White mustard as green manure: how to use, when to sow. Growing mustard - tips for planting. Grades: White, Sheet, Black

As you know, the soil needs mandatory fertilizer, otherwise it will run out of all the nutrients. You can cultivate the soil with the help of chemical or natural dressings, introducing substances directly into the ground.

However, there is a simpler, but no less effective method sideration is the planting of mustard. There are several varieties of this plant, but the white one (Sinapis alba) is considered the most useful. This grassy has salient feature- release and accumulate in the soil poorly soluble phosphates.

Mustard root, stem and foliage contain a huge amount of nitrogen. These qualities make the plant an excellent green manure.

The benefits of mustard for plants as green manure

The earth is sown with mustard seeds in order to enrich the soil with phosphorus, nitrogen and other useful trace elements. The sideration process helps to saturate the mail with nutrients. The plant has not only green manure properties, it has many useful features, namely:

cleansing the earth;
Pest control (wireworms, codling moths);
Preventing the growth of other weeds;
Improvement of soil structure;
Interference with the leaching process. Siderat has the ability to retain nitrogen, so it perfectly cultivates any garden and garden soils;
Mulching. With the first frost, the plant automatically transforms into a mulching heater. Consequently, it protects the earth from severe freezing, keeping it a large number of moisture;
Excellent honey plant;
It is a hospitable neighbor to legumes, potatoes, grapes, various fruit trees, because it activates their growth and serves as protection against various pests.

When to Plant Mustard for Soil Improvement

It is advisable to plant grassy in soil fertilized with peat. The plant does not take root well on the following types of soil:

clayey;
sour;
salty.

When sowing mustard as green manure, it should be remembered that the plant needs constant moisture.

During the formation of buds, especially frequent watering is required. Do not plant mustard before the next planting of cabbage. These cultures are susceptible to the same diseases.

After selecting the desired area, you can proceed to the disembarkation procedure. The sowing period begins in early spring, and last until late autumn. But experts recommend doing this in the fall, as soon as you harvest the last crop. There are two ways to plant this green manure:

Seeds are deepened into the soil by about one and a half centimeters. The distance between them should be about fifteen centimeters. The total consumption of seed material will be about one hundred and fifty grams per one hundred square meters of land.
Seeds are scattered over the beds in bulk. Then the soil is harrowed with a rake, and a little earth is sprinkled on top. Remember that this method will require a lot more seed than the previous one.

It will take only a few days for the first sprouts to sprout. After a month and a half, the plant will reach the required height (about 20 cm).

It is at this time that the grassy must be mowed. The resulting green mass is crushed and embedded in the ground. It is desirable to water with the drug "Shine" or similar. From above, the area should be covered using a darkish film or roofing material.

Pay Special attention the fact that this green manure is very fond of moisture. Water the mustard as often as possible, especially during periods when there is no natural precipitation for a long time and the weather is dry.

The process of planting mustard in autumn

In the autumn months, the plant is planted immediately after harvesting potatoes and various cereal crops. With this method, you can easily fertilize large areas of land.

In late autumn, the herbaceous is sown so that it rises early in the spring. Mustard seeds are placed in the already cold soil, after carefully loosening it.

They should be in a state of complete rest until the spring thaw, but in no case should they freeze. Therefore, plant the seeds more deeply, do not be afraid, because the melt water will still wash away the upper earth layer.

Most gardeners and gardeners speak well of such green manure as mustard. Because this grassy is a useful and comfortable fertilizer that does not require huge labor costs. Your task is to sow, mow and apply to the soil. The whole process takes place in one area, which frees you from unnecessary fees, transfers and transportation of top dressing.

If you are going to fertilize soil that has not been cultivated for a long time, you will have to use vermicomposting.

That is, by adding compost rich in fast-growing earthworms to the mowed green mass. Otherwise, your green manure will have nothing to process, because in the depleted soil there are no nutrients or useful biological organisms.

Using green manure for nutrition and improvement of the land, remember that absolutely any plant consumes and subsequently gives away certain trace elements. Therefore, with only one mustard, you will not be able to fully fertilize the soil. To recreate the correct balance of the nutrient medium, it is better to use a complex or mixture of different green manure plants.

Outcome

Why choose mustard as the main green manure material? Let's name the main advantages of this herbaceous plant:

Mustard is a crop that easily copes with the absorption and processing of any sparingly soluble nutrients into readily available ones. This allows other plants to develop perfectly and fully mature.
Prevents leaching of nutrients into the subsoil, leaving them available in surface layers soil.
Siderat is able to perfectly loosen the earth, structure and drain it.
Mustard promotes breathability and moisture absorption.
Contributes to a significant improvement and nutrition of the soil.

