Sowing soil improvers

Here comes autumn, your vegetable garden has welcomed many crops which could have exhausted the soil and led to a decrease in its fertility... To avoid leaving the soil bare, and to avoid the invasion of weeds, the simplest and least time-consuming solution is surely to sow soil improvers. Contrary to popular belief, soil improvers are not reserved for experts and are easy to use for all gardeners! These plants from the legume family (white clover, crimson clover, alfalfa, red clover, sainfoin, sweet clover, vetch...), grasses (oats, wheat, or rye for example) or even cruciferous plants (in other words brassicaceae such as white mustard or rapeseed) will simply allow you to enrich your soil for the following crops. Avoid only perennial green manures (alfalfa, sainfoin, clover, etc.) in the vegetable garden, unless you want to leave it in place for several years or manage to pull everything out. These species are perennial, they have great regrowth capacities. The benefits of soil improvers They loosen and aerate the soil through the work of their roots, They protect the soil against bad weather, erosion and compaction, They fertilize the soil naturally, and provide minerals, particularly by fixing nitrogen and returning it to the soil after burial, They help control weeds, They attract beneficial insects and pollinators. Sowing soil improvers When should you sow a soil improver? Soil improvers are sown in the fall or early spring. Spring soil improvers are often frost-sensitive plants that cannot withstand periods of extreme cold (for example, phacelia, spring vetch, etc.). You can also use spring soil improvers during the summer, as they will develop well before the cold and then act as a dead mulch during the winter to protect your soil. You can sow a spring soil improver from February to April with a lifting in May-June. Spring soil improvers sown in summer should be sown in July and August and pulled up in February, March. Autumn soil improvers are more resistant to cold, such as rye, vetch or crimson clover which are sown in late summer or early autumn. They germinate before the start of winter and continue their growth in spring. Autumn soil improvers are particularly interesting in regions where spring is short, such as in the mountains for example. You can sow an autumn soil improver in September or October with a lifting in May, June of the following year. Sowing a soil improver Broadcast sow, respecting the seeding density, and distribute the seeds well over the entire surface. Then rake to distribute the seeds and level the soil. Firm with the back of a rake or by laying planks on the ground. It is not necessary to water your plots with soil improvers; the rain will take care of this work. If you are in a hurry, you can water from time to time to accelerate growth. Mowing and burying the soil improver Soil improvers are useful from planting to decomposition. As soon as the vegetation is sufficiently developed and before the end of flowering (to prevent the seeds from spreading), soil improvers should be mown. This is generally done 1 to 2 weeks before the establishment of the next crop. After drying and when their decomposition is complete, you can grind them with a mower before burying them in your soil with a spade or broadfork. Incorporated into the surface soil (do not bury them more than 20 cm deep), they release nitrogen and become organic matter that will improve the soil in your vegetable garden. To recap: Spring soil improvers: sowing from February to April. Pulling up in May, June. Spring soil improvers sown in summer: sowing in July, August. Pulling up in February, March. Autumn soil improvers: sowing in September, October. Pulling up in May, June. Which varieties for which purpose? You can favor certain varieties depending on the needs of your soil: To loosen: prefer mustard, alfalfa, clover, rye or vetch; To protect the soil: phacelia, mustard, rye or vetch; To fertilize the soil: Vetch, phacelia, mustard, and legumes in general; To weed: buckwheat, rye, vetch; To attract beneficials: phacelia and clover. Also remember that soil improvers, in addition to being very useful, are often very decorative! Phacelia, mustard, and buckwheat are undoubtedly the most widely used green fertilizers. They are very easy to grow and attract pollinating insects. Phacelia is a hydrophyllaceae that smothers weeds, couch grass, and fights nematodes thanks to its abundant vegetation and highly developed root system. Sainfoin is a legume that enriches the soil with nitrogen. It is suitable for calcareous, dry, hot, and permeable soils. White mustard: a cruciferous plant that smothers weeds and enriches the soil.