Green or Organic or Natural Fertilizer. Adding Humus To A Small Garden

Soil that is poor in humus, very sandy or very heavy can be improved by sowing some green fertilizer over it before planting. These plants will enrich the soil with humus and with keep weeds out of areas that are not planted. The penetration of fast-growing , deep-rooting plants into the subsoil will ensure a permanent loosening effect. Sow most of your green fertilizer plants from spring  until the end of the second month in summer.

You can then plant the fast growing types which have their main growing period up until second month of autumn. It is an advantage to have severe

ral crops in succession. After a few days, cut down grown plants and work them into the soil in a shallow manner. Compost the green fertilizer plants separately if you need the area for sowing immediately.

Green fertilizer plants for small gardens

Plant

Soil

Earliest sowing

Latest sowing

Development  Time(Weeks)

Remarks

Calendula officinalis

marigold

 all soils early spring mid spring 12 Wards off nematodes.

Yellow and orange flowers.

Lupinus albus

white lupin

 heavy early spring late summer 12 Fixes nitrogen.

White flowers

Phacelia tanacetifolia

 all soils early spring early autumn 8 Attracts bees

Blue flowers

Sinapsis alba

white mustard

 medium early spring early autumn 6 - 8 Never plant before brassicas.

Yellow flowers

Tagetes patula

 all soils early spring late spring 8 - 10 Wards off nematodes.

Yellow, orange & brown flowers

Trifolium incarnatum

long-headed clover

 medium to heavy early spring late summer 12 Fixes nitrogen.

Red flowers.

Tropaeolum majus

nasturtium

 medium late spring late summer 6 - 8 Yellow, orange and red flowers through out summer.