Plant used for/Green manure
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- Green manure
- Tilled in to improve fertility of soil.
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Inventory
Here is EcoReality's seed inventory for plants that are used as Green manure:
| ID | common name | family | latin name | date | quantity | action | days to germ | propagation | days to maturity | habitat | sun | drainage | soil | inventory | notes | nutrients | needs | use |
| 264 | Clover, Crimson | Fabaceae | Trifolium incarnatum | Pre-soak the seed for 12 hours in warm water and then sow in spring to early summer in situ. The seed can also be sown in early autumn as a winter green manure.
Succeeds in a moist, well-drained circum-neutral soil in full sun. Succeeds in poor soils. It grows well in an apple orchard, the trees will produce tastier fruit that stores better. It should not be grown with camellias or gooseberries because it harbours a mite that can cause fruit drop in the gooseberries and premature budding in the camellias. Fairly resistant to 'clover rot'. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby. Buttercups growing nearby depress the growth of the nitrogen bacteria by means of a root exudate. When removing plant remains at the end of the growing season, it is best to only remove the aerial parts of the plant, leaving the roots in the ground to decay and release their nitrogen. | full sun | moist | poor | 8800 grams | The seeds can be sprouted and eaten in salads[183]. They can also be dried and ground into a nutritious flour. Dried flower heads are a tea substitute. Used as a green manure. It is relatively fast growing, makes an excellent weed suppressing cover and fixes nitrogen. It is also used with grass seed mixes in soil reclamation projects. | Nitrogen | Beverage, Green manure, Soil stabilization | |||||||
| 293 | Clover, white | Fabaceae | Trifolium reptans | Seeds: Pre-soak for 12 hours in warm water and then sow in spring in situ. If the seed is in short supply it might be better to sow it in pots in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in late spring.
Division: in spring[238]. Succeeds in a moist, well-drained circum-neutral soil in full sun, preferring a sweet calcareous clay soil. Succeeds in poor soils. Dislikes growing with henbane or members of the buttercup family[18]. Buttercups growing nearby depress the growth of the nitrogen bacteria by means of a root exudate[201]. It grows well in an apple orchard, the trees will produce tastier fruit that stores better[201]. It should not be grown with camellias or gooseberries because it harbours a mite that can cause fruit drop in the gooseberries and premature budding in the camellias[201]. Polymorphic, there are many subspecies and varieties. Some varieties have also been selected for use in lawn mixes[183]. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[200]. | Grassland and lawns, preferring a calcareous clay soil[9, 17]. | full sun | well drained | clay | 3500 grams | A very important food plant for the caterpillars of many butterfly and moth species[30] it is also a good bee plant[54]. A good companion plant in the lawn, tolerating trampling[18, 54]. | Nitrogen | Antirheumatic, Antiscrophulatic, Beverage, Depurative, Detergent, Food, Green manure, Ophthalmic, Tonic | ||||||
| 32 | Goat's Rue | Fabaceae | Galega officinalis | 2012-04-05 00:00:00 | 51 each seeds in 8cc blocks | plant | Scarify seed by rubbing on sandpaper. Pre-soak for 12 hours in warm water and then sow the seed in spring or autumn in a cold frame. Spring-sown seed can be slow to germinate, a period of cold stratification may improve the germination time. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer. If you have sufficient seed, then it is possible to sow outdoors in situ in mid to late spring. DIVISION in spring or autumn. Larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring. | Plant prefers poor garden soil and full sun. Difficult to get this herb these days, and international trade and some domestic trade in this species has been disallowed due to the misconception that it is an invasive weed. I've found that it disappears without care. Succeeds in most soils but repays generous treatment. Prefers full sun and a deep moist soil but it also succeeds in light shade. Grows well even in poor soils. Plants are very tolerant of neglect and can be grown in quite coarse grass, which can be cut annually in the autumn. A long-lived plant, it can be invasive in good growing conditions. | partial shade | moist | poor | 50 each | This is the most active of all galactagogue herbs. Promotes milk flow more reliably than anything I know (except childbirth). Works equally well for lactating human mothers and also domestic stock such as goats, horses and cows.
