GROWING GREEN
As gardeners, we know that the success of our plot is directly related to the health of our soil. Soil is our most valuable asset and, as such, needs to be protected. The best way to protect and improve our soil is by keeping it covered with crops, whether it be an edible or green manure crop.
Green manuring isn’t a new concept. The Ancient Greeks recognised the value of green manures but with the advent of the Second World War and the development of man-made chemicals and fertilisers to increase productivity, the use of green manures declined. Today, as we seek more natural ways of maintaining healthy soils and crops, green manures are once again back in vogue.
Green manures are plants grown for the primary purpose of improving the soil. In addition to helping bulk up the soil with organic matter, green manures prevent erosion, suppress weeds, provide forage for animals, attract and provide nectar for pollinators, provide a habitat for predators such as slug-eating frogs, while creating and cycling soil-borne nutrients using the power of the
