Green Manure Winter Mix Seeds
Green Manure Seeds from Sow Seeds
Our NEW Over Winter Mix is our specially formulated Green Manure Mix for sowing in August through to the end of September to dig in the following Spring. It contains 2 Green Manure varieties Westerwolds Ryegrass and Vetches (Winter Tares) they have different benefits and properties so this combination makes an excellent all-round green manure that will protect, fertilise and stabilise the soil.
Westerwolds Ryegrass is excellent green manure with roots that penetrate heavier soils and bind together lighter ones and are able to dredge up minerals that might have been washed out during heavy winter rain and so help stabilise the soil by preventing erosion and capping. Its foliage & roots add valuable organic matter when chopped up and dug in the following spring. It works well with the Legume family in particular Winter Tares and Red Clover as it is a Nitrogen Lifter. It lifts Nitrogen from the soil and holds it until the foliage & roots are dug back into the soil and then it releases the Nitrogen slowly as it decomposes making it available to the next crop to utilise. This is good for Nitrogen hungry crops like leafy Brassicas who love Nitrogen for their green leaves as well as a general excellent all-round fertiliser.
Vetches (Winter Tares) Vetches are from the Legume family and has the ability to fix Nitrogen from the air and with the help of nitrogen-fixing bacteria (Rhizobium) that are already present in the soil convert it into a form that is suitable for plant roots to take up, these form pink nodules on the root of a legume. Plants need nitrates to grow and it particularly helps with the green leafy growth of Brassicas so is excellent to use before a Brassica crop. The Nitrates are released when the foliage and roots are chopped up and dug in, but if sown with the Westerwolds Ryegrass their release is more gradual and controlled and Nitrates can be released for up to 6 months. Vetches has bulky hairy twining foliage which suppresses weeds and adds valuable organic matter to the soil as it decomposes and soil organisms eg worms feed on it turning it into valuable humus.
This Westerwolds Ryegrass and Vetches combination make an excellent all-round green manure mix that will improve the soils health and its ability to feed the following crop.
Need Some Help On Green Manure?
Then we have 2 invaluable resources on our website that will provide the answers to all of your Green Manure questions:
1. A Beginners Guide that covers everything you ever wanted to know about Green Manure in 5 quick and simple steps - read it [HERE]
2. How To Choose Which Green Manure To Sow...a summary of all the Green Manures showing which soil types, plant families, and benefits that each Green Manure can bring to your veg patch or allotment - read it [HERE]
Winter Mix Green Manure Seed Sowing Advice
When to Sow: | July - September. |
Growing period: | 3-6 months. |
Ideal Soil Type: | Most. |
Nitrogen fixer: | Yes. |
How to Sow: | Prepare the soil by roughly digging over and removing any weeds. Lightly tread and level the soil, and then sow the seeds by broadcast sowing (i.e. scattering evenly) for good coverage. Dig in to a depth of 2cm. Rake the soil and lightly firm down and water well. In dry periods you will need to water until the green manure is established. |
Care: | The green manure should be cut down before flowering when the stems are nice and soft as they decompose quicker, retain more beneficial nutrients and are easier to incorporate into the soil. They can be dug into the soil by turning over into the top 15cms or left on the top as a mulch, the worms will drag down the organic matter and help to aerate the soil. |
How Much Seed Do I Need
Pack weight: | 100g | 250g | 500g |
1kg
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Area covered: | 16m2 | 41m2 | 83m2 |
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Coverage rates quoted in the table above are based on our recommended seed coverage of 6g per m2.
When to Sow Winter Mix Green Manure Seeds
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
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All orders are dispatched the next working day and are delivered either via Royal Mail 2nd Class Delivery (3-5 working day service) or 48 Hour Parcel Courier (depending on size and weight). These delivery times shown are to be used as a guide and are not guaranteed.
Delivery Charges:
Orders up to £19.99 pay a flat rate of £1.95
Orders over £20 receive FREE delivery.
Please note, we are unable to deliver seeds to countries outside the UK. Due to new BREXIT regulations, we can no longer supply to the Republic of Ireland, sorry.
Click here to view our delivery charges.