GREEN MANURING

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 96, 6 April 1934, Page 15

GREEN MANURING

THE VALUE OF HUMUS. The actual manuring of the kitchen garden, umst be left to a later chapter, but there is one aspect of tho manuring problem that must be treat <•<l here. Where compost and leal mould or leaves (which are largely a subject for animal manure) are not available and where it is not desired to purchase quantities of manure, tho sowing of crops to be dug in as “green manure” should now be undertaken. An impression seems to prevail in some quarters that, while green manuring may certainly be applicable on a farm it is out of place in a garden. That is quite wrong. Tho principle is the same whether it is applied to ten feet, ten rods, or ten acres of ground; if it is benecfiial in olio case it must equally be so in any of the Others. Three things, at least, are accomplished by it. It makes the soil richer in humus to preserve the food materials in the soil, and enriches the soil by adding nitrogen gathered from the air.

Many different plants can be used lor green manuring , among which may be mentioned mustard, white turnips, and clover or vetch, the last two hotng especially useful when nitrogen is deficient. Probably the most popular of all, especially for the present season is mustard, and for general purposes it would be impossible to excel this. It makes a great deal of tops (thus giving a very good bulk) within a really short time, say six weeks to two months. Tho growth too, is »«ry soft and succulent, so it

is easy to dig in and it quickly denies and becomes available for tho succeeding crop us food. Imiriedi- , oly the summer crops haic lx*eu ■ ieared, then, ami nothing more can be done until spring, the ground . liould be sown with mustard or oilier green manure. This should be allowed to grow on until a short, while itelore the land is again required for planting purposes, when the crop may bo crushed down with the garden roller and then dug in.