Pre-season preparation of beds in a greenhouse is a whole range of agrotechnical work, from cleaning the surface to applying fertilizers. You can fully enrich the soil using inexpensive but highly effective green manure. To correctly choose which green manure to sow in the greenhouse in the fall and spring, study the characteristics of these plants, compatibility with other crops, properties and problems that they can solve.
Mustard as green manure
What are green manures and how to use them
Green manures are fast-growing annuals or perennials with lush greenery and a fibrous, highly branched root system. They are used to control weeds and as green fertilizer, since the above-ground part is an excellent biological humus for the soil. The best periods when it is better to plant green manure are spring after the snow has melted, and autumn after harvesting in a greenhouse or in open beds.
Finely branching root system of helper plants
The benefits of green manure for vegetable growing
Green manure is an extremely significant event for organic farming in greenhouses, vegetable gardens, and fields. Plowing of useful greens is actively carried out on an industrial scale, and not just by amateur gardeners. Green manure plants perform many useful functions:
- normalize soil acidity;
- inhibit the growth of weeds;
- create comfortable conditions for the reproduction of beneficial bacteria and worms;
- enrich the soil with nitrogen, phosphorus, humic acids;
- make dense soil more loose and airy;
- help destroy pests;
- some flowering species attract beneficial insects, which is important for varieties of bee-pollinated vegetables in a greenhouse or trees outside.
Species especially loved by gardeners
Types of green manure crops
Green manure crops are divided into types:
- Legumes include lupine, vetch, chickpeas, alfalfa, peas, clover, and lentils. The legume type of grass promotes the active accumulation of nitrogen in the soil. Legumes planted three times in a row in one place are compared to adding manure to the ground.
- Cruciferous vegetables include mustard, canola, and oilseed radish. This species is known for its ability to disinfect soil and helps in pest control. In addition, herbs are able to adapt organic substances to any plant for easier absorption.
- Buckwheat (buckwheat). Natural source of phosphorus, potassium and organic matter.
- Cereals, which include rye, barley, and wheat. This species, growing, is able to suppress the growth of unnecessary weeds.
- Hydrophilic, these include phacelia. Numerous shoots actively decompose, saturating the soil with nitrogen.
- Asteraceae – sunflower, calendula. The strongly branching root penetrates into the deep layers, the root shoots loosen and ventilate the soil.
- Amaranthaceae (amaranth). Increases soil fertility and its structure.
Features of different green manures, soil requirements and functions performed
Several variations of sowing plant helpers in a greenhouse or garden are practiced:
- independent, when the main crop is planted after planting the green manure;
- compacted, in which seedlings are planted directly between the rows of green manure, and the latter are pruned at a level of 5-7 cm;
- rocker, in which the main crop grows separately, and fertilizers grow between the rows.
Green manure for open ground
Among gardeners, the most suitable green manures for open ground are:
- oilseed radish;
- phacelia;
- white clover;
- rape.
Oilseed radish is an excellent option for natural fertilizer for open ground.
Radish normalizes soil PH levels, neutralizes nitrate pollution, and the essential oils released repel pests. It is sown in open ground mainly in summer and autumn. The cut tops are used as mulch or left as compost for the next season.
Phacelia is an excellent honey plant that attracts pollinating insects and is characterized by rapid growth that requires mowing several times. The resulting dense “litter” perfectly retains moisture and shades vegetable seedlings. Seeds are sown in early spring, as the plant is not afraid of low temperatures.
White clover is distinguished by its wildly growing, branching root system, which perfectly loosens and fluffs the soil, preventing stagnant and rotting processes in it, improving aeration. Sowing in open ground - in early spring. Cut stems and leaves are used as mulch and compost.
Clover can be planted not only as a beautiful lawn, but also as a useful fertilizer
Rapeseed is known for its ability to improve soil structure and quality. The content of microelements can be compared with manure. The powerful green mass perfectly shades the plantings and protects them from strong winds. Seeds are sown in early spring and autumn, mainly in rows between beds.
Green manure plants for open ground are characterized by extremely rapid germination and cold resistance, are resistant to clubroot, and reduce the leaching of minerals from the soil. These plants can quickly improve the condition of the earth, making its structure more airy and permeable.
The selection of crops depends on the intended purpose of their use
Green manure for greenhouse crops
The greenhouse soil becomes very depleted in one planting season, and the surface layer is subject to erosion. Usage natural helpers in this case, it will be an ideal option for its restoration and enrichment.
