During the struggle for a good harvest, not all means are good. For example, the excessive use of pesticides is unacceptable, because it is practically irreversible poison.
Sidereal cultures
Many experienced gardeners have already found a simple and natural way to return nutrients to the earth, and at the same time get rid of pests.
These are the so-called sideral crops - the seeds of various cereals and herbs that are grown not for harvesting, but as a fertilizer of universal action.
We are talking about plants that quickly germinate and grow green mass. They do not produce any produce, but heal the land for several years. Plants intended for fertilizer shade the soil, prevent its erosion and enhance biological activity, suppress weeds. They are grown on the spot, mowed and flowered into the soil before flowering. Once in the soil, the remains of plants quickly decompose.
Mustard as a green manure
Sidereal culture is a well-known mustard. As fertilizer, it plays an important role in crop rotation. This oilseed plant with yellow flowers and a strong honey smell belongs to the cruciferous family. It has a deep root system and abundant green mass up to 80 cm high.
Mustard as a fertilizer was not chosen by chance. Its root secretions contain
organic acids. Interacting with the soil, they transfer some nutrients from an inaccessible state to a form easily absorbed by plants. In addition, they have a strong phytosanitary effect, preventing the spread of certain diseases of vegetable crops and reducing the number of pests.
The benefits of sowing mustard
Mustard as a fertilizer is of particular value because this plant is able to absorb some micro and macro elements inaccessible to others from the soil. When plowed, green mustard mass becomes the source of all these elements in the composition of organic matter, useful for the development of soil microorganisms and nutrition of crops.
For many summer cottages and household plots located in the farmlands or on the slopes, sowing of mustard is especially relevant. As fertilizer, it plays a secondary role here. It is much more important that mustard can significantly reduce or prevent water and wind erosion of the soil to which such areas are subject, especially if it is sown after harvesting, when the land remains open for erosion processes.
Sowing and beveling dates
This culture has matured and in a short time gives a lot of green mass. When to sow mustard for fertilizer? Of course, as early as possible, during the period of spring ripening of the soil. Mustard seedlings tolerate frost and cold snap. Early sowing is much better in resisting both drought and probable damage by fleas, which pose a serious danger to plants. In addition, mustard planted in the early stages effectively suppresses weeds.
It should be noted that plants for green manure can also be sown during the summer, after harvesting the early crops, but no later than the 2nd decade of August. In this case, it is necessary to provide seeds and young shoots with a sufficient amount of moisture. Before mass flowering begins, the plants are mowed and chopped with a shovel, and then they dig the garden along with the green mass.
Mustard as a fertilizer is the cheapest and most convenient way of organic nutrition of the soil for the further cultivation of crops.