green manure

s2sap · Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2012 6:31 pm Post subject: green manure

Hi I wonder can anyone advise me .I planted winter mix and rye grass green manures over the winter. I am now looking to plant potatoes next weekend. Do I dig the green manures in or pull out and leave on top to rot in.Any advice welcome thanks

dormouse · Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2012 10:15 pm Post subject:

Haven't done it myself but read up on it and seems the thing to do is to turn it in and let it rot in. So you would need to wait a few weeks before planting (I think). Would you not be better to wait till mid/late March for planting spuds anyway?

s2sap · Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 6:36 pm Post subject:

thanks dormouse contacted the company i bought the seeds from for confirmation from them of what to do.Exactly as you say just chop them down a bit and dig in to the top layer of soil.I was hoping with the weather so mild at the minute to plant my first batch of potatoes a week or to early as i planted them on the 15 th of march last year and they did well even though it was a lot colder then.

Greengage · Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 7:03 pm Post subject:

chop it down and dig it in, this all sounds great but you have all the roots from the rye in the soil which can make it awkward to dig it in, Dont plant the potatoes yet if they are first earlies they will be ready to eat in one hundread days anyway. Potatoes are also a great way to clean the soil.