Green manure in a greenhouse can disinfect the soil from diseases, get rid of pests, and nourish the soil with missing microelements. The most important thing is to prevent soil fatigue and oversaturation. This means that the same fertilizing crops should not be grown constantly in one place; crop rotation is required.
The best green manures for a greenhouse are:
- Representatives of cereals are oats and rye; they are able to cleanse the soil of fungi and infections and help in the fight against late blight. The dense greenery of cereals is not buried in the ground when cutting, but is left to rot on the surface.
- Mustard is a popular, multifunctional green fertilizer. She is a kind of “orderly” in the fight against different types rot in the greenhouse, scab, rhizoctonia. Planting mustard in a greenhouse helps reduce the number of wireworm larvae.
- Types of legumes - peas, beans, beans - get along well with all crops in the greenhouse. They are not distinguished by their ability to inhibit pathogenic microflora, but they are excellent sources of organic substances.
Green helpers will help solve land problems
When is the best time to do green manure?
Green manure can be planted in a greenhouse in spring and autumn. Some gardeners practice planting in the summer, sowing seed between rows of vegetables. In such a case, the compatibility of green manure and vegetable crops should be taken into account.
In the spring, green manure is sown in a greenhouse, having previously saturated the soil with snow thrown in from the street. Seeds are sown not in rows, but chaotically. After the crop has grown approximately 20 cm, it is cut off, leaving the greenery on the surface for further decomposition and transformation into humus.
When sowing green manure in a greenhouse in the fall, the seeds are densely poured into the ground, humus is added, water is shed generously and left until spring. After overwintering, the plants will quickly gain greenery. To prevent overgrowth and flowering, the herbs are mowed with a Fokin flat cutter and lightly added dropwise with the top layer of soil.
Video: Autumn planting in a greenhouse
Having chosen what to sow in the greenhouse in the fall, you need to sow the seeds with the expectation that they will have time to germinate a little. Advantages winter planting are obvious - green fertilizers remain in the soil for a long time, and, consequently, the time of their beneficial fertilizing effect increases.
Planting green manure in a greenhouse in the fall
To green green beds in greenhouses, many people decide to sow mustard in the greenhouse. And they do this absolutely not in vain, because mustard can become a precursor for any vegetables except the cruciferous family. For resting areas of closed ground, green manures of any family are suitable; for predecessor areas, it is important to take into account the compatibility of the planted and future crops, according to the table below.
Green manure-vegetable compatibility table
The benefits of greening cucumbers
The benefits of green manure when growing cucumbers cannot be underestimated. In order to grow healthy and abundantly fruiting cucumbers, you need to fulfill a number of conditions:
- generously fertilize the soil;
- disinfect it;
- protect young cucumber seedlings from scorching sun rays;
- ensure optimal water and air permeability of the soil mixture.
Mown green fertilizers will generously supply the soil with microelements
Green manure plants can easily cope with all these tasks. Having chosen green manure for cucumbers, it is necessary to calculate the timing of sowing the seed material; they need to be sown 2-3 weeks before planting the vegetable. You can sow seeds directly among the plantings. When the first cucumber sprouts sprout, the above-ground part of the green manure is mowed down and dumped on the surface of the bed in the greenhouse.
Crops from the cereal family (rye, oats) and legumes (lupine, beans, clover) are perfect as fertilizing plants for cucumbers. Growing them will help depleted soil restore its supply of nutrients. In addition, they have proven themselves well as liquidators of harmful coline - a substance secreted by cucumber roots that can harm subsequent plantings.
Green manure for tomatoes in a greenhouse
Tomato is a late-ripening crop. When choosing green manure for tomatoes in a greenhouse, you should incline your choice in favor of cold-resistant plants, such as oilseed radish, phacelia and rapeseed. It is recommended to sow them in early spring, even under film, so that by the time the seedlings are planted, the crops are fully ready to perform their functions.
By this point, cold-resistant green manure has already grown to such a stage that, when mowed, it completely covers the top layer of the beds, protecting the soil from drying out and young greenery from possible night frosts.
Tomatoes are known for their demands on the composition of the soil, its regular loosening, weeding and fertilizing. The best green manures in a greenhouse for tomatoes will be legumes, as well as lupine and mustard. Their roots will enrich the soil, improve air exchange, maintain the necessary humidity, repel insect pests and help increase the yield of tomatoes.
