Covering the beds before the sprouts appear is only recommended if they are not supervised. Open plots with freshly sown seeds are an attractive "dining room" for a variety of birds who are not averse to feasting on this planting material. You can protect yourself from the raid of uninvited feathered guests with the help of special covers made of non-woven material or mesh, which can be removed when seedlings appear after 3-4 days.
Temperature regime
Young seedlings are already cold-resistant and can grow fully even when night temperatures drop from 0 to 5 degrees below zero.
Landing dates
It is advisable to plant green manure plants in late August - early September. This will contribute to the formation of a large amount of green mass (approximately 400 kg from 1 are). You can use it in different ways:
- As mulch.
- For composting.
- Embed in the soil as fertilizer.
Siderata sown in early autumn are not recommended to be mowed or dug up, but to be left in the beds until spring. After wilting, the aboveground part of the plants will protect the soil from the cold, and the root part, gradually rotting, will enrich its structure.
The positive qualities of mustard
Almost a quarter of the green mass of mustard consists of a variety of organic substances, as well as such useful elements as potassium, nitrogen, phosphorus.
The root system of mustard is designed in such a way that it can assimilate many useful substances that are not available for other green manures.
Mustard roots penetrating deep into the ground (almost 3 meters) can accumulate and retain moisture.
The stalks of green manure plants planted in autumn are so strong and powerful that they can be used on the site to trap snow and as protection from strong winds.
Note to gardeners!
Mustard is a weed
With many useful qualities, mustard has one drawback - it can turn from a useful siderat into a weed, which will be very difficult to get rid of. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to mow mustard plantations in a timely manner, before flowering. Flowering crops will leave behind a huge amount of seeds and spread by self-seeding throughout the territory. This applies only to those plantations that have grown after the spring or summer planting of seeds. With an autumn planting, such a danger does not exist, because there is very little time before the onset of severe cold weather and the mustard simply does not have time to bloom.
Planting mustard and counting predecessor plants
It is not recommended to use autumn mustard as a fertilizer for embedding in the soil if this area for the next season will be intended for turnips, radishes or cabbage. All members of the cruciferous family are damaged by the same pests and diseases. For growing the aforementioned vegetable crops, the best green manure will be cereals or legumes.
