Veggie
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I'm curious about winter cover crops, grown to protect bare soil over winter and to improve the soil in some way as a bonus.
I've been reading the info on https://www.sowseeds.co.uk/blogs/sow-see...een-manure and am still confused!
Does anyone here grow any of these seeds and can help me choose?
I don't fancy growing a grass seed like rye as I hate grass and have a fear of it taking over. Same with clover.
Don't want to grow anything that needs to be dug in/turned in/mown as I'm too lazy.
Ideally it would be something that dies in spring, or after a frost (assuming we have one).
As a bonus, it would be edible in some way while it was growing.
Any suggestions please?
The Moneyless Chicken says:-
Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.
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Small chilli
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23-08-2024, 11:14 PM
(This post was last modified: 24-08-2024, 08:40 AM by Small chilli.)
I’ve never really understood the cover crop thing. And never done it myself. Like you I don’t want to dig things in or turn. I’ve never understood why it wouldn’t just re grow and become a weed. I’ll happily admit I’m very ignorant in the cover crop and green manure department. Is there actually a difference in the two ?
Builder that would like to go play in the garden.
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JJB
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My cover crop seems to grow automatically, bittercress! Then again if you sow something all over and then dig it in, aren’t you digging in all the weeds that have come up along with the green manure. Each year I've got grass, bittercress, groundsel , dandelions, clover, etc coming up in the veg patch, I wouldn't want to dig all that in as well. Not that I'm going to bother with cover crops. PS how does No Dig cope with cover crops - basically what V was asking.
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Veggie
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24-08-2024, 10:28 AM
(This post was last modified: 24-08-2024, 10:45 AM by Veggie.)
No Dig - As far as I can gather, there are some that are killed by frost and then lie in a shrivelled brown heap on the surface of the soil to be "drawn down by worms". Others are mowed and lie in a truncated green heap on the surface to be drawn down by worms.
EDIT Found this on the CD/No Dig Forum https://forum.charlesdowding.co.uk/commu...or-no-dig/
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JJB
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Are you going to do it?
Gardening is an excuse not to do housework
Greetings from Salisbury
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Veggie
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Only if I can find something that ticks all my boxes.
The Moneyless Chicken says:-
Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.
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