Video: Green manure for tomatoes
You can plant green manure fertilizers in the fall. With this choice, the most suitable green manures after tomatoes in the greenhouse will be winter crops (oats, barley). They will overwinter well, giving up a maximum of microelements during the winter season, but with the onset of spring they will quickly grow green again.
Sowing mustard to fertilize the soil
White mustard (Sinapis alba) is a versatile spicy crop that can combat many soil problems. About 40 species of its varieties are known, but this particular species is loved by farmers for its unpretentiousness, cold resistance and intensive growth. Mustard seed material is quite inexpensive and can be purchased at any gardening store.
Mustard is actively used as a fertilizer both in the greenhouse and in open beds. Best time for sowing seeds: spring (about a month before planting vegetable seedlings) or autumn (after harvesting and removing plants).
When sowing mustard seeds, the following factors should be considered:
- mustard requires regular watering during the growth phase;
- does not accept clay soils;
- the crop cannot precede other cruciferous vegetables.
Mustard is very popular among farmers
In open ground conditions, seed material is scattered onto the beds, evenly distributed with a rake, and lightly sprinkled with mulch to avoid pecking by birds. Mustard germinates in 3-4 days, and after 1-1.5 months it is ready for mowing.
Sowing mustard in the fall in a greenhouse can be done until November. An unassuming plant germinates at a temperature of 2-3 degrees Celsius. In a greenhouse, seeds can be sown quite densely; the beds can be fertilized beforehand. Vegetation that has grown to 20-30 cm is cut off and mixed with the top layer of soil.
The cut remains rot, perfectly fertilizing the soil. To speed up the process of converting the material into vermicompost, the prepared leaves and stems are shed with water. Thus, by leaving the mustard in the greenhouse for the winter, in the spring you can get saturated soil that is completely ready for the upcoming vegetable plantings, saturated with organic matter.
Mustard is truly a leader among green manures
Video: the importance of green manure and their care
The benefits of green manure in gardening are invaluable. Fertilizers created by nature itself can help without harming the ecosystem at all. Moreover, these green helpers are completely undemanding in care; the most important thing is to water them and mow them on time.
Video: Planting rules and benefits of green manure in vegetable growing
Video: How to sow mustard on green manure in the fall in a greenhouse
By wisely choosing which green manure to plant in the greenhouse in the fall, planting it correctly and properly processing it in the ripe phase, you don’t have to worry about the condition of the soil. Sideration will help how for an experienced gardener, and for a beginner, avoid additional expenses for the purchase of fertilizers during pre-season preparation.
Why sow mustard in a greenhouse in the spring? When is mustard needed in a greenhouse? Read today's article about when to plant mustard in the spring and how to properly prepare the soil.
Mustard – This is a popular green manure, that is, a plant that renews the soil mixture, preparing it for planting other plants. Popular green manures include rye, oats, legumes and, of course, white mustard. It is also used for processing open ground, and for soil renewal in greenhouses. How to use mustard then? Some are mowed and dug into the ground without waiting for grains to form on the sprouts; the other can be used for growing and, accordingly, producing mustard, homemade preparations or for sale.
When to plant mustard in a greenhouse?
In order to have time to prepare the soil for planting garden crops, mustard must be sown early, giving time for germination, development and soil renewal. It's better to plant mustard seeds in greenhouse soil since autumn or immediately after fruiting. The same goes for open areas. You can also sow mustard seeds from late March to mid-April in order to be in time for late spring processing.
What does mustard give in a greenhouse in spring:
- Constant feeding.
- Renewal and disinfection.
- Improving the structure.
- Preparation for landing.
- Weed suppression.
Mustard planting dates and development period
When to plant mustard in spring : since March.
How long will it take to germinate? : within 1 month.
Sowing volumes : 300 grams per hundred square meters.
Renewing the soil mixture with mustard even after growing garden crops is possible until the end of August. During this period, white mustard green manure will renew and loosen the soil, and will also actively suppress germinating weeds. As you know, most weeds are difficult to fight precisely because, having been preserved in the soil mixture, they continue to sprout, despite the planted crops - a confrontation over who will win the victory of white mustard.
Additional benefits of green manure
Since the choice of what to plant in the soil for renewal and shoeing before the next plantings is huge, you need to consider the additional benefits of using green manure for the soil mixture. Eg, clover- another version of green manure - it quickly sprouts and develops, and besides, the ground-blooded plant creates a beautiful lawn from a solid green carpet. It is recommended to plant clover in August.
