Autumn is a harvesting time for every garden plotter. There is nothing more fun than picking good-looking fruit and vegetables that have been carefully cultivated since early spring. It gives me great joy, although at the same time I am aware that now, in the fall, I am facing a busy period. I know that if I want to have another tasty and he althy harvest next season, I have toprepare the soil for growing themI want to describe to the readers of my favorite monthly how I do it.
After harvesting, I first loosen the beds, leaving plant residues on them.I once read that it is important because it stops water evaporation from the soil. In addition, decaying organic waste enriches the earth with humus and minerals.
A very important element of autumn work isproper fertilization of the substrateThe easiest, most effective and ecological way to do this is sowinggreen fertilizersMost of us usescatch cropsorcatch crops , i.e. digs up the plants before the onset of frost. I have a better method - I leave them for the winter. Experts call this treatmentsoil mulching.Most studies argue that it has many advantages, including two main ones:
- sheltered ground is protected against unfavorable external factors,
- our flower beds are enriched with organic substances and nutrients.
Plants, sown at the end of summer and left over winter, form a compact turf.In spring, strongly frozen, they constitute a layer of natural mulch, the so-called mulch I usually sowseradelfor this purpose myself. Compared to other legume plants, there are no too high requirements for the substrate. It also has the property that during drought it can stop vegetation and then resume it under favorable conditions (rain). The only downside may be the seed price, but it's not very prohibitive when it comes to a small footprint. Nevertheless, I am aware that most of my friends - retirees choosevetchorlupinefor catch crops because they are cheaper. For comparison: last year I paid 14 zlotys for a kilo of seradella seeds, 5 kg of vetch cost 25 zlotys then, and 10 kg of lupine - 36 zlotys. My plot is less than 500 m², so a kilogram of seeds is more than enough. However, if I have a lot of expenses in a given year, I also choose other species. I sow Seradela (or other plants) in late August or early September. Before the treatment, I dig the beds a little and straighten them.After sowing, I rake the plot and cover the seeds with a layer of soil to provide them with optimal moisture. I always carefully read the manufacturer's instructions, because the amount of seeds needed for a given area is different for different species. It also increases when sowing is delayed or the soil is weaker.
In the spring I mix the mulch with the top layer of soil. I plant seedlings or sow vegetable seeds into the prepared substrate. It may be of interest to beginner gardeners, but I have read recently that an innovative method of applying catch crops is sowing directly into non-cultivated soil. Then its structure is not interfered with. And it certainly takes less time.
Zofia Dobrowolska
GARDEN RECIPE
Mulching worth
This treatment is especially important on sandy soils. It provides organic matter and helps regulate the water properties of the soil. Similarly, on sloping terrain, the use of green mulch reduces erosive processes, retains water and snow, and prevents the washing away of valuable ingredients. Plants recommended for mulching are:
- spring species that freeze in winter - yellow lupine, field peas, field beans, seradella, spring vetch, spring rape, mustard, blue phacelia,
- winter species (non-freezing) - hairy vetch, winter oilseed rape, winter rye.
When we use winter species as catch crops, we first need to mow and crush them in spring, and then dig them to a depth of about 20 cm.
