How to use green crops
Start thinking about your green crops in autumn, while the weather is still warm enough for them to germinate and establish before the chill of winter.
Clear beds
Remove summer crops and finished annuals. Unless these are diseased, add them to your compost so you can use the broken down organic material, to be used in the garden later. Weed the beds and dig in a little compost, then rake to help aerate the soil.
Planting
Sow from March to May and water when soil dries slightly. You can also sow lines of green crops near winter vegetables, such as brassicas, to encourage faster, healthier growth. The nitrogen fixing takes place while your new autumn and winter crops are growing.
Dig it in
The best time to dig in your green crop is just before they begin to flower. Traditionally the plants are forked up and cut with a spade before being scattered and buried into your garden. However, you can also use hedge clippers and get stuck in, or even get out the weed eater to cut them down in a few minutes! Once you’ve chopped it all down, dig it into the soil.
While you are digging into the soil, it is a great time to add manure to your garden beds.