The heroine of our topic is white mustard as green manure- This is also a honey crop, so the bees will be happy. We suggest looking at the benefits of mustard, then move on to beneficial properties other green manures for the greenhouse in the spring.
Why plant mustard in a greenhouse in the spring:
- Late planting is possible - it germinates quickly.
- You can get seeds and fertilize the soil.
- Can be planted until mid-September.
Other green manures and benefits of planting
| Legumes | They retain nitrogen in the soil mixture. They saturate the soil with air and improve the access of nutrients to the roots. Can be planted early and used as a forage crop. |
| Cruciferous | Suitable for mineralizing soil mixture. Do not allow nitrogen to be washed out. |
| Cereals | They act on the principle of cruciferous vegetables. They retain nitrogen and minerals and prevent the leaching of useful substances. |
| Rapeseed, radish, rapeseed, phacelia, ryegrass | Can be planted in spring and summer. Suppresses weeds. Prevents modifications of root and tuber crops. They form a lot of organic matter, accelerate the development of planted crops, and prevent the loss of minerals. |
| Lupine, sunflower, mustard | They reduce the leaching of useful substances, can be planted in spring, summer and autumn, loosen down to the lower layers + suppress weeds. |
٭ Write in the comments which green manures, besides mustard for the greenhouse in the spring, suited you?
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In many regions of the country, climatic conditions allow high yields tomatoes only in protected ground: greenhouse, greenhouse, greenhouse. The amount of soil in such structures is limited, so over time it becomes poorer and depleted. Properly selected green manure can be an excellent fertilizer that improves soil structure in a short time.
When and why to plant green manure
In a greenhouse, green manure can be sown in late autumn or early spring, although the latter option is considered more effective - all substances remain in the soil and are not washed away when the snow melts. Most green manure grown before tomatoes are highly cold-resistant, so if sown early in spring, they will have time to grow, and if mowed in a timely manner and added to the soil, they will decompose.
Green manure in the greenhouse in the spring is sown under tomatoes in order to improve the composition of the soil and saturate the soil with nutrients. As a result, there is no need to apply any other fertilizers before planting the crop - in soil enriched with green manure, tomatoes feel great, develop well, grow and are practically not affected by common pests and diseases.
Important! Green manure crops suppress and displace weeds, which is also one of their advantages.
Green manure for tomatoes in a greenhouse
Green manure in a greenhouse
When deciding which green manure is best to sow in the spring for tomatoes, you must take into account the acidity of the soil, the type (light/heavy) and the lack of a specific element that needs to be replenished. Recommended green manures for tomatoes belong to the cruciferous, cereal, and legume families.
Cruciferous. This group of green manures is considered the most popular among Russian gardeners. Most often sown:
- oilseed radish. This green manure is considered one of the most effective for combating the nematode soil pest; it is characterized by rapid growth and unpretentiousness. Radish displaces even the most tenacious weeds. Enriches the earth with a large amount of potassium;
- white mustard. The most common green manure. The plant produces quick and vigorous shoots and quickly gains green mass. Structures the ground to a depth of several meters. White mustard seeds, compared to planting material for other green manures, are inexpensive.
Cereals. Representatives of this family have a good root system, so when it decomposes after cutting, loosening and aeration of the soil is ensured. For tomatoes, it is recommended to sow oats as green manure - it enriches the soil mainly with potassium, which is consumed by the crop in large quantities throughout its entire life cycle.
Cereal green manure
Legumes. Green manures, which belong to the legume family, saturate the soil with nitrogen, which is necessary for tomatoes to grow and gain green mass. In the greenhouse in front of the tomatoes you can plant:
- Vika. This climbing plant is often sown together with oats (it supports vetch stems). Grows well in neutral soils;
- lupine. Thanks to its deep root system, lupine is able to restore soil fertility in a short time. Grows well in any soil. It is sown 2 months before planting tomatoes in the greenhouse. The seeds of this green manure are quite expensive;
- alfalfa. This green manure is considered the most finicky, so it is not used so often: alfalfa requires constant soil moisture, grows poorly and blooms quickly in drought. The type of soil is also important - it will not grow on heavy, acidic and swampy soils.
- phacelia. The second most popular green manure for tomatoes after mustard. Brings three into the soil the most important element– nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus. The plant itself can change the acidity of the soil, making it neutral. Phacelia growing in the same greenhouse as tomatoes protects the crop from common viral and fungal diseases.
Important! Green manure sown in the spring for tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers growing in the same greenhouse can be different. The main thing is that the previous (green manure) crops are not related to the subsequent ones.
