Nature itself creates the possibilities of replenishing the soil with the necessary chemical elements, without the use of various drugs. For this, siderat plants and organic fertilizers (manure, chicken manure, ash) are used. In this article, we will talk about the cultivation of lupine as a siderata.
The effectiveness of the annual lupine as a siderata
Everyone knows that most legumes have a beneficial effect on the condition of the soil. But why do many gardeners recommend taking a narrow-leaved lupine as a siderate? This is due to the fact that in comparison with other plants of this family, it showed the highest indices of soil enrichment with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. In addition, its roots go deep enough, it helps to preserve the richness of the soil in the upper layers and loosening the lower layers.
Cultivation of lupine as a siderata
Lupine as a siderate is most effective in planting in the early spring. There are no special requirements for choosing a landing site, the only thing that should be paid attention to are predecessors. You can not plant after leguminous crops and grasses, as well as next to cruciferous and perennial legumes. In one place lupine can be grown 1 time in 4 years.
If there are few weeds on the selected site, then trenches should be made (the interrow spacing should be 15-20 cm) and well spilled. Then press seeds into the ground to a depth of 2-2.5 cm at a distance of 7 cm from each other. If there is a lot of weed grass in this place, then the distance between rows and seeds will have to be increased.
After about 8 weeks, it's time to mow the grass and bury it in the ground. Determine this point easily by the appearance of buds on the stem.
Locking lupine in the soil
There are many recommendations on the depth to which lupines should be digested in order to obtain the maximum benefit of useful substances from the plant into the soil. Basically it depends on the characteristics of the ground. For the soil cleared of weeds, it is necessary to seal the green mass with a layer of 5-6 cm to a depth of 8-9 cm.