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Soil, Compost & Mulch

Cover crop ready!

17 years ago

I got so excited that my buckwheat was blooming that I forgot to ask just what is the optimal process for turning it into the garden!

The pound of seed that I got said the maturation rate was right at 8 weeks. The first plot started blooming 10 or so days ago. Now I have blooms widespread and want to utilize this before seed starts to set.

I did a search (I'm well GW trained) for Green Manure and Cover Crop and didn't get information past the lovely FAQ's that Monte was kind enough to provide.

When I put the seed out, I took the time to cover with about an inch of compost (I was cleaning out the bottom of a trash can in preps to sift some more).

True leaves coming in (don't pay any attention to the UCG filters you see!).

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How Does My BuckWheat Grow?

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(Unevenly. I hand broadcast. After the first flush, I came back and sowed again.)

Third week of February.

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Second broadcast filling in. Oh, that's a chicken tractor off to the left there.

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Coming right along, first of March or so.

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Bout that time...

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Those are mums. There's an onion in there too.

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Just this week. That board is 11 1/2 inches. ALL of those plants are in bloom. Since I didn't thin after seeding, I started thinning out the bloomers.

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So, I need to know just how to turn under my cover crop. Do I just trench it in? What?

Oh, a potato fork.

That tiller stays in the shed unless I'm starting a new bed...

TIA for any help, suggestions or comments.

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Comments (3)

Kimmsr
17 years ago
You could fork it under, till it in. You could simply cut the plants stems off near ground level and let the stems and leaves lay as a mulch.
buffburd
17 years ago
I just cut them off at the surface and hand shredded the stems a bit before covering the surface again with them.

I was surprised to realize that the layer of buckwheat stems I applied in this way to my raised bed had completely decomposed by the end of the summer.
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Cena
Original Author
17 years ago
So, how soon after I turn everything in, using a single dig method, can I plant my garden????

Hopefully, everyone says yesterday...

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