Phacelia is considered a universal green manure; it is suitable for all vegetables.
Planting tomatoes in mustard
In areas with an unfavorable climate, even such cold-resistant green manure as mustard cannot always be sown in greenhouses. Therefore, it can be sown later and not buried in the ground, but the tomatoes can be planted directly in the mustard. Below is detailed instructions planting tomatoes with mustard.
In early spring, as soon as the soil in the greenhouse thaws (late February - mid-March), you need to plant mustard seeds. There are two methods of sowing: continuous and row. To decide on the choice of method, you need to consider each of them separately.
- Solid sowing of mustard seeds involves mixing planting material with sand in equal proportions and densely distributing them over the surface of the bed. They can be loosened shallowly into the ground using a rake or simply sprinkled with a small layer of soil or peat.
- For ordinary sowing, the ground must first be loosened, then planting furrows must be made with a hoe, mustard must be sown and sprinkled with soil or mulch.
Technically, continuous sowing of mustard is much easier.
Mustard in a greenhouse
Tomato seedlings are planted in accordance with the planting scheme in the spaces between the mustard rows (when it is sowed in rows) or in pre-prepared areas (in case of continuous sowing, the green manure will have to be pulled out in the planting areas).
Within 2-3 weeks, these two crops grow together. Mustard must be cut off in a timely manner so that it does not produce seeds; this happens within a month after planting. When cutting green manure, you need to retreat about 5 cm from the surface of the earth. After this, the mustard begins to grow again.
During the season, it is necessary to periodically cut off the newly growing mustard when the crop reaches a height of 20-30 cm.
Advice! The mowed remains can be used to mulch the soil under the tomatoes throughout the season.
You can use green manure one time, cutting it before flowering after planting the tomatoes using a flat cutter. In this case, the mustard roots remain in the ground and decompose, turning into an excellent fertilizer and loosening the soil. The beds are mulched with mowed green mass.
Important! Not all green manures have the ability to regrow after cutting; for example, phacelia is not used for growing tomatoes in this way.
This technology for planting and growing greenhouse tomatoes in mustard plantings is considered quite labor-intensive, but the end results are worth it.
- Tomatoes receive all the necessary nutrients for nutrition, which are easily absorbed by the root system, so they take root well after planting, quickly adapt to new conditions and begin to grow.
- After cutting the mustard, the soil becomes loose, air- and moisture-permeable - the soil does not become waterlogged during irrigation.
- Mulching tomato bushes with mowed mustard greens helps reduce air humidity in the greenhouse.
- Mustard sown around tomatoes protects garden culture from pests and diseases - the phytoncides included in this green manure prevent the occurrence of late blight, and essential oils repel harmful insects.
Planting and growing unpretentious green manure in a greenhouse is not very difficult - you practically don’t even need to water them, there is enough water after the snow melts. Proper mowing of tops of green manure crops is very important. Below are some tips and tricks for hosting an event.
Mowing green manure
- In the spring, green manure for tomatoes must be cut in advance - 2 weeks before planting.
- Excess nitrogen in the soil will negatively affect the yield of tomatoes, so the growth of legume green manures must be carefully monitored and not allowed to grow to large sizes.
- Timely mowing of tops is important for another reason - overgrown green manure decomposes more slowly in the soil, since their stems become denser as they grow.
- After cutting, it is recommended not to plow the tops into the soil, but simply spread them out on the beds. The fact is that when plant residues are incorporated into the soil, many nutrients are lost.
- When mowing green manure, it is important not to damage their root system, so the flat cutter should not be buried more than 5 cm into the ground.
The right choice, early sowing and timely mowing of green manure will allow you to naturally prepare greenhouse tomato beds in the spring before planting the crop without the use of agrochemicals.
Having thought about the situation, the question arises: “What green manure should I plant in the fall in a greenhouse for tomatoes?” And the answer is simple - don't wait for autumn.
Sowing time
Very often, to sow green manure crops, vegetable growers wait until the main crop is completely harvested. However, in a greenhouse, tomatoes bear fruit until late autumn, and even with the onset of significant cold weather, quite heavy fruits still weigh on the branches.
Considering all the features of tomato production technology, sowing green manure in a greenhouse cannot be delayed until late autumn; it must be sown in August. During this period, the lower leaves have already been removed, mulch lies under the bushes, and underneath it is warm and humid. It is possible and necessary to sow the soil with green manure and get a huge effect from it.