Mustard is a well-known spice that is widely used in cooking. But few people know that she has other advantages. Mustard as a fertilizer has long been used in many Balkan countries, where the climate is similar to ours. middle lane, for the improvement and nutrition of the soil.

The Latin name for mustard is Sinapis. There are several varieties of this member of the cruciferous family, and the most useful for the garden is the subspecies Sinapis alba (white mustard), which has unique feature– release sparingly soluble phosphates from the soil and accumulate them. Also, its stems, roots and leaves contain a large amount of nitrogen, which makes mustard an excellent green manure.

In our country it useful plant not widely accepted by gardeners. Public opinion classifies it as a heat-loving crop, it is believed that the climate of the middle zone is not very comfortable for it. Actually, it is not. Mustard is very unpretentious, and if you do not provide it timely collection, can even become a very tenacious weed. The most interesting thing is that in nature it grows throughout Russia, except for permafrost zones. It is also distributed throughout the world. She can be found in North America, in India, and even in Japan.

What is useful mustard for plants?

Sowing mustard to fertilize the soil used to enrich the earth with nitrogen and phosphorus. The green mass embedded in the soil actively gives these useful microelements to the plants - followers, nourishing them on the most important, initial stage growth. It should be noted that mustard is not only green manure, it has many other useful qualities. She:

Cleans the soil from phytophthora, scab, putrefactive microorganisms, fights wireworm, slugs and codling moth;
Due to its rapid growth, it does not allow other weeds to develop;
Improves soil structure;
Interferes with leaching of the garden and garden earths thanks to the ability to detain nitrogen;
After frost, it turns into a mulching shelter, protecting the soil from freezing, and, accordingly, keeping more moisture in it until spring;
Is a good honey plant;
It can be a companion plant for various garden and horticultural crops, for example, for, beans, grapes, fruit trees, as it stimulates their growth and protects against pests.

How to grow green manure?

Actually, very easy. Mustard is adapted to any soil and conditions. Having planted its seeds, you can forget about the plot for 2-3 weeks. It will rise and grow anyway. Even frosts are unbearable for her - young shoots can withstand frosts down to -5 ° C, without much damage to the green mass.

The size of the seeds of this plant is small, but since they have some volume (similar to very small beans), it is convenient to capture them when planting. That's why mustard is usually planted, not sown, in a row way, keeping a distance between seeds of 10-15 cm, and between rows - 20 cm. At favorable conditions this plant forms sprawling bushes that need space. There is no need to deepen the planting material, this will slow down germination and weaken the plants. The maximum planting depth on loose, sandy soils is -1 - 1.5 cm; on clay - 1 cm. Shoots will appear together in 3-5 days.

If time is short, then you can organize the sowing of mustard to fertilize the soil. The result, of course, can be expected worse than with a uniform landing, but it will still be. With this "accelerated" method, you can simply scatter the seeds on a previously prepared loose soil surface, and deepen them with a rake. In this case, the seed consumption rate is 4-5 g per 1 m².

When to plant mustard to improve soil?

spring

The first planting of white mustard, which is most often used as a fertilizer, is produced in April. As soon as the constant night frosts stop, and the air temperature rises above 10 ° C, this undemanding plant is sown. To achieve its conditional form, it will take about 4-7 weeks, that is, if you sow mustard in the spring, in April, you can have time to fertilize its area before planting the main garden plants.

But it should be taken into account that not all vegetables can be planted after mustard. Cabbage, radish, radish, lettuce and other plants from the cruciferous family are bad neighbors, followers and predecessors for her, since they are all affected by the same diseases.

autumn

After harvesting crops that occupy large areas, there is still a sufficient number of warm days that can be used for planting green manure in this plot.

In autumn, mustard is planted after potatoes and cereals. thus healing large tracts of land. Sometimes this green manure is sown before winter, so that the mustard comes up in the spring. The most important thing in this case is not to make a mistake with the landing time. Seeds must be placed in cold, but previously loosened soil. They need to stay in a dormant state until spring, and at the same time, not freeze. Therefore, the embedment depth can be slightly increased, since the melt water will still wash away upper layer soil.

How to use Sinapis alba for top dressing?

According to gardeners, mustard is a very convenient green top dressing that does not require a lot of labor when using the application. It is embedded in the soil immediately, in the place where it grew which is very convenient - no effort is required to carry and transport. For example, if mustard is used as a weed suppressor for potatoes, then when weeding, it is simply embedded in the soil with a hoe or hoe.

