August is ideal for sowing these 7 plants as green manures, enhancing your soil's health significantly.
August is an excellent time to sow green manures in your vegetable garden. These plants, also known as cover crops, offer numerous benefits, such as improving soil structure, enhancing nutrient levels, and smothering weeds.
For August sowing, some of the best green manures to consider include alfalfa, clovers, and vetch.
Alfalfa, a deep-rooted legume, is particularly effective. It breaks up heavy soil, fixes nitrogen due to root nodules, suppresses weeds, and attracts beneficial insects. To sow alfalfa, broadcast the seeds sparsely in open vegetable beds or containers with free-draining compost, lightly press them into the soil, and water well for germination. After flowering, cut back the alfalfa and incorporate it into the soil to enrich it for future planting. Organic alfalfa seeds can be purchased from True Leaf Market.
Clovers are another great choice for August sowing. They are known for their ability to fix nitrogen and enrich the soil. Sow them sparsely in open vegetable beds or containers with free-draining compost, and water well for germination. In 2–4 weeks, cut or dig in the clovers before planting again in spring to release nutrients for your next crop.
Vetch is another nitrogen-fixing green manure that improves soil organic matter. Sow it in the same manner as alfalfa and clovers.
Hairy vetch is a fast-growing green manure that helps suppress weeds in fall and prevents weeds from popping up in spring. It is versatile and can grow happily in many different soil types, even poorer soil types.
Winter rye is another versatile green manure. It captures and stores nutrients throughout fall and winter, before it needs cutting down around a month before planting. Winter rye has deep roots that prevent erosion and loss of nutrients during the colder months, making it excellent at breaking up compacted soils.
Phacelia is a fast-growing green manure with blue or purplish flowers that attract bees and other beneficial insects. It improves soil structure, germinates quickly, and is cold-tolerant. Phacelia can be cut back and dug into the ground when it starts to flower, or left to cover the soil before digging in come spring if it is killed by frost before setting seed. Phacelia seeds can be purchased from Burpee.
Crimson clover is a reliable green manure that adds nitrogen to the soil, improves soil structure, and smothers weeds. In colder US hardiness zones, crimson clover may not overwinter, but its foliage can be left on the surface if it does succumb to cold. Non-GMO heirloom crimson clover seeds can be purchased from Amazon.
Daikon radish is another effective green manure. It breaks up the soil and improves structure, thanks to its deep tap roots. It also smothers weeds due to its broad foliage. Daikon radish can be left in the ground over winter, and its roots quickly break down following winter frosts, releasing goodness into the soil.
Mustard quickly forms a dense cover to suppress weeds and adds lots of nitrogen to the soil. Its thick taproot helps break up the ground, making it ideal for combating compaction in heavier soil types and preventing soil erosion or water runoff.
August is also an opportunity to plant vegetables for harvests in fall and winter. Green manures offer a perfect way to prepare your soil for these autumn and winter crops, ensuring a productive vegetable garden all year round.
- For a better home-and-garden lifestyle, consider sowing green manures like alfalfa, clovers, and vetch in August, as they improve soil structure, enhance nutrient levels, and smother weeds, making them ideal for landscaping and gardening.
- By adding nitrogen-fixing green manures such as alfalfa, clovers, vetch, hairy vetch, winter rye, phacelia, crimson clover, daikon radish, and mustard to your home-and-garden, you can enrich the soil and prepare it for fall and winter vegetable planting, ensuring a productive and sustainable home-garden lifestyle throughout the year.
