Green manure

Vitality and loose soil in your raised bed

Unlike «greenwashing», green manure is actually ecologically valuable and very easy to implement. This means sowing plants that loosen and nourish the soil through their growth and roots. The plants are usually not allowed to grow to fruit, but are usually cut off close to the ground before flowering. The roots are left in the ground and the greens of the plants are roughly chopped up and placed in the top layer of your soil. 

With green manure in the fall, you can prepare your raised bed for the coming gardening season and revitalize depleted soil from the last gardening season. 

Green manure plants bring great benefits to your substrate. The often deep and sturdy roots help keep your raised bed loose and counteract compaction. They protect against leaching of nutrients in wintry wet conditions and dead plant residues ensure that the beloved humus-producing soil organisms continue to find food over the winter. This protects your valuable garden soil from harsh weather conditions in winter and in spring you can start gardening full of energy on busy, aerated beds. When it is time for spring sowing, the cover plants are chopped off and left on the ground as mulch. As the soil rots, the humus content in the bed continues to build up, the substrate is strengthened and the soil creatures enjoy the additional food. Alternatively, you can add the chopped plant matter to your vermicompost bin.

Our tips for green manure in your raised bed:

Crimson Clover: Suitable for all soils, brings nitrogen into the soil and loosens the soil with its up to 60cm long taproots. A real eye-catcher when in bloom. Also pleases many insects.

Phacelia: At 12-18°C the seeds germinate within 14 days. The seedlings survive the winter without much growth. In the spring, the plants have a head start and flower earlier than those that are only sown in the spring. Bee pasture, bee friend, tufted beauty or tufted flower are alternative names for this pretty green manure.

Winter rape: Is also suitable for all soils, loosens the soil with robust roots and is considered a good humus producer.

Winter Rye: Improves soil structure thanks to roots that grow up to 120cm long. Suppresses weeds and is suitable for building humus.