Mustard should be cut in the garden before flowering, otherwise the stems will coarsen, and it will be difficult to process. But at the age of 5-7 weeks, it is soft as grass. Right now, the moment it needs to be removed, after watering it with a solution with effective microorganisms (for example,). This will speed up the processing of green manure. But do not forget that in the dry state, the decomposition process is slow, so the area where mustard was sown to fertilize the soil must be moistened periodically.

If the land that is planned to be “revived” by green manure has been in the mode of enhanced exploitation for many years, then most likely there are too few microorganisms left in it, and there will be no one to decompose the green mass. That's why together with the beveled mustard, it is necessary to add vermiculturated compost, rich in rapidly multiplying earthworms.

When using green manure for nutrition and soil improvement, it should be borne in mind that each plant absorbs, and subsequently gives to its followers, a certain set of macro- and microelements, and white mustard alone cannot provide the correct balance of the nutrient medium. For full fertilization of the site, it is necessary to use a mixture of green manure crops.

Video: Green manures - green fertilizers on our site

White mustard Sinapis alba is annual plant from the cruciferous family. It is grown from seed, as a fodder crop or as green manure. Moreover, the use of mustard is popular in agriculture many countries of the world, though, originated in the Mediterranean region.

The plant reaches a height of about 70 cm, has a decent leaf mass of feathery leaves, blooms very profusely and forms pods filled with yellow seeds, about 10-15 pieces per pod, seed size 1-1.5 mm. White mustard blooms from June to August, the flowers are bisexual and pollinated by bees, flies, wind.

Seeds ripen from July to September. They have a slightly spicy taste and are used as a seasoning for marinades or sauces.

White mustard leaves are edible; in the Mediterranean countries, young growing leaves are used fresh in salads - when the plants are several centimeters tall and the first pair of true leaves has appeared.

But sometimes it's easier to buy ready-made seasonings, and use mustard seeds with maximum efficiency- sow them to get green manure.

What is useful mustard

restores poor soils - quickly produces organic matter, which is incorporated into the soil (after 30-50 days from sowing) and enriches it with nitrogen and phosphorus
absorbs sparingly soluble minerals and converts them into easily accessible forms
excellent loosening agent for heavy soils, improves soil structure
suppresses the growth of weeds before sowing the main crop or after harvesting
prevents valuable nutrients from being washed away during heavy rains
substances released by mustard prevent the growth of mold and bacteria, therefore, planting mustard after tomatoes, potatoes and other vegetables significantly reduces the number of pathogens phytophthora, scab, and putrefactive microorganisms in the soil
allows you to reduce crop rotation and return the main crop to its original place ahead of the required time for a year or two
on soils where white mustard is grown, the number of wireworm and slugs is sharply reduced
at late boarding uncut mustard remains as a mulch, performs the function of snow retention
white mustard sown in spring during flowering is a good honey plant
sown next to the main crop, white mustard can act as a companion plant: for example, mustard root secretions stimulate the growth of peas, beans, grapes, and next to fruit trees repel codling moth and aphids

Add to this the fact that growing mustard does not require much labor, and the seeds are inexpensive, sold in every garden store or market.

For all positive qualities of this culture, mustard is not perfect. Mainly due to the fact that diseases and pests can also affect it: white rust, alternariosis (leaf spot), powdery mildew, kila.

Sowing mustard in spring

White mustard can be sown at any time from March to August on any type of soil and dug up in the same year. In the southern regions, you can sow in early spring and from the end of February (after the 20th).

But for greater efficiency mustard is sown in the spring a month before the sowing date of the main crop, and these are almost any vegetables, berries (especially strawberries) and salad greens.

Important: mustard should not be sown after cruciferous plants (cabbage, radish, radish) - they have common pests and diseases. And turnips do not even tolerate mustard.

It is possible and even necessary to sow mustard before laying out flower beds and flower beds, until bulbous or rhizomatous flowers are planted and stored away.

Important: rotting green manure can inhibit plant growth, so wait at least 1-1.5 weeks after mustard mowing and digging before sowing or planting vegetables and berries.

Sowing mustard to fertilize the soil in autumn

In the central regions of Russia, mustard is sown in August-September, left to winter, and planted next year. If the mustard has time to grow enough, you can mow it and plant it in the soil in the fall.

In the southern regions, fast-growing white mustard is sown until mid-September and even in October-November, as it sprouts easily even at low temperatures - friendly seedlings at temperatures from 5 to 10 ° C, partial germination at temperatures + 2-3 ° C. And if the seedlings have already sprouted, the young mustard greens continue to grow and are preserved at sub-zero temperatures(withstands down to -5°C). In a long warm autumn, even mustard sown in October manages to grow 10 cm tall.

