Healthy soil is full of invertebrates, bacteria and fungi (fauna and microbes) that work together to break down organic matter such as dead plant material and manure to make these nutrients available to plant roots.Īs gardeners, we can boost the level of nutrients in the soil by mimicking natural processes. They are particularly important on the vegetable patch as veg crops need a lot of nutrients to produce the food we eat. These nutrients work together to help plants grow strongly, produce flowers and fruit. The three main plant nutrients found in the soil are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, while magnesium, calcium and sulphur are also important. However some can be left in place for a couple of years. Green manures are usually dug into the ground before flowering, when they rot down and their nutrients are returned to the soil ahead of the growing season. What’s more they smother weeds and their roots prevent nutrients “washing away” in heavy rains, which can lead to soil erosion. Green manures are typically fast growing and have deep tap roots, which bring nutrients to the surface, making them more accessible to future crops. They are sown as seed on bare ground and grow to cover bare soil, usually on the vegetable patch after a crop has been harvested and cleared, but also to fill the space between crops or even used to underplant taller-growing crops. Green manures are a plant-based alternative to animal manures.
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