About...green fertilizers

The early spring we are experiencing allows for the early establishment of spring green manures in order to occupy and enrich the soil before the establishment of the first crops. And although one might be led to believe, it is not recommended to advance the sowing and transplanting of tropical species, because a late frost can always occur. However, as the ground will be ready, due to early drainage, to receive certain crops earlier, it will be possible to advance the transplanting of lettuce, onions and parsley as well as the sowing of lettuce, radish, spinach, turnip, bok choy, arugula, mustard and mesclun, in short, all the hardy species that do not fear frost.

Spring green manures

In areas intended for tropical species such as tomatoes, peppers, peppers, squash, zucchini, cucumbers and melons, spring green manure can be sown. Oats , field peas or a mixture of these two species could be planted to give the soil the benefits of these two plants. Since they do not freeze, they can be established in the Montreal region as early as mid-April and in zone 4 from April 20. They can be left to grow for at least a month, which gives them all the time they need to produce organic matter, clean and structure the soil and, with the peas, enrich it with nitrogen.

How to proceed?

Sowing is done broadcast. Using a claw, the seeds must be buried a few centimeters. Surface watering helps accelerate emergence. A few days before sowing or transplanting tropical species, the green manure is destroyed by burying it on the surface. For my part, since I grow on large areas, I use a tiller. But, in a small garden or even in growing containers, you can first cut the plants into 10 to 15 cm segments using shears, then incorporate everything with a sturdy claw. This young organic matter will decompose quickly, releasing a multitude of mineral salts into the soil for subsequent crops.

Summer green manures

If we plan to let a plot rest and regenerate during the season, we could let the spring green manure grow until June, bury it at that time and follow it with a crop of buckwheat or phacelia , two species that are extremely beneficial for the soil and for pollinating insects, because they provide nectar sought by foragers.

To reduce the labor time associated with the destruction of fertilizer
green and sowing the next one, I sow the second green manure on the cut segments of the first and I bury everything at the same time.

To learn more about fall green manures, read Fall Green Manures.

Yves Gagnon, author and seed producer.