What is Green Manure?
Green manure is a plant that has been grown to help soil by adding much-needed nutrition to improve the soil’s productiveness and structure, allowing for enhanced drainage. Green manures will also help to keep weeds at bay while also acting as a form of pest control, which will help to keep your soil healthy. It can also be really effective when you grow your own produce, as the nutrients that they release can result in a profitable harvest.
View our collection of seeds and bulbsA Guide to Using Green Manure
- Sow green manures in late summer or early autumn, and ensure that they are in rows. Rake these across the surface of your soil.
- When you need to begin the cropping process, cut the foliage back and allow the plants to fade naturally.
- You then need to begin digging in the plants. Do this approximately 25cm deep from the top of the soil.
Hillier top tip: Allow two weeks between the dig and planting as rotting green foliage can sometimes hinder healthy plant development.
Hillier Recommended Seeds
Crimson Clover
Sow: March – August
Advantages: Crimson Clover is an excellent, fast-growing solution for suppressing weeds and works well at nitrogen fixation. Your soil’s structure can be improved with the addition of Crimson Clover as it has deep roots and bulky foliage once it is dug in.
Autumn/Winter Mix
Sow: September – February
Advantages: This general mix is ideal for digging in early spring and is designed to give nitrogen, nutrients, and green matter to your soil when growing throughout the winter.
Mustard White
Sow: March – September
Advantages: Mustard White is the fastest-growing green matter and is great for filling spaces in your garden during the growing season.
Winter Rye
Sow: August – November
Advantages: Winter Rye is the ideal overwinter crop because it is robust and dense as it grows. It will prevent leaching of the soil caused by the rain during the winter season and provide a lot of green matter to dig in during the early spring months.
Phacelia Tanacetifolia
Sow: April – August
Advantages: This crop is fantastic for suppressing weeds and will grow vigorously, providing a mass of dense growth. Phacelia Tanacetifolia also produces flowers that are a great attraction for bees.
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