Kitchen Garden Forum

Hi All,

thought I might try some green manure in the polytunnel this winter. Has anybody tried this before?, can anybody suggest which one to use,

Reg ards Tracie

Hi Tracie

I've often wondered about this, but never done it as every square inch of my polytunnel is growing something year round. I suppose tares or field beans might be best - nitrogen fixers and plenty of green top.

Hi Tracie and Alan,
I tried Crimson Clover in the tunnels some years ago but it wasn't the success I had hoped for so have never repeated the experiment.
I simply use my own Comfrey based compost in quite liberal doses.
JB.

Hi Tracie, may I suggest read instructions carefully as some green manures suggest a wait of 2-4 weeks after digging in the green manure and before planting, also best incorporated into the top 6 inches , not dug deep, you need the fertility in the topsoil, not buried. Another way is to use the green manure in early autumn and cut it then mulch on top with grass clippings or straw, overwinter the worms will dig it in for you and having gone through the worms it will be more accessible as plant nutrition when spring arrives.Also the mulch helps prevent erosion by heavy rains in winter. I have to keep my chickens off those beds or they scratch up the straw to get at the worms !

In a Poly Tunnel Natures Babe, in a Poly Tunnel!
JB.

Hi All,

thanks for your replys. ugh does not seem such a good idea, from the replys so far.

I havee never tried any green manure inside or outside. I have always been worried about the grow back of the green manure in the beds and some of them are a bit problematic with planting etc.

Regards Tracie

Hi Tracie,
To me there are those plants that if you do not catch and they manage to seed can lead to problems and the one that I would not grow again are WinterTares.
I have had quite a reasonable results with Crimson Clover by growing it repearedly 3 times in one year. First crop dig-in and sow again and dig-in and sow again but with the third crop allow to grow right up until the plants are heading up to flower then cover with heavy duty Polythene until the following Spring by which time the worms have taken all that was growing back into the soil and a very light dig, almost a heavy rake, and the bed is ready for use. This means laying up the bed for a whole year but I consider that it was very worthwhile. Perhaps you may not have enough ground to carry this out so a different approach may be needed in your case.
I feel that if as many people as possible post what experiences they have had with Green Manures it may give other people, including Tracie, a better idea of what it entails.
JB.