How to use rapeseed as green manure?

The use of rapeseed as a green manure in autumn or spring allows you to properly prepare the soil for the new sowing season. Among other green fertilizers, it is distinguished by its unpretentiousness, livability - it goes well with rye, vetch, mustard. Before sowing winter and spring rapeseed, it is worth studying tips for preparing and digging up the soil, as well as deciding on a planting site for green manure.

Rape is a favorite agricultural crop of agronomists and farmers... Planting it on the site allows you to get a honey plant that attracts bees, universal biofuel, animal feed and even oil suitable for frying. For agricultural purposes, rapeseed is most often used as green manure - a natural source of valuable nutrients for the soil. It is worth noting the obvious benefits of culture.

1. High speed of growing green mass. After being embedded in the soil, this valuable material becomes a source of phosphorus, sulfur, and organic matter.
2. Developed root system. It performs 2 functions at once - it penetrates deep into the soil, extracting the most valuable mineral components, loosens the soil, improving its permeability.
3. The presence of essential oils in the composition. They act as insecticides, repel insect pests. In addition, rapeseed can serve as a phytoncide, preventing the development of soil diseases.
4. Minimization of soil erosion. Planting rapeseed prevents soil sagging from the influence of groundwater, keeps snow in winter, and prevents wind erosion in summer.
5. Weed control. When planting in places where berry crops are growing, rape helps to protect them. It is important to note that weed control in this case turns out to be quite effective and chemically safe.
6. Intensive saturation of the soil with nitrogen. According to this property, only legumes can be compared with rapeseed.

There are also features that can be attributed to disadvantages. Rape does not grow very well on soils with a high level of acidity, significant density or moisture, stagnant water.

The types of rapeseed that exist today are usually subdivided for spring and winter. The first option involves minimal effort in growing. Spring rapeseed refers to annuals, does not give high efficiency as a green manure. Winter - biennial, it is usually sown together with rye to enrich the soil with the most valuable mineral components. For planting, they choose early autumn - in this case, the plant will have time to bloom, growth will be maximally directed at increasing the volume of greenery, more valuable substances will get into the soil.

Young shoots can be mown several times per season. The last time in September, they are not harvested, but brought directly into the ground when digging. It is important to deepen the green fertilizer by at least 10-15 cm. When planning the planting of plants for the winter, rapeseed is crushed and sent to rot no later than 3 weeks before this moment.

Rape as a green manure has its own cultivation characteristics. It is very important to provide him with the necessary conditions for germination and nutrition, then this culture itself will ensure the correct and complete saturation of the soil with biologically active substances. It is only important take into account the peculiarities of sowing, which are available in winter or spring varieties. Planting can be done during a period when the earth is warm enough - from spring to mid-autumn.

Spring rape is an annual plant with a straight root with horizontal branching. It is more resistant to the effects of frost, it can withstand temperatures down to −3 and even −8 degrees. It is customary to sow it in spring or early summer - this is enough to provide the necessary opportunities for the development of green shoots. The procedure will be as follows:

• digging up the soil;
• leveling the surface layer of the soil;
• fertilization if necessary;
• complete removal of weeds;
• soaking seeds in a complex remedy for pests ("Cosmos", "Promet");
• laying furrows with a distance of 15 cm between them;
• the seeds are immersed in the line method, deepened by 2 cm.

Winter rape is traditionally planted in autumn. This is best done in September, giving the young growth a chance to successfully emerge and grow. If autumn is warm, winter rapeseed can easily even bloom. When sowing, small seeds are mixed with dry and clean sand, preferably river or sea sand. The proportion is 1: 25, you can even increase this indicator - the correct planting density is about 100 seeds per 1 m2.

Planting before winter has its advantages. Biologically active substances, mineral components in this case are stored in the ground, and not washed out of it by groundwater. A cut massif of greenery laid on top of the ridges creates a natural protection and emits heat. The soil is less exposed to the risk of erosion and better preserves its natural structure.

The plant sprouts 4-8 days from planting, it needs about 60 days for proper and full development. Sometimes it is better to postpone sowing to August than to be late. With a late planting, the plant may freeze out in a winter with little snow. Winter varieties poorly tolerate clay and loamy soils, sandstones.

The main care for spring rape is periodic watering and harvesting of weeds. Especially important weeding when young growth appears. Rape is easily clogged with harmful weeds and can slow down its growth. During the season, it is necessary to provide periodic pest control, since all representatives of the cruciferous family are not too resistant to them.

Winter rape does not need any special care. When growing on green manure, it is only important to prevent flowering. At the first appearance of buds, the shoots are mowed to the base, then they turn into mulch and are embedded in the ground. In spring, seedlings will appear as soon as the average temperatures become positive.

It is customary to harvest spring rape in the 2nd or 3rd decade of July. The first mowing must be done before the plant blooms. After that, the ground part will have time to gain growth again. The greens obtained the first time can be put into compost.

Winter rape is harvested for the first time before winter. The next year it is mowed again as soon as buds begin to appear on the shoots. Digging is necessary only if the second year of planting has expired. In this case, both the stem and the root system of the rapeseed are converted into fertilizer.

In case of violation of the rules and terms of planting, winter rapeseed can become spring and vice versa. It is worth considering that a plant that has not been mowed can grow up to 150 cm in height. Harvested at the end of the season, such plants will ensure, with further embedding in the soil and rotting, the maximum increase in soil fertility. The nitrogen enrichment will be very intense.

When used as a green manure, spring rape is usually used only in the state of young growth. The formed large sprouts are mowed, the remaining stems are treated with EM-liquid, which makes it possible to accelerate the formation of vermicompost due to intensive decomposition. Spring rape is best planted in areas where cereals will grow in the future. Mustard or vetch can be placed in the neighborhood.

Planting rapeseed as a green manure is important for cultivated plants such as squash, peppers, cucumber, tomatoes, potatoes. Catch crops are planted before or after these species to restore soil fertility.

For the benefits of green manure and the benefits of rapeseed, see the next video.