Sow green manures
Benefit bare soils with fast-growing crops
Germinating in just a few weeks, hardy green manure crops can be sown into areas of bare soil to help smother weed growth and protect soil from erosion over winter.
Leguminous crops (members of the pea and bean family) also fix nutrients in their roots, preventing them from being washed away, then release them back into the soil once they’re dug in next spring.
Simply sow the seeds in rows or scatter them across the soil and lightly rake into the surface.
Four winter-hardy species
Grazing rye ( Secale cereale): Good for lifting nitrogen, its extensive root system and leafy growth smothers weeds and improves soil structure. Sow August to November. £2.99 from www.thompsonmorgan.com; tel: 0844 573 1818.
Mustard ( Sinapis alba): September is the last chance to sow this brassica member, but don’t follow it with other brassicas because it could encourage clubroot. £2.65 from www. homebase.co.uk; tel: 0345 077 8888.
Field beans ( Vicia faba): Ideal for fixing nitrogen in heavy soils, this annual legume can be sown September to October, then left until it starts flowering. £3.95 from www.marshallsseeds.co.uk; tel: 0844 557 6700.
Winter tares ( Vicia sativa): Another annual legume, this attractive plant overwinters well, even in heavy soils. September is the latest month to sow, then dig it in once the pink flowers appear. £ 1.45 from www. sowseeds.co. uk ( phone ordering is not available).