How to plant white mustard. Benefits and possible harm to the home garden from planting mustard

Mustard is a plant known to most people as a raw material for the production of the seasoning of the same name, which has a specific taste and smell. It is widely used in cooking, as well as in medicine in the form of a warming powder.

But not everyone knows that it can be grown. But mustard as a fertilizer is good for the garden. The properties of the plant to heal and saturate the soil with useful substances have long been used by residents of the Balkan countries, whose climate is very similar to the climate of the middle zone.

Article outline

Properties and composition of mustard

Mustard is called Sinapis in Latin and is botanically a member of the cabbage family. Its genus includes 6 species, of which the most useful as a soil fertilizer is White mustard (Sinapis alba). Its second name, less common, is English. It received its first name from the color of its seeds. Widespread in the CIS countries except northern regions, is known in some areas as a weed that grows along roads and in fields.

Its useful properties for soil improvement include, in particular, the release of sparingly soluble phosphates and other substances from the soil and the accumulation of them in its green mass. Other crops cannot assimilate them on their own. But after the mustard is mowed and rots in the soil, other plants can obtain poorly soluble substances in an easy form for themselves. This is what makes mustard effective fertilizer in the form of green manure.

Green manure is an agricultural term for plants that are grown for the purpose of incorporating them into the soil. In addition to mustard, lupine and other legumes, amaranth, buckwheat, and winter cereals are also used. Another “popular” name is green fertilizers.

Other useful property white mustard - the ability to accumulate nitrogen in its roots, stems and leaves in large quantities, which will later be used for the growth of garden plantings. The plant is rich in phosphorus. After the green mass of mustard is mowed and falls into the soil, the earth is saturated with many useful micro- and macroelements necessary for other future plantings in this place and obtaining a rich harvest.

Mustard leaves that fall into the soil contain:

• 25% organic matter;
• 0.9% phosphorus;
• 0.7% nitrogen.

White mustard, used as a green fertilizer, has a number of advantages over other green manures. Its seeds germinate very quickly - a maximum of 4 days will pass from planting to the appearance of the first shoots. However, warm weather is not a prerequisite. Even a temperature of 0°C will not prevent mustard shoots. The young sprouts themselves can withstand frosts down to -5°C, which is why white mustard is often planted in early spring or autumn. Plus, high productivity. It is estimated that about 400 kg of green mass can be collected from one hundred square meters.

When sowing mustard for fertilizer, you need to take into account that its seeds should not be allowed to ripen.– this will lead to uncontrolled spread of the plant throughout the area. This applies not only to spring plantings, but also to autumn ones. White mustard grows quite quickly, and often manages to bloom before the onset of winter. subzero temperatures. True, in the latter case there is no need to mow the green part. During the winter, frost will successfully destroy its leaves, and the elastic stems will act as a snow retainer. The roots will retain moisture in the soil.

Due to its increased growth and large volumes of green mass, mustard is used as a barrier against air flow in areas where strong winds blow. This promotes moisture retention in upper layers soil, prevents its weathering and protects planted plants. True, due to the rapid reproduction of mustard, in this case it is necessary to mow it before it blooms, and replant the crop in the same place. The roots will further strengthen the soil, and the green part can be used for fertilizing.

How to cut mustard with a walk-behind tractor

Unfortunately, in Russia and other CIS countries white mustard did not gain popularity among gardeners and gardeners. In many ways, the skeptical opinion regarding the cultivation of this plant has developed due to the misconception that it is heat-loving and the climate of the middle zone is not suitable for white mustard.

But this statement is completely wrong. She is not only undemanding temperature conditions and watering, but is also a quickly spreading weed if its seeds have time to ripen. IN wildlife it is found in everyone climatic zones with the exception of permafrost. White mustard is found all over the world: for example, in America, India and Japan.

Those gardeners who have already used white mustard as a fertilizer can confirm its unpretentiousness and effectiveness.

Mustard fertilizer - what you need to know

Fertilizing the soil with mustard allows you not only to fill the soil with nutrients, but also performs a number of additional functions.

Advantages of mustard:

At the same time, mustard is good not only as a future fertilizer for the garden. Its white flowers are an attractive honey plant for bees and other pollinating insects. This information may be useful topics who has his own apiary.

