Siderata are plants that are grown for further incorporation into the soil. Rotting, they saturate the earth with nutrients. I often use siderates and would like to share my experience.
What are siderates for?
In the process of using green manure, I have highlighted a number of advantages:
- Change in soil structure. With their roots, cultures make the soil looser, improve its ability to conduct air and water.
- Enrichment with essential micro and macro elements.
- Increasing the yield of plants that are grown in this place after green manure.
- Suitable for soil restoration in greenhouses.
You can grow green manure in the fall, after harvesting. Plants planted in early spring or late autumn thrive equally well.
How siderates work
The most popular are the following:
- wheat;
- buckwheat;
- oats;
- mustard;
- Victoria.
For autumn planting, I prefer wheat and oats, as they sprout quickly and actively grow green mass in a short time. A strong root system loosens the soil well. Once embedded in the soil, they slowly rot, restoring the necessary balance of nutrients.
Oats and wheat replenish the supply of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus in impoverished areas where vegetables were previously grown. In addition, for planting green manures, I apply mineral fertilizers to the soil:
- superphosphate;
- potassium magnesium.
Landing dates
I start planting siderates immediately after harvesting. This is necessary so that the plants have time to take root and build up green mass before the onset of frost.
Approximate planting dates for the central region: late August - early September.
For the south: end of September.
For the north: mid-August.
I recommend paying attention to winter wheat varieties:
- Tarasovskaya;
- Prestige;
- Dewdrop;
- August;
- Don.
They have an increased germination capacity.
Among the winter varieties of oats, I identified the following:
- Oshten;
- Loyal;
- Podgorny.
They are unpretentious in maintenance, while perfectly enriching the soil.
Landing rules
The maximum result in growing green manure helps me to achieve following certain rules:
- Digging the site onto a shovel bayonet.
- Thorough cleaning of weeds and plant residues.
The depth of the planting stock depends on the type of soil:
- On sandy ground, I recommend deepening at least 10 cm.
- On clay and loamy - 5 cm is enough.
- On heavy soil, the maximum depth should be 4 cm, otherwise the seedlings will not be able to break through. But you should not do less depth either, since the seeds will wash away with rain.
Before sowing, I recommend treating the planting material with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, soaking it for at least 20 minutes. This method reliably protects plants from pests and various diseases.
I plant the seeds in prepared soil. Then I add additional mineral fertilizers:
- superphosphate - 100 g;
- potassium magnesium - 85 g.
I sprinkle the granules. Then, using a rake, I lightly sprinkle it with soil, carefully spill it with plenty of water. I act so that puddles do not form.
After 4 weeks, wheat and oats have built up a sufficient amount of green mass. Some gardeners simply mow the plants and leave them to rot on the soil surface.
I recommend that after mowing, the greens are embedded in the soil by digging up the area. Thus, green manures restore the balance of nutrients in deeper layers, rotting more slowly, warming the earth.
The use of green manure is an excellent alternative to expensive organic fertilizers. They are unpretentious in care, but bring undeniable benefits.
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