It is important to sow mustard in the fall immediately after harvesting, it is advisable not to delay this work for longer than 3 days so that weeds do not have time to germinate.

An example of the use of mustard

At the end of August we harvest tomatoes open ground, at this time we sow mustard around the bushes. After harvesting the tomato, around mid-September, a vetch-oat mixture can be sown to the mustard. All siderates remain to grow before winter, as long as the temperature allows. In spring, the entire area is plowed with a cultivator.

If the mustard has grown strongly since autumn, you can not plow it, leave it as a mulch, and after the strait of the entire area with phytosporin (twice a week), plant seedlings of tomatoes again.

How to sow mustard

Sow mustard for better efficiency in pre-prepared beds:

after harvesting the main crop, the ridges must be cleaned of weeds and vegetable residues
fertilize with humus, about 1-2 buckets per 1 sq. m beds
if necessary, add dolomite flour
dig and harrow (level with a rake, breaking large clods of earth)

The technique for sowing mustard as green manure is simple: you don’t need to make rows and measure distances - the seeds are sown thickly, sprinkling the soil from a handful, just like we salt soup or salad with a pinch, or 5 g of seeds per 1 m² of land. Don't be afraid of dense crops - carpet seedlings delay the leaching of nutrients from the soil with rain, preventing soil erosion.

The technique for sowing mustard as a seasoning, or a companion plant, is different: in a row way, about 10 cm between seeds, and no more than 20 cm between rows. The bushes grow strong, the rows close. Subsequently, you can thin out the seedlings.

When sowing with any technique, it is important not to deepen the seeds too much, otherwise germination will be delayed, and this is completely unprofitable for us. The maximum sowing depth is 1 cm, when sowing green manure with a carpet, it is permissible if some of the seeds remain on the soil surface - after watering on loose soil, they themselves will settle and take their place in the soil.

white mustard care

The plant is suitable for light (sandy), medium (loamy), prefers well-drained areas and on dense black soil, clay (heavy soil) grows with difficulty - it needs a looser structure. Any soil acidity - grows on acidic, neutral and alkaline soil types pH from 4.5 to 8.2, but optimally 6.5. Mustard can grow in partial shade or full sun, but only quickly in long daylight conditions.

Mustard sprouts very quickly - under favorable conditions (temperature above 10 ° C), sprouts appear in 3-5 days. But then, as a rule, grow slowly. Plants cover the ground in 4-5 weeks. Buds are visible about five weeks after emergence. Yellow flowers appear in another week, and the flowering is long, attracting bees, bumblebees and other pollinating insects.

Mustard requires a lot of moisture for optimal growth - it has a shallow root system, so it does not grow as well during dry periods without watering (the soil should not dry out too much). Additional dressings are not required.

When to cut mustard

The growth rate of mustard depends on temperature and regular watering, on average, plants reach a height of 15-20 cm per month. But the height is not a guideline, it is important to mow the mustard just before flowering.

Why you need to mow mustard before flowering

Firstly, with the formation of peduncles, the stems coarsen, the petioles of the leaves become stiffer - all this greatly slows down the process of processing green mass in the soil (stems and peduncles rot for a very long time). The more tender the leaves going for digging, the faster they will be decomposed by soil microorganisms and the faster they will turn into green manure.
Secondly, during flowering, mustard spends nutrients from the soil for its “personal” needs, loses the function of green manure, and we need food to remain for vegetables and berries.
Thirdly, the mustard that has formed seeds propagates by self-sowing and turns into a weed.

After mowing, the green mass is dug up, planted in the soil with a shovel on heavy soils and a chopper and flat cutter on light ones. If the weather is dry, the rains are rare, the treated area needs to be watered periodically - worms and microorganisms that “work” on a wet substrate are involved in the decomposition of organic matter.

Many gardeners are trying to accelerate the formation of biohumus and increase soil fertility by adding Baikal EM-1. This is a really good product, however, if the soil is very poor, depleted perennial cultivation vegetables or berries, and organic matter (humus, compost) was not introduced during sowing, then you should not rely on mustard and Baikal. In this case, the saying is true: "No manure - no harvest." Humus should be applied every 4-5 years at least.

Even if you sow mustard 2-3 times over the summer, mow and plant the greens into the soil, this will not particularly improve the soil structure - on sandy or clay soils, the humus layer will form too slowly, and the next cycle of growing vegetables will endure it. Therefore, sowing mustard for digging cannot completely replace the improvement of the soil of an unprepared site - it is only useful in alternating crops on already developed lands.

If the mustard has overgrown, but has not yet formed seeds, it can be left before winter, not mowed, and in the spring the old tops, dug up with a cultivator, chopper or flat cutter, or left as mulch. But you should not strive for this method - it is more expedient to use straw, sawdust and other materials as mulch.

Video - sowing white mustard, like green manure

White mustard in cooking

Did you know that young white mustard leaves are delicious salad greens?

Just cut off the growing leaves (up to cotyledons) with scissors. Do not try to cut off - they will pull out of the ground with roots. Mustard leaves are fragrant, but not spicy, they can replace leaf lettuce in recipes, they are not subjected to heat treatment. Store in the refrigerator in a jar of water or in a bag, like other greens.

Modern agricultural technology widely uses the so-called green manure plants to enrich the soil, improve its nutritional qualities, and increase fertility. Green manures are, in fact, fertilizers, but only natural, naturally grown, therefore useful and, at the same time, very effective.

Annuals are usually used as siderats, capable of growing a significant green mass in one season. Among such plants can be attributed white mustard - a wonderful spicy plant, which is often used as a green manure. In the article, we will consider the features of growing white mustard as green manure: we will find out how to plant this crop and how to care for it.

Description

Today, about 40 types of mustard are known, however, it is white mustard that is most often used as green manure. In addition to being used in this capacity, white mustard is also widely used in cooking, as a delicious seasoning, as well as in folk and home medicine.

How to use fishmeal as a fertilizer, tell.

In a season, the plant can grow up to a meter in length, which makes it so well suited for use as green manure. The plant, among other things, is a wonderful honey plant, so the apiary located next to the mustard field will undoubtedly bring a good "harvest" of honey.

Find out when to sow green manure Phacelia.

The flowering period of the plant is from June to August. But when a plant is grown as a green manure, they usually do not wait for this period, cutting the green mass in advance. White mustard is a wonderful and very useful precursor for crops such as nightshades and grains.

Green manure mustard protects the soil from weeds, prevents the sun's rays from destroying the soil structure, loosens the soil, and enriches it with nutrients: in particular, phosphorus and nitrogen. The roots of the plant are of considerable length: they grow up to three meters. Due to their size, they can deliver nutrients to the surface from the deepest layers of the soil. And when the mustard is mowed, the soil remains permeated with roots, which improves air exchange in it, and benefits all subsequent cultivated plants.

Read when to sow and bury green manure.

In addition to those listed useful properties white mustard is still able to repel pests and protect plants from diseases. Therefore, grow next to or after mustard cultivated plants very profitable.

The benefits of mustard green manure

We will find out what magical changes occur in the soil when white mustard is grown on it as green manure.

Mustard can absorb sparingly soluble organic matter and vitamins from the ground, converting them into easily digestible forms for other plants. If nitrogen is still not enough rationally.

Mustard loosens the soil due to its powerful branched root system. The plant also suppresses weeds, prevents their spread throughout the site.

The spice prevents valuable minerals from being washed out of the soil during the rainy season. And the special substances secreted by this culture stop the spread of pathogenic microbes, bacteria and fungus in the soil. Therefore, potatoes, tomatoes or other vegetables planted after mustard in this place will not suffer from fungal diseases and will avoid rotting.

The plant is able to save the garden from some pests. It is especially effective against slugs and wireworms. Of course, you can’t get rid of the wireworm in one season. But if you plant mustard in one place for 2-3 years in a row, then a harmful insect can leave the site altogether.

How mustard is sown in the spring to fertilize the soil is described.

If mustard is planted late as green manure, then after mowing it can act as a natural mulch, retaining snow moisture in the soil and enriching it with nutrients.

The plant, among other things, is also a wonderful honey plant. In addition, the cost of mustard seeds is low, so you can use the plant as a useful green manure without risking going broke.

There are also minor disadvantages of using this plant as green manure. So, white mustard is prone to some diseases: such as powdery mildew, white rust, spotting. If the mustard hurts, then its green manure can infect the plants planted after it in this area.

Agricultural technology

Sandy loose soils are not suitable for mustard, therefore, on such land plots mustard is better not to plant.

The plant is quite resistant to cold. So, landing can be carried out even at a slightly warmer than zero temperature. And the sprouted sprouts can withstand temperatures down to -7 degrees. Because of this feature, it is quite acceptable to plant mustard in early spring, so that by the time the rest of the crops are planted, this plant has already managed to enrich the soil with nutrients and improve air exchange in it.

Planting in the spring

In order to safely grow white mustard on green manure, there is no need to dig the site. A few centimeters of surface loosening is enough, after which the area can be leveled with a rake if it is small or harrowed if it is of considerable size.

Mustard seeds are small, so they should not fall deep into the ground. Usually the seeds are scattered on the ground (rather densely), after which they are covered with a rake. If you decide to plant mustard on green manure in rows, then it is recommended to keep a distance of 15 cm between them, and make holes 4-5 cm deep.

From the moment the seeds are placed in the ground until the plant begins to bloom, 40-45 days pass. But it is desirable to cut off the green mass before flowering, and two weeks before planting other crops in this area.

To get green manure in the same year, you can sow white mustard from March to August. Planted in any month in this time period, the mustard will have time to ripen and gain a good green mass. In the south of the country, it is sometimes planted as early as the end of February.

It is impossible to plant mustard after cruciferous plants, since pests and diseases in plants of the same family are common. And such a culture as turnips cannot stand even the neighborhood of mustard.

Planting in autumn

For the central regions of the country, the most suitable choice planting time for green manure white mustard is August-September. Having overwintered in the ground, in early spring the grass will already show the first shoots. And maybe it will grow a little more this year.

In the latter case, before the snow, it can be mowed down and tamped into the soil. In the southern regions, the plant can be planted until November. Moreover, even at this time of the year, mustard may well sprout, since partial germination occurs already at a temperature of + 2-3 degrees.

Mandatory before autumn planting clean the beds from the remains of previous plants so that their diseases are not transmitted to the mustard. It is desirable to fertilize the earth with humus at the rate of 1-2 buckets per m2 of land. The bed is then dug up, and it must be harrowed, removing large earth clods.

Seeds are scattered by the handful. And do not be afraid that the plant will be planted too densely: this method of planting, on the contrary, is beneficial in this case, as it protects the soil from erosion. Do not try to carefully bury the seeds: after the first rain, they themselves will safely settle at the right depth in the ground.

Care

Some points on the care of white mustard grown as green manure.

If you plant grass on green manure in early spring, then there is no need to water it. After winter and snow melting, there is enough moisture in the soil so that the plant can develop safely and receive nutrition. If you plant in the summer, then watering is necessary immediately after planting, and in the future - only in case of severe drought.

The grass does not need to be fed: you can safely remove this problem from the agenda.

It is important to mow the mustard before it blooms. Do not miss this moment, as with the onset of flowering, the stems and leaves of the plant coarsen, which makes it difficult for them to be further processed and decomposed in the soil. In addition, during flowering, the grass spends too many useful trace elements to maintain flower stalks: and all these useful material green manure should be used for other crops. And thirdly, flowering mustard seeds ripen, which fall immediately into the ground.

Thus, instead of a useful green manure, the plant risks becoming a weed - which is not at all difficult with its survival and unpretentiousness.

After mowing the green mass, it is dug up, and usually embedded right there in the soil. If the weather is dry, then it is necessary to water the green mess in order to speed up the processes of its decomposition.

To introduce green manure into the soil, two methods can be used: both are proven and reliable. In the first case, the grass must be mowed before it blooms, composted, and then applied to those areas where it is necessary. The second method is simpler, and it involves mowing the grass and trampling it into the ground right at the place where it grew. Compost in this case is not specially made. The plant will decompose in the ground, becoming a natural nutrient fertilizer for the following cultivated plants.

Video

This video will tell you why to plant green manure.

We examined the features of growing white mustard as green manure. Now you know that this plant can serve not only as a spicy seasoning, but also as a wonderful useful fertilizer for other garden crops. How to plant buckwheat as green manure will help you understand.

First, let's figure out why we need mustard? The end result will depend on the type of plant. For example, if you plant gray or salad mustard, then you can eat green leaves. It is appropriate to add them to fresh salads. Such a vitamin supplement is suitable only if the leaves are collected from a young plant. If you were recommended to buy white mustard seeds, then most likely the consultant in the store meant that you would use the plant as green manure, that is, a natural fertilizer.

If you sow black mustard, you can stock up on spices for the winter by adding chopped mustard powder to give the dish a spicy and spicy flavor.

If we are talking about growing a cultivated plant, then you can get valuable oil from mustard, use seed powder in medicinal purposes(like mustard plasters) and for collecting honey. Then you can purchase 1 variety of plant to choose from: white, gray (Sarepta variety) or black mustard.

About the plant

Mustard is an annual herbaceous plant belonging to the cabbage family. The plant has a straight long stem, during the flowering period the mustard is covered yellow flowers on a flower brush. Fading, the flowers grow into small fruits, resembling the shape of a pod. It contains small round fruits. White mustard seeds are small, yellowish in color, while black mustard seeds are dark brown or brownish red.

Asia and Egypt are considered the birthplace of the plant, but people have long learned to cultivate this crop, adapting it to the local climate. So, mustard is widespread in France, Holland and China. This culture is also grown in Russia.

The composition of mustard seeds is unique and therefore widely used not only as feed for livestock, but also for Food Industry as well as for medicinal purposes. So, the seeds contain a lot essential oil(allylic and fatty), as well as protein, zinc, iron, potassium, sodium and magnesium. The plant contains (seeds and leaves) a large number of vitamins useful for human health: C, A, E and PP, as well as B vitamins.

The benefits of mustard have been known to mankind for a long time. First of all, mustard seeds increase appetite and have a slight laxative effect. They help to get rid of inflammatory processes in the body and remove toxins. Mustard is used to treat rheumatism, indigestion, liver diseases and hypertension.

Volatile vapors of mustard seeds have a slight antibacterial effect, and also disinfect the air. In ancient times, healers relieved the condition of a patient with mumps by applying a mustard compress to the tumor.

Photo of mustard:

To use the plant for medicinal purposes, it is necessary to collect mustard seeds from the lower and middle ripened pods. The collected raw materials must be dried in a ventilated place, devoid of direct sunlight.

How mustard grows

The plant is picky, so you can sow mustard seeds on land free from growing crops. Surely you paid attention to the beautiful yellow fields that appeared in late September-October. When the crop is harvested from the fields, it is time to apply it to the soil useful dressings. It will help to keep a maximum of nutrients, as well as moisture in the soil - mustard plant. It is enough to add this natural fertilizer to the ground and after 3-4 days you can see how the first shoots appear.

Mustard grows very quickly, if you sow a crop in early spring, then at the end of August you can harvest fragrant seeds. If the crop is used as a soil enrichment, then mustard can be sown at the end of September, it will saturate the soil with nutrients and oxygen.

How to grow mustard

We will learn how to grow white mustard, a popular plant variety that is grown in Russia and other countries of the world. Most often, white mustard is planted in order to improve the quality of the soil. What can be obtained after growing mustard? As soon as the plant gets stronger and goes into growth, a good root system develops. Mustard roots take phosphorus from the soil and, processing, give it back. As a result, the land is enriched and becomes fertile. All pathogens (scab, fusarium or late blight) die, which has a positive effect on the future harvest. In addition, mustard will help in the fight against wireworm, and this pest is very difficult to get rid of.

White mustard grows quickly, if you sow a crop in early spring, then you don’t have to worry about the plant dying from frost. Mustard endures night temperature drops, down to -5 o C. Therefore, this crop is so highly valued because of the possibility of growing mustard both too early (before planting potatoes) and late, when the crop is already harvested.

From the moment of sowing into the soil and until the green mass of the plant is obtained, only a couple of months pass. Seeds retain the ability to germinate even when negative temperature soil (frosts from 0 to -3 o C). Mow mustard, if it was sown to enrich the nutritional properties of the soil, before flowering.

Planting mustard

Sowing mustard is not a difficult task, the main thing is to decide for what and in what period it is necessary to start planting a plant.

Rules for planting mustard as green manure:

First, using a flat cutter, it is necessary to loosen the soil (depth up to 5 cm).
We take ready-made mustard seeds (sold in specialized stores in large packages).
We make furrows in the ground at a distance of 15 cm from each other. According to the information indicated on the packaging, the sowing rate is from 120 to 150 g per 1 hectare of land.
You can go the other way and sow mustard seeds in bulk, without adhering to the above rules. But then we increase the seed consumption by 2 times.
We loosen the earth and deepen the mustard seeds by 3 cm.

Everything, with the planting of mustard is completed. Now you can observe the process of plant development and rejoice that the soil will be freed from pests, weeds and saturated with nutrients.

Sowing white mustard can be done in the spring before planting vegetables and potatoes. Approximately 3-4 weeks before the expected date of disembarkation vegetable crops you can start sowing. According to the norm, you need to sow up to 4 g of seeds per 1 m 2 of land. If it is necessary to declare a fight against wireworm, then the seed rate is increased to 5 g and sowing begins before planting the main vegetable crops in the summer cottage or after harvesting.

How to sow seeds correctly:

we prepare the soil - it is advisable to dig up a bed or at least loosen the ground;
sowing is carried out to a depth of 2 cm;
seeds can be sown in full or in rows;
after sowing, the land should be well watered.

We do nothing else, just observe the germination. Already 3-4 days after sowing mustard, you can see the first shoots. After 3-4 weeks, before planting vegetables or root crops, the mustard must be cut and simply laid out on the beds. If you have prepared the soil for planting seedlings, then simply plant the seedlings in the prepared holes, and let the mustard remain between the rows. It will protect seedlings from frost, drought and pests. When the young seedlings take root and grow, the mustard can be mowed and left in the aisles as mulch.

Growing mustard in the summer between rows - sowing is carried out immediately after planting vegetables. In the process of growing mustard, it is necessary to constantly ensure that the plant does not grow much and does not interfere with the development of vegetable crops. During the season, you can sow mustard 2 or even 3 times. It is only important to have time to cut the greens before the plant begins to bloom in order to prevent the mustard from spreading throughout the site.

Mustard, like green manure, will bring enormous benefits to the soil, especially if this crop is sown before mid-August. Later sowing will protect the soil and rid the site of pests and weeds, but as a growing green mass and collecting seeds, so late planted mustard is not good.

How to grow leafy mustard

If you have another goal - to grow a spice for seasoning and enriching the nutritional value of salads, then you need to sow blue mustard or leaf. This culture has other popular names: "Russian", "Salad", "Indian" or "Sarept". Mustard has large leaves and a pleasant, slightly spicy aftertaste. Garden crops ripen early, so you can just start replenishing stocks after winter with fresh vitamins.

To grow lettuce mustard, you need to properly prepare the soil. The acidity should be neutral, and a slightly acidic composition of the soil is also suitable. It doesn’t matter what the land will be, fertile or not very fertile - mustard will adapt to any soil and bring good harvest green mass. The only place where this culture will not grow is in wetlands.

Sowing seeds can be started as early as April, when the snow has not yet melted in the summer cottage, and best of all - even in March. Some summer residents, experimenting, came to the conclusion that if you sow mustard in the winter, then with the onset of spring, when the first spring sun barely warms up, the first shoots will appear.

For the cultivation of this culture, it is possible to allocate a separate bed. If you have room in the greenhouse, you can sow mustard between the rows of vegetable crops.

Planting is easy: you need to loosen the ground and sow the seeds in rows with a distance of 25 cm. planting material- 1-1.5 cm. After planting, the seeds should be covered with a layer of earth and watered.

The first shoots can be expected in 4-5 days. For the normal growth of mustard, it is necessary to regularly water the beds, but just do not pour heavily with water. Moderate watering is just what is needed for good growth leafy mustard.

After half a month, when the mustard grows up, you can harvest the first crop of young leaves.

The best time to grow mustard is spring or late summer. When it's too hot outside, the plant gives less green masses and "leaves" in the arrows, the leaves become rough and tasteless. That's why optimum temperature for growing this crop - no more than +20 o C.

How to grow French mustard

Grow unusual plant and show off the results - pride for the summer resident. Therefore, people try to purchase seeds of rare varieties and grow them in their summer cottage. This is exactly what can be said about the cultivation of black mustard. Its taste is more intense and spicy; for bees, this plant is an excellent honey plant.

Black mustard is a heat-loving plant and is more demanding on the soil. You can grow it in the same way as any kind of mustard, with the same sowing and crop care standards, you just need to water the plant and fertilize the soil with nitrogen fertilizers.

How to grow mustard on a windowsill

It's amazing how unpretentious mustard is. The plant will feel great in the cold season on the windowsill. The main thing is that the room should not be too hot.

For planting, we use purchased seeds, which must be soaked in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Do not forget to process the container in which you are going to grow mustard. By the way, good results can be obtained if the seeds are wrapped in a damp cloth and left for several days. When the first shoots appear, you can decide what to do next - continue growing in this way or transplant into pots.

As a soil suitable earth with suburban area enriched with coconut fiber and biohumus. If possible, you can plant seeds in peat tablets. And if this is too expensive for you, then just use any suitable container, for example, disposable cups or food plastic container from under sour cream and yoghurts. The main thing - do not forget to make holes for draining water and put drainage on the bottom.

We pour the prepared soil on the expanded clay layer, deepen the seeds by 1.2 cm, not forgetting to moisten the ground and you can cover the cups with polyethylene. Simplify your task - put the containers in a wide bowl and cover with a film on top.

Now you need to put the planted mustard in a cool and humid place and wait for the first shoots. A cold-resistant mustard variety is capable of germination already at +1 ° C, it is not suitable for growing in an apartment, so we choose more heat-loving varieties, for example, French or black mustard. For cultivation, it is necessary to maintain the temperature in the room up to +23 ° C and air humidity - up to 60%. If it is hot in the room, then the mustard will start to shoot arrows, and we need young leaves.

As soon as 2-3 leaves appear on the seedlings, you can transplant the seedlings into a spacious container. After 3 weeks, when the first seeds appear, you can begin to cut off the young lower leaves and add to salads. Abundant watering every day will protect the plant from premature shooting. So do not forget every day not only to water, but also to spray mustard from a spray bottle.