White mustard is also good as a companion plant. It is often planted around fruit trees and berry bushes. It will not only repel many pests, but will also contribute to better pollination of flowers. For this purpose, you can take a small handful of seeds and plant it near an apple tree, raspberry or strawberry tree.

Disadvantages of mustard

But still, mustard as a green manure has some disadvantages that should not be forgotten when planting it.

1. White mustard, which belongs to the Cruciferous family, has general diseases and pests with other representatives of this family. Therefore, you need to follow the rules of crop rotation. In the area where mustard grew and nearby, you should not plant other cruciferous vegetables, such as cabbage or radishes.
2. The seeds of this crop, scattered over the surface of the soil and covered only with a thin layer of soil, are very attractive to birds, which can peck all the scattered seeds. planting material. To prevent this, you should deepen the seeds into the soil or carefully sprinkle them with mulch for the winter.

White mustard objectively has much more advantages than disadvantages. You can fully appreciate its effectiveness only by trying to plant it on your site.

Time to board

Gardeners name two periods when mustard should be sown as a fertilizer. This is mid-spring and autumn, when the harvest has already been harvested. It must be taken into account that optimal weight this plant will take at least a month after its seeds fall into the soil.

Fertilizing the garden with mustard in spring

In spring, mustard as a fertilizer is best planted in April. Even in middle lane climatic conditions are already suitable for this. The sun is already sufficiently warming the soil, and severe night frosts are becoming rare. Although this plant is extremely undemanding to factors external environment, it is still worth waiting until the air temperature is warmed up to 10°C.

It will take 1–2 months for the plant to gain green mass, which will then be used as fertilizer, depending on the conditions. environment. If you sow in April, you can have time to improve the soil before planting the main crops. garden crops.

When the entire harvest has already been harvested, a new time comes for sowing white mustard as green manure. In the remaining time before the onset of cold weather, it will have time not only to grow, but, possibly, to bloom.

Mustard is planted in the fall mainly in those areas that were planted with cereals or potatoes. Thanks to this, the soil from which large quantities were absorbed useful substances, is again saturated with them and becomes healthier. Next year it will be possible to grow a rich harvest on it again.

Mustard is often used as a fertilizer before winter, leaving it unmown. Over the winter most of will have time to rot and saturate the soil, and the trunks will protect the soil from freezing. And in order for mustard to enter in the spring, you need to choose the right planting time. Seeds should be planted in already cool but loosened soil. To do this, it can be processed with a rake or pitchfork. To prevent melt water from washing away the grains with the onset of spring, they should be deepened by 1–2 cm.

Video about mustard and other natural fertilizers

Methods of planting seeds

White mustard grows best on fertile, soddy-podzolic soils. Sandy loam soil containing peat is also suitable for it. But the list of soils most unloved by mustard includes acidic and clayey soils, as well as saline soils. Although mustard is not at all capricious plant, she loves moisture and sufficient quantity sunlight. She needs a particularly large amount of water at the time when she is gaining buds.

There are two main ways to plant mustard seeds:

1. The first method involves embedding grains in the ground to a depth of 1.5–2 centimeters, leaving a distance between plantings of 13–15 cm. However, it is not necessary to follow the latter rule - mustard, characterized by lush growth, will certainly create a lush green carpet in the area allocated to it. The consumption of mustard seeds, which are used as fertilizers, is approximately 150 grams per 1 hectare.
2. The second method is simpler. Seeds are scattered in handfuls on the surface of the ground and then covered thin layer soil using harrowing. But you need to take into account that in this case you will need approximately twice as much seeds.

It is better to buy mustard seeds for planting in specialized stores. It is necessary to carefully check their quality: they must be dense, without signs of drying out or rotting.

This will guarantee that within a few days green sprouts will appear on the soil, and in a month the mustard will be ready for further use.

What to do next with mustard?

After the plants have gained a sufficient amount of green mass, it should be incorporated into the soil, unless we are talking about planting before winter. Gardeners claim that such fertilizing with mustard gives positive results, which can be assessed very soon. The main thing is to make sure that the plants do not have time to bloom, otherwise the stems will become too rough and additional effort will be needed.

One of the advantages of embedding mustard stems and leaves is that it is easy to incorporate into the soil: it happens in the same place where it grew. No additional transportation required. It is enough to embed it into the ground with a shovel, hoe or hoe. To speed up the process of its processing in the soil, you can additionally spill it with a solution containing microorganisms (for example, “”). Similar procedures are repeated if mustard as a fertilizer was planted in the fall for the winter.

Using white mustard as a fertilizer allows you to fill the soil with nutrients and improve its overall health. But we must remember that each plant absorbs and then releases back into the soil only a limited list of elements. Therefore, unfortunately, it will not be possible to achieve soil with an ideal composition by planting this plant.

It is better to use several green manures, selected taking into account their characteristics. Do not forget about other types of fertilizing - careful attention to the quality of the soil will be the key to a large harvest.

Mustard is an annual plant that is widely used as a green soil fertilizer, as well as a honey plant. Its value lies in the rapid germination of seeds, in addition, the plant is able to rapidly increase green mass. The article will tell you about its properties as a fertilizer, when is the best time to plant and how to sow mustard in the fall?

Green manure

Mustard is able to replenish the soil with such useful substances as organic matter and humus. It has the unique qualities of absorbing poorly soluble elements and converting them into lighter ones. Mustard is sown to loosen and drain the soil; it perfectly increases soil moisture; its roots can reach a length of up to three meters. And this allows you to protect the land in the autumn-spring periods from wind and dry erosion.

When can you sow mustard? If this is done in the spring, it is best one month before planting. vegetable crops. Autumn sowing is carried out after harvesting, in some areas this occurs at the end of August, in others at the beginning of September. Mustard, sown after harvest, has excellent sanitary and soil-protective qualities. As for the function of fertilizer, this green manure performs it poorly, since the green mass does not have time to grow.

Qualities of mustard

Plants render wonderful influence to improve the soil. The essential oils that accumulate in its stems have an excellent preventive effect against various pests, such as slugs, wireworms, as well as all kinds of fungal infections. By decomposing, the plant improves the habitat of other microorganisms beneficial to the soil. How to sow mustard in the fall? This interests many gardeners, because correct sowing will provide good feeding soil, and therefore will increase the future harvest. Mustard is sown in entire beds, the green mass is left unmown to retain snow and prevent soil freezing.

How to sow mustard correctly

If a plant is sown to obtain green fertilizer, then seeds should be taken at the rate of 100-150 grams per hectare of land. The sowing depth is two to three centimeters, and the row spacing is about twenty centimeters. They also practice sowing mustard together with legumes, through a row, this will enhance the function of green manure. Most often, mustard is sown immediately after harvesting early vegetables, so that it has time to build up green mass and saturate the soil with useful fertilizers before winter. How to sow mustard in the fall? First, level the ground with a rake, if the soil is dry, water it with water and scatter the seeds. Then cover them or dig in them lightly.

Features of the plant

Mustard - it rather prefers moist soils, especially during the period of active growth. This green manure is resistant to cold. Shoots appear at a temperature of +2 degrees; they easily tolerate frost of three to four degrees. “How to sow mustard in the fall?” you ask, because the cold weather will soon come. This plant manages to grow a huge green mass before the onset of cold weather.

Garden crops need fertilizer, since the soil is depleted with constant use and cannot fully provide them with microelements. Each gardener decides for himself what fertilizers to use on his land. Most quick way fertilizing plants and fertilizing the soil is the application chemicals. But an owner who cares about the quality of his gardening products and thinks about the health of his family and other consumers will not buy artificial products, but will try to use natural ones. So, chicken droppings, manure, onion peel, eggshell They are inexpensive, sometimes for nothing, but bring many times more benefits.

One of the harmless effective ways To improve the soil is to plant green manure, so-called green fertilizers. There are many such plants that can be listed, but now we will only talk about white mustard.

Types of mustard

Everyone knows two types of mustard: white (English) and gray (Sarepta). The latter type is often called Russian mustard, since in Russia people love spicy dishes made from it and use it as a medicinal remedy. But it is not suitable as a fertilizer. It is very easy to distinguish between the two types of seeds. They have gray oval shape, dove-black color and small size– a thousand pieces weigh 2–4 grams. The English seeds are round, light, yellowish, weighing a thousand pieces - 6 grams.

Description of white mustard

White mustard is used infrequently for fertilizer, and completely in vain. As a green manure, it is very good and absolutely harmless to the soil, unlike chemicals. This annual plant, belongs to the cruciferous vegetables.

White mustard seeds begin to germinate already at +1+2°C, so you can start planting them in early spring. It is resistant to cold and can withstand temperatures down to -6°C. The growing season of the plant is 60–70 days, and flowering occurs 30–35 days after planting. It is important not to miss this time and mow the grass before it begins to form seeds.

The plant reaches 30–75 cm in height, during the flowering period it can stretch up to 1 m, has a large green mass and deep roots reaching a length of 3 m. Due to the branched roots, mustard well loosens and breaks up the soil, and dense greenery, when buried in the soil, brings there are a lot of useful organic elements there.

Soil recharge

The yellow or white flowers are very fragrant and large quantities create a picture pleasing to the eye. They attract many pollinating insects. The fruits are hairy pods 2–4 cm long with pea-shaped seeds several millimeters long.

How to improve productivity?

We are constantly receiving letters in which amateur gardeners are worried that due to the cold summer this year there will be a poor harvest of potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, and other vegetables. Last year we published TIPS on this matter. But unfortunately, many did not listen, but some still applied. Here is a report from our reader, we would like to recommend plant growth biostimulants that will help increase the yield by up to 50-70%.

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Green manure planting time

Mustard for fertilizer is planted in the garden at any time of the warm season - in spring, summer, and autumn.

If you plan to plant garden crops after green manure, then spring mustard planting should be done 25–35 days before the expected date of planting the seedlings. April is quite suitable for her, since usually this month the temperature is above zero. But mustard will withstand light frosts, so don’t wait for warm weather.

Picture 2. – Planting “green fertilizer” for the soil/Planting mustard

Mustard is sown for fertilizer on any vacant space after cultivated plants except cruciferous vegetables. If this part of the land remains free this year, then you can let the mustard bloom and mow it during flowering. Would you like to prepare your own seeds for next year, do not mow down some of the plants from spring planting and wait until the seeds are fully ripened. At spring planting Flowering occurs in June-July, and the fruits ripen in August.

Green manure is planted in the fall after harvesting in the garden. The plants may not live to see flowering, but in any case they can be left unmown in the winter. The stems bent towards the ground form an excellent mulch that protects the soil from freezing.

Planting green manure

Mustard for fertilizer is planted on fertile land cultivated with peat. Sandy loam soils are suitable, but not clayey or acidic. You can deoxidize the soil with dolomite flour. Plant the seeds 1–1.5 cm deep in the grooves. With a distance between furrows of 15 cm, the seed consumption will be 120 grams per hundred square meters. You can scatter the seeds over the surface of the dug up soil; in this case, buy twice as many of them. Keep in mind that in early spring, mustard seeds in the garden are salvation and a treat for many birds, so they need to be covered with earth and harrowed.

Methods of introducing fertilizer

When planting in spring, your task, without waiting for flowering, is to mow the green mass, chop it up and dig it into the ground at least a week before planting the seedlings, preferably two. It will begin to decompose during this time, and during the season it will turn into excellent humus.

The first shoots appear 3 days after planting, after 30 days the tender grass will reach 20–30 cm and can be mowed. After chopping the greens with a shovel or knife, this biomass is embedded in the garden soil to a depth of 6–8 cm; on light soil, up to 15 cm is permissible. You can also add food waste and weeds there.

To speed up the process of decomposition of biomass into humus, some gardeners water the beds with special preparations, for example, “Shine-1” or “Baikal EM-1”, but this is not necessary. It is advisable to cover the bed with a dark film or roofing felt, after watering the soil abundantly with water. If it is not possible to cover the area (for example, if the area is very large), then do not forget to water it, since humus can form only with sufficient humidity.

For the autumn introduction of green manure, its planting is carried out after harvesting, at least a month and a half before frost, in order to have time to dig in the grown greenery or mow it and leave it on the ground as mulch.

There is another way to use mustard as green manure. After mowing, the greens are not dug in, but taken away to compost heap or spread as mulch under raspberry, currant, cherry bushes, etc. The roots remaining in the ground rot and enrich the soil.

Features of growing mustard

• Mustard is not resistant to drought, especially during the period of initial growth and budding, no matter in spring or autumn. It loves moisture very much, so it requires regular watering.
• Does not grow well in acidic and swampy soils. Application dolomite flour will solve this problem and will not hurt, even if you could not determine the acidity of the soil in the garden.
• Greens buried in the soil need moisture for better decomposition, so in the absence of rain it is necessary to water the area that urgently needs to increase fertility.
• Since mustard is from the cruciferous family, you should not plant relatives next to or after each other. Common diseases and insects can damage crops. Cruciferous vegetables in our garden: cabbage, radish, horseradish, leftover and others.

"Green fertilizer" for the soil

The benefits of mustard

• The strong roots of mustard drain and loosen the soil, make it softer for subsequent garden crops, and facilitate the penetration of air and water into it. Its roots penetrate 2.5–3 meters deep.
• Dense mustard plantings suppress the growth of weeds.
• Mustard used as fertilizer suppresses such diseases. garden crops, like scab and late blight of potatoes.
• The phytosanitary properties have made mustard a real fighter against slugs, pea moths and wireworms.
• When the temperature drops by more than -6°C, the plant lies down on the ground, thereby covering the soil with a kind of mulch or blanket that holds the snow. This protects the ground from freezing.
• Honey mustard flowers are not only fragrant, but also attractive to bees and pollinating insects, which are never out of place in the garden.
• Mustard as a fertilizer has a large green mass and fills the soil a huge amount organic substances.
• White mustard is an excellent companion for beans, grapes, peas and some fruit trees. To use it as a companion plant, small amounts of seeds are sown next to these plants.
• In areas with slopes, mustard is sown as a fertilizer and as a remedy for soil erosion by wind or water.

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Sideration is the most effective method restoration of soil resources.

Even fertilizing with manure does not have as long-term results as sowing white mustard in the fall.

This plant is capable of releasing soil phosphates and accumulating them.

The leaves, roots, and stems contain large amounts of nitrogen, which provides excellent green manure.

Advantages or why to sow mustard in the fall?

This green manure is accessible to any gardener, easy to grow and effective. Its main purpose as a fertilizer is to enrich the soil with phosphorus and nitrogen. The green mass dug into the ground conveys these important elements subsequent plants, stimulating the process of their growth and development. In addition, mustard has the following beneficial features:

• Fast germination and high yields. Green mass is a complete fertilizer in composition.
• High cold resistance. The sprouts can withstand temperatures down to -5 C. After a significant cold snap, the plants protect the soil from freezing and help retain moisture until spring.
• Content essential oils. Mustard copes with plant diseases such as scab and late blight; protects against Colorado potato beetle, slugs, weeds. This quality manifests itself when grown interrow with potatoes, grapes, and beans.
• Lack of seed preparation. They are placed in the soil, covered with a small amount of earth, sand, or covered with a rake.
• Strong root system. Reaches 0.5 meters and loosens the earth to this depth. It can absorb elements that are slightly soluble in water and for this reason are inaccessible to other plants.
• Increased air permeability of the ground. It is achieved by increasing the number of earthworms after sowing mustard in the fall.
• Prevention of erosion. Dense sowing is used where there is a risk of soil erosion and wind damage. The stems of plants planted in early autumn will be able to perform the function of snow retention before frost.

Disadvantages of autumn sowing mustard as green manure

The disadvantages gardeners include:

1. Transition into a weed. If you don’t mow the mustard until the last minute, it will harden and bloom. The cut seeds will most likely fall into the ground and germinate. This garden weed is difficult to remove from the soil.

2. Limited use. White mustard should not be grown in the fall where other cruciferous vegetables, such as radishes, turnips, and cabbage, will have to be planted the following season. These crops are susceptible to the same diseases and pests as mustard. It is better to plant cereals and legumes in front of them.

When exactly is mustard planted in the fall?

The sowing time depends on the weather conditions in the region and the wishes of the gardener regarding the expected seedlings and the green manure period. Autumn planting Fertilization is carried out during the following periods:

1. Late summer, early autumn. Sowing is done in moist soil after harvesting. Green manure grows well on large areas, where previously there were potatoes, strawberries, and cereals. Usually there is enough time from the moment of sowing to the beginning of flowering to get required quantity green mass. So, when adding seeds immediately after harvesting, from 1 hundred square meters you can get about 400 kg of fertilizer, which needs to be mowed and applied as intended.

2. At the end of September. When planting late, the grown stems are not mowed; they die from frost and save the soil from the cold in winter. The roots, being in the ground, rot, feeding and loosening the soil.

