Re: Broccoli as a green manure crop; nitrogen-fixing legumes
iris@hort.net
  • Subject: Re: Broccoli as a green manure crop; nitrogen-fixing legumes
  • From: C* C* <i*@aim.com>
  • Date: Sun, 4 Nov 2012 11:14:54 -0500 (EST)
The nightshades they are taking about are tomato and potatoes, which belong to nightshade family. The organism responsible for "wilt" is what rotting broccoli affects. Thus the "nightshade" plants will do better, as less wilt problems. 

It doesn't kill off any weed seeds, such as what we call nightshade.
I have seen organic farms plant red clover between crop rows. It doesn't grow very tall. And in any case can be mowed if it gets too tall. Then when tilled in, the next year the crop rows are moved over, and grow where clover was the year before. And then clover planted between rows where crop was the previous year. And so on year, after year. 

Chuck Chapman

-----Original Message-----
From: Diana <phantomfyre@yahoo.com>
To: iris <iris@hort.net>
Sent: Sun, Nov 4, 2012 10:32 am
Subject: Re: [iris] Broccoli as a green manure crop; nitrogen-fixing legumes
I have no experience with sweet peas, but I've read that one reason Schreiner's growsso many lupines with their irises is to fix nitrogen. Lupines are nitrogen-fixