Buckwheat green manure: description, advantages and disadvantages, how to plant, photos, reviews

Content

1 Description of buckwheat as green manure
- 1.1 The benefits and harms of buckwheat as green manure
2 On what soils is it used?
3 For which crops is it suitable?
4 When to sow buckwheat as green manure
5 Consumption of buckwheat as green manure per hundred square meters
6 How to sow buckwheat on green manure
7 Care instructions
8 When to mow and dig
9 Conclusion
10 Reviews on the use of buckwheat as green manure

To achieve a good harvest, people resort to using fertilizers. One of the ways to saturate the soil with nutrients is green manure. Buckwheat as a green manure is an interesting crop. It blooms beautifully and for a long time, slows down the growth of weeds. However, the plant is very demanding and is not suitable for beginners.

Description of buckwheat as green manure

Buckwheat is sometimes called the record holder for the fastest growing. This largely depends on the variety, but the average growing season is 80 days. If there is no need to harvest, the green mass is sown three times a year - in spring, summer and autumn. At the same time, favorable conditions for growth must be ensured.

Prolonged heat (over 28 degrees) does not have the best effect on the health of green manure

The benefits and harms of buckwheat as green manure

Green manure has a number of positive qualities, which makes it popular among gardeners:

Possibility to restore poor soil. The plot is enriched by next year and becomes ready for planting other crops.
Increased aeration.Anyone who has ever cared for plants knows how important soil ventilation is. This affects the yield and duration of flowering. At the same time, the moisture permeability of the soil increases.
Weed control. Buckwheat grows faster than weeds. It takes away nutrients from the latter, due to which its population decreases.
Improving soil quality. To achieve a dense harvest, the help of beneficial microorganisms and worms is necessary. They reduce the risk of disease development and loosen the soil.
Saturation with minerals. In addition to vital nitrogen, green manure produces a lot of phosphorus. Minerals take on a form that is convenient for absorption, making it easier for crops to feed.
Short growth period. Buckwheat green manure can be cultivated several times a year.
Lush flowering. Buckwheat produces beautiful buds that attract pollinators.
Versatility. Green manure is effective for growing ornamental plants and saturates fruit crops with sweet juice.
The presence of potassium in the roots. As a result of decomposition, the roots do not consume potassium, but enrich the soil with it.

There are some negative aspects to consider before purchasing buckwheat. For example, green manure is demanding on moisture. In summer, the health of the crop is at risk - it needs help from the owner.

Due to the fibrous structure of the root system, it is difficult to dig up the soil after green manure

Attention! When watering, try not to get water on the buckwheat shoots. Direct sunlight is harmful to it.

Green manure is suitable for vegetable gardens, gardens and personal plots; buckwheat loves warm weather, so there is no need to rush into planting. Work begins when the weather outside is favorable.

On what soils is it used?

In the Moscow region and the central part of the country, green manure is difficult to grow. The plant prefers warm climates. Russian winters can be disastrous for him. Sprouts are affected by fog, dew, showers, and strong gusts of wind. However, buckwheat is grown in different areas. Since the roots improve the quality of the soil, making it loose and accessible to moisture, they are guided by heavy soils.

In this case, the seeds are deepened to a shorter distance than when grown in a fertile area. The seeds hatch when the ground is warmed by at least 10 degrees. At the same time, the weather outside should be warm.

Attention! When planted densely, buckwheat shoots will intertwine with each other. This makes it difficult to weed the area, especially if the owner works with his hands.

For which crops is it suitable?

Green manure is ideal for ornamental and agricultural crops. Traditionally, it is used for growing cabbage, beets, strawberries, grapes, cucumbers, roses, lilies of the valley, potatoes and many other plants.

Buckwheat roots go 2 m into the ground, providing nutrients even to tall trees. The plant is sown before planting fruit bushes.

Attention! After green manure, rhubarb, sorrel and spinach are not grown. These crops belong to the same family, so planting them is not advisable.

Sometimes cereals are grown, but this is only possible in fertile and loose soil

When to sow buckwheat as green manure

In spring, the timing of sowing buckwheat on green manure depends on the specific area. In the southern regions this is done in April, in the northern regions - in the middle or end of May. Buckwheat is also planted in the summer, but at the same time monitor watering. The last terms begin in September and end in October.The main thing is that frosts do not bother the green manure for at least a month, so that it has time to grow green mass.

Usually, buckwheat is sown as green manure in the spring. It is necessary that at a depth of 10 cm the ground is not too cold. Since frosts are considered rare during this period, the crop has a greater chance of adaptation.

When planting in the hot season, they rely on the weather forecast. In conditions of abnormal heat, the seeds will not be able to germinate, and the owner will have to constantly moisten the seedlings.

Consumption of buckwheat as green manure per hundred square meters

To ensure dense cover of 10 square meters. m calculate 150 g of seed material. This is more than enough.

How to sow buckwheat on green manure

The beginning of planting work will be digging up the site. In a small garden they use a shovel; in the fields it is easier to cultivate the soil with a cultivator. The minimum depth is 10 cm. Seeds can be kept in a solution of potassium parchment or sown dry.

Advice! To be safe, planting material is placed in a homemade gauze bag and immersed in warm water for half a day. It is changed four times at equal intervals. Green manure is dried without the use of artificial heaters.

The buckwheat should be stirred so that it does not stick together.

Then they start sowing. It is not necessary to mix with sand, since green manure is very coarse. The best time for planting is cloudy weather.

In loamy soils, the seeds are buried by 5 cm, in sandy soils by 7 cm. The last stage will be compaction. This is done using improvised means or equipment. The most effective is rolling. But you can compact the soil with your feet.

Buckwheat bought in a store should not be used for sowing. These raw materials go through many processes before reaching the supermarket.Because of this, it becomes unable to grow. It is better to purchase buckwheat in a specialized store.

Advice! If there is an animal stall nearby, the material can be found there.

Care instructions

Green manure grows quickly, so there are few difficulties in the process. The main factor that needs to be monitored is the frequency of watering. This is important in the first stages, when the seeds have just hatched. In summer, buckwheat is moistened twice every seven days. At the same time, there is no need to allow dirt. The culture is capricious; excess moisture for it can be as destructive as drying out.

In conditions suitable for growth, buckwheat will show sprouts in 5-10 days. If the weather is warm enough, it will grow and form buds. In a month the first flowers will appear. They will delight you for 20-30 days. But the green manure is not brought to this state, but is mowed until buds form. During this period, buckwheat contains a lot of nutrients.

Weeds do not bother the crop, but weeding should not be abandoned either. The grass is removed so as not to damage the roots of the beneficial green manure. At the same time, you can loosen the soil with a rake.

Buckwheat does not need fertilizing, which makes it easy to grow. Fertilizers should only be used if the soil is depleted.

When to mow and dig

Some people mow down buckwheat after the flowers form. But this depends on the variety of buckwheat. Usually work begins a month after the flowers appear. The roots are cut along with the shoots. The green mass is mixed with soil, and the remains are scattered over other areas. It can also be used as an organic fertilizer for mulching.

The area is not treated for 15-25 days - the more, the better

Nature will do everything itself; no additional effort on the part of the owner is needed. In a month, the earth will be enriched with useful minerals, micro- and macroelements. Then they begin to plant the necessary plants.

Conclusion

Buckwheat as a green manure brings great benefits to vegetable gardens and orchards. The plant sprouts quickly, but requires a lot of moisture in return. The easiest time to sow grains is in the spring, when meltwater seeps deep into the soil. Green manure is used for growing agricultural and ornamental crops; it attracts pollinators and suppresses the growth of weeds.

Reviews on the use of buckwheat as green manure

Alena Orlov, Nizhnevartovsk

As the owner of a large field, I do not exclude the importance of green manure. I don’t use 100% of the land myself – I alternate plantings. To saturate the soil, I use buckwheat. The first year I used phacelia, then I switched to this green manure. The harvest is growing, there are more honey bees. Maybe it's time to think about buying a hive.

Sebastian Ermolaev, Arkhangelsk

Among the green manures, I liked buckwheat - it ripens early and attracts pollinators. I consider the disadvantage to be high demands. Precipitation is infrequent and more water has to be wasted. I put three bathtubs in the garden so that they would fill up when it rained. I was lucky and found it in a barn from the previous homeowner.