3. Before winter. Mustard is sowed in late autumn so that the fertilizer germinates in the spring. To do this, the seeds are placed in dug up cold soil and left there to overwinter. So that the mustard does not freeze, does not wash out melt water with the soil layer, you need to increase the depth of embedding.

How to sow mustard correctly in the fall

For creating quality fertilizer Growing green manure should follow the following algorithm of actions:

1. The beds should be freed from remnants of vegetables and weeds after harvesting.

2. It is advisable to fertilize them with humus at the rate of 1 bucket per 1 square meter. m.

3. The ground needs to be dug up, leveled with a rake, and watered.

4. Next, you should start planting mustard in rows. The seeds are similar in size to small beans and are easy to grab and place in the soil. The distance between them should be at least 15 cm, between the rows about 20 cm, as the plants grow.

5. About 250 g of seeds are planted per hundred square meters of land. They should not be placed too far into the soil, this will slow down germination; the optimal depth should not exceed 1–1.5 cm. If there is not enough time, you can not sow mustard in rows, but scatter it in random order on the ground. The result will be worse than in the case of uniform application, but still noticeable.

6. After planting mustard in the fall, the seeds are dug in a little or harrowed with a regular rake.

Plants sprout approximately 4 days after sowing; after a month, their height is 15 cm. For full growth and development, mustard should be watered abundantly, additional feeding she doesn't need it. It is advisable to cut off green manure shoots before flowering for the following reasons:

The stems and petioles of leaves become coarser with the appearance of flowers, which slows down the processing of green mass and the formation of fertilizer;

They spend on flowering nutrients plants, which contributes to the loss of green manure function;

Seed mustard will begin to multiply and can quickly become a difficult weed.

How to use mustard as fertilizer?

You can mow the green mass with a flat cutter, a hoe, or a scythe. After this, it needs to be embedded in the soil with a shovel to a depth of about 5 cm.

This is how mineral and organic elements enter the soil, thereby restoring its structure. If for some reason it is not possible to bury the greens, then you can leave them in the garden bed during the winter. The above-ground part will rot, and the roots, having decomposed, will loosen the soil.

Gardeners are trying to speed up the process of vermicompost formation with the help of the drug Baikal EM-1. It promotes the formation of a favorable environment for the growth of bacteria in the soil, which heals it and makes it more fertile. This product is really effective, but completely replaceable organic fertilizers, such as compost, humus, neither it nor green manure will be able to.

As for sandy, clay soil, then planting mustard in the fall will not have a positive effect on the soil structure. A layer of humus will slowly form; seasonal growing of vegetables will destroy it again. Therefore, unprepared land is not suitable for sowing mustard in the fall for digging. They must first be improved, and then the method of crop rotation must be applied in order to increase yields.

When using green manure to improve the health and nutrition of the soil, you need to keep in mind that plants consume and then give to their followers a set of useful substances and microelements. Thus, it is quite difficult to ensure the balance of the nutrient medium only with the help of white mustard. To properly fertilize the soil, you need to grow different types green manure crops and do not forget about organic matter, A complex approach will give better results.

Green manure is the most effective method of restoring soil resources.

Even fertilizing with manure does not have as long-term results as sowing white mustard in the fall.

This plant is capable of releasing soil phosphates and accumulating them.

The leaves, roots, and stems contain large amounts of nitrogen, which provides excellent green manure.

Advantages or why to sow mustard in the fall?

This green manure is accessible to any gardener, easy to grow and effective. Its main purpose as a fertilizer is to enrich the soil with phosphorus and nitrogen. Green mass dug into the ground transfers these important elements to subsequent plants, stimulating the process of their growth and development. In addition, mustard has the following beneficial features:

Fast germination and high yields. Green mass is a complete fertilizer in composition.

High cold resistance. The sprouts can withstand temperatures down to -5 C. After a significant cold snap, the plants protect the soil from freezing and help retain moisture until spring.

Lack of seed preparation. They are placed in the soil, covered with a small amount of earth, sand, or covered with a rake.

Strong root system. Reaches 0.5 meters and loosens the earth to this depth. It can absorb elements that are slightly soluble in water and for this reason are inaccessible to other plants.

Increased air permeability of the ground. It is achieved by increasing the number of earthworms after sowing mustard in the fall.

Prevention of erosion. Dense sowing is used where there is a risk of soil erosion and wind damage. The stems of plants planted in early autumn will be able to perform the function of snow retention before frost.

