Winter crops are planted not only to obtain an early grain harvest, but also to improve the quality of the soil on the site. To use rye as a siderat, you should know when it should be planted and at what time to excavate. About this and we will tell in our article.
Planting winter rye as siderata
After the fall of the main crop (potatoes, carrots, beets and other vegetables), you can start planting rye. For this purpose, the seeds are simply scattered over the soil cleared of planting and ground into the ground shallowly with the help of a rake. On average, 2 kg of seeds should be sown for 1 hectare.
Before the winter rye will have time to take root and start to bush. Under a small layer of snow, these plants will safely carry all the cold. If there is a snowless winter, then landing may be lost.
As soon as the snow comes off the site, the rye begins to germinate. Now it is very important not to miss the moment when it will have to be mowed.
Making rye in the ground
The signal for mowing and digging up the earth is the beginning of the formation of spikelets on plants. You should also pay attention to the state of the earth. Rye draws moisture out of the soil, so if there is a noticeable drying of the soil beneath it, the plants should also be dug out immediately.
The green mass does not need to be crushed very much. It will be enough to dig a site with forks or a shovel, sealing it deep into the earth.
The advantage of rye as a siderata lies in the fact that its cultivation is carried out in autumn, in winter and captures the beginning of spring, that is, at a time when the earth is resting from vegetable crops. Also, the soil after it becomes more friable, which means that it will be easier to dig up and the roots of the plants subsequently receive more oxygen. In addition, naturally, there is a purification from weeds and pathogenic microorganisms.