Rake off the mulch, sow the green manure mixture and cover everything with the mulch you raked. Water and wait for shoots. The greenery that appears will begin to grow very quickly. Once it reaches a height of 25-30 cm, mow or cut it. Further growth will no longer be so lush, since the temperature background drops and the illumination decreases, but the green carpet will, although slowly, increase, becoming lush.
Choice of culture
When choosing green manure for tomatoes in a greenhouse, there is no point in giving preference to any one type. A mixture of crops is a lifesaver that will provide:
- will increase the level of nitrogen in the upper soils;
- will lift minerals from deep layers of soil;
- makes minerals biologically available;
- suppresses the growth of pathogenic microflora;
- eliminates the need complete replacement soils;
- improves the physical structure of the soil.
Each vegetable grower is free to create a mixture for tomatoes himself, taking into account his experience, knowledge, climatic conditions and soil conditions. However, you can take advantage of other people’s growing experience and try it in your greenhouse.
Selection
The mixture of crops for sowing tomatoes should consist of:
- cereals;
- legumes;
- cruciferous
Cereals
The basis of the green manure mixture is cereals, of which you can give preference to oats or rye.
When sown simultaneously, these crops behave restrainedly and tolerantly. Those who practice filling the greenhouse with snow should not refuse this; the cereals will accept it as they should.
In the spring, the cereals will continue to grow until the tomato seedlings are planted. The mowing of cereals can not be removed, but used as mulch. If compact planting with vegetables is practiced green crops, then the grains are put into compost or dug up.
Cereals are particularly good at converting potassium into accessible forms. This element plays a major role in carbohydrate and nitrogen metabolism. Potassium affects the strength of tomato stems and the accumulation of sugar content in the fruit. With a deficiency of this element, the formation of buds is delayed.
Legumes
If there is a nitrogen deficiency, then legumes cannot be avoided. Assimilating nitrogen from the air, fixing it with the help of nodule bacteria, and giving it to the soil, plants of this group carry out nitrogen fertilization of tomato bushes. The coefficient of use of nitrogen of plant origin by tomatoes is almost twice as high as that of nitrogen of mineral origin.
Vetch is used as an additive as the best green manure for tomatoes. This crop gets along well with oats and enriches the soil with nitrogen, and tomatoes treat it very favorably, doubling the yield.
Cruciferous
We should dwell on these crops in more detail, since they play the main and decisive role for tomatoes in several aspects.
The root system of cruciferous green manure is abundantly “hung” with bacteria. They need iron to survive. There is a lot of this element in soils, but it is in an inaccessible form, but microorganisms convert it into an accessible form and cruciferous plants consume it with pleasure. Iron, in turn, is also necessary for pathogenic fungi, but cruciferous mushrooms “steal” it so skillfully that fungal ones simply do not have time to consume it. This is the basis for the mechanism of the fungicidal action of cruciferous crops to protect tomatoes from late blight.
One of best crops is mustard. In summer it is sown in a mixture with other crops. Some vegetable growers practice sowing mustard in February-March, spot-on, sparse sowing allows to plant tomato seedlings between these plantings without destroying the green manure.
During the entire growing season, mustard is pruned, preventing the budding phase.
Sometimes vegetable growers find out: “Which green manure is better to sow under tomatoes in the fall - mustard or rapeseed?” However, experience shows that these are not mutually substitutable cultures, but complementary ones.
Rapeseed belongs to the cabbage family. Its plant tissues are very delicate and when they fall into the soil after mowing, they are quickly decomposed by microorganisms, turning into nutrients for the tomato.
Let's make a proportion
Having decided to resort to a mixture of green manure rather than any specific one, you need to find out which part will belong to one or another. Experienced vegetable growers who cultivate tomatoes in a greenhouse in a monoculture without crop rotation have come to the conclusion that this is possible without soil rotation, but using the services of green manure.
The mixture contains:
- oats - 100 parts;
- vetch - 30;
- mustard - 30;
- rapeseed 30.
The crop seeds are mixed together and sown with a rather generous hand. The mixture has proven itself both on light soils and on heavy ones that require improvement of the structure.
Those who sow with this mixture from year to year recommend it as universal, not requiring additional adjustments.
If sowing is carried out during the period when the tomatoes continue to bear fruit, then after its completion the tomato plant is not dug up by the roots, but is pruned at ground level. By autumn, green manure forms a continuous green carpet. Even if during severe frosts the bottom of the crops disappears, the rest will pick up the baton and take its place.