Disadvantages of autumn sowing mustard as green manure

The disadvantages gardeners include:

1. Transition into a weed. If you don’t mow the mustard until the last minute, it will harden and bloom. The cut seeds will most likely fall into the ground and germinate. This garden weed is difficult to remove from the soil.

2. Limited use. White mustard should not be grown in the fall where other cruciferous vegetables, such as radishes, turnips, and cabbage, will have to be planted the following season. These crops are susceptible to the same diseases and pests as mustard. It is better to plant cereals and legumes in front of them.

When exactly is mustard planted in the fall?

The sowing time depends on the weather conditions in the region and the wishes of the gardener regarding the expected seedlings and the green manure period. Autumn planting of fertilizer is carried out during the following periods:

1. Late summer, early autumn. Sowing is done in moist soil after harvesting. Green manure grows well in large areas where there were previously potatoes, strawberries, and cereals. Usually there is enough time from the moment of sowing to the beginning of flowering to obtain the required amount of green mass. So, when adding seeds immediately after harvesting, from 1 hundred square meters you can get about 400 kg of fertilizer, which needs to be mowed and applied as intended.

2. At the end of September. When planting late, the grown stems are not mowed; they die from frost and save the soil from the cold in winter. The roots, being in the ground, rot, feeding and loosening the soil.

3. Before winter. Mustard is sowed in late autumn so that the fertilizer germinates in the spring. To do this, the seeds are placed in dug up cold soil and left there to overwinter. To prevent the mustard from freezing and being washed away by melt water with the soil layer, you need to increase the depth of planting.

How to sow mustard correctly in the fall

To create high-quality fertilizer, growing green manure must follow the following algorithm:

1. The beds should be freed from remnants of vegetables and weeds after harvesting.

2. It is advisable to fertilize them with humus at the rate of 1 bucket per 1 square meter. m.

3. The ground needs to be dug up, leveled with a rake, and watered.

4. Next, you should start planting mustard in rows. The seeds are similar in size to small beans and are easy to grab and place in the soil. The distance between them should be at least 15 cm, between the rows about 20 cm, as the plants grow.

5. About 250 g of seeds are planted per hundred square meters of land. They should not be placed too far into the soil, this will slow down germination; the optimal depth should not exceed 1-1.5 cm. If there is not enough time, you can not sow mustard in rows, but scatter it in random order on the ground. The result will be worse than in the case of uniform application, but still noticeable.

6. After planting mustard in the fall, the seeds are dug in a little or harrowed with a regular rake.

Plants sprout approximately 4 days after sowing; after a month, their height is 15 cm. For full growth and development, mustard should be watered abundantly; it does not need additional feeding. It is advisable to cut off green manure shoots before flowering for the following reasons:

The stems and petioles of leaves become coarser with the appearance of flowers, which slows down the processing of green mass and the formation of fertilizer;

Flowering consumes plant nutrients, which contributes to the loss of green manure function;

Seed mustard will begin to multiply and can quickly become a difficult weed.

How to use mustard as fertilizer?

You can mow the green mass with a flat cutter, a hoe, or a scythe. After this, it needs to be embedded in the soil with a shovel to a depth of about 5 cm.

This is how mineral and organic elements enter the soil, thereby restoring its structure. If for some reason it is not possible to bury the greens, then you can leave them in the garden bed during the winter. The above-ground part will rot, and the roots, having decomposed, will loosen the soil.

Gardeners are trying to speed up the process of vermicompost formation with the help of the drug Baikal EM-1. It promotes the formation of a favorable environment for the growth of bacteria in the soil, which heals it and makes it more fertile. This product is really effective, but neither it nor green manure can completely replace organic fertilizers such as compost and humus.

As for sandy, clayey soil, planting mustard in the fall will not have a positive effect on the soil structure. A layer of humus will slowly form; seasonal growing of vegetables will destroy it again. Therefore, unprepared land is not suitable for sowing mustard in the fall for digging. They must first be improved, and then the method of crop rotation must be applied in order to increase yields.

When using green manure to improve the health and nutrition of the soil, you need to keep in mind that plants consume and then give to their followers a set of useful substances and microelements. Thus, it is quite difficult to ensure the balance of the nutrient medium only with the help of white mustard. For high-quality soil fertilization, you need to grow different types of green manure crops and not forget about organic matter; an integrated approach will give the best results.