Goat's rue was once important in the treatment of plague, fevers and infectious diseases. It is still used in modern herbalism, though mainly for its effect in promoting milk-flow in lactating mothers (it has been shown to increase the flow of milk in cows and goats by 35 - 50%) and for its positive effect on the digestive system. The plant contains galegine, an alkaloid that strongly reduces blood sugar levels which make it useful in the treatment of diabetes. The leaves and flowering tops are diaphoretic, diuretic, galactogogue and hypoglycaemic. It has also been used in the treatment of fevers. It is taken internally to treat insufficient lactation, late-onset diabetes, pancreatitis and digestive problems, especially chronic constipation caused by a lack of digestive enzymes. The plant is harvested as it is just coming into flower and is dried for later use. A fast-growing plant, it makes a good green manure crop, enriching the soil with organic matter and also fixing atmospheric nitrogen. The plant is used cosmetically in hand and foot bathes. Leaves cooked and eaten like spinach. | Nitrogen | Cosmetic, Curdling agent, Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Food, Forage, Galactogogue, Green manure, Hypoglycaemic | |||
| 265 | Rye, Fall | Poaceae | Secale cereale | Seed: sow March or October in situ and only just cover the seed. Germination should take place within 2 weeks.
An easily grown plant, it succeeds in most soils but prefers a well-drained light soil in a sunny position. It thrives on infertile, submarginal areas and is renouned for its ability to grow on sandy soils. Established plants are drought tolerant. The plant is reported to tolerate an annual precipitation in the range of of 22 to 176cm, an annual temperature in the range of of 4.3 to 21.3°C and a pH of 4.5 to 8.2. Rye is a widely cultivated temperate zone cereal crop. It is able to withstand severe climatic conditions and can be grown much further north and at higher altitudes than wheat. Average yields vary widely from country to country, the world average is around 1.6 tonnes per hectare with yields of almost 7 tonnes per hectare achieved in Norway. There are many named varieties. Rye is a rather variable species and botanists have divided it into a number of sub-species, all of which could be of value in breeding programmes. These sub-species are briefly listed below: S. cereale afghanicum (Vavilov.) K.Hammer. Native to the Caucasus, western Asia and India. S. cereale ancestrale Zhuk. Native to western Asia. S. cereale dighoricum Vavilov. Native to the Caucasus and eastern europe. S. cereale segetale Zhuk. Native to temperate Asia. Rye grows well with cornflowers and pansies, though it inhibits the growth of poppies and couch grass. | full sun | well drained | poor | 25000 grams | Edible seed: cooked. A common cereal, it is used especially in N. Europe to make bread. The seed contains about 13% protein. The grain also contains some gluten, though not as much as wheat, so it makes a heavier bread than wheat. It can also be used to make cakes etc. The seed can be sprouted and added to salads.
Malt, a sweet substance produced by germinating the seed, is extracted from the roasted germinated seed and used as a sweetening agent and in making beer etc. The roasted (ungerminated) seed is used as a coffee substitute. The straw is used as a fuel or as a biomass in industry. It is quite strong and can also be used in thatching, for paper making, weaving mats and hats etc. Other uses for the straw include as a packing material for nursery stock, bricks and tiles, for bedding, archery targets, and mushroom compost. The plant is a good green manure crop. It is fast growing with an extensive and deep root system. It is especially useful if sown in late autumn. Its growth over the winter will prevent soil erosion and the leaching of nutrients from the soil, it can then be incorporated into the soil in the spring. The extensive root system also makes this a good plant to use for soil stabilization, especially on sandy soils. | Carbohydrate, Phosphorous, Potassium, Protein | Beverage, Cancer, Fibre, Fuel, Green manure, Laxative, Oil, Poultice, Soil stabilization, Sweetening |
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- are sensitive to a particular nutrient
- Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Zinc
- supplies a particular nutrient (dynamic accumulator)
- Antioxidants, Boron, Calcium, Carbohydrate, Chromium, Copper, Fat, Fat: Omega-3, Fibre: Non-Soluble, Folate, Iodine, Iron, Lycopene, Magnesium, Manganese, Niacin, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium, Protein, Silica, Sulfur, Vitamin A, Vitamin B, Vitamin B1 (thiamine), Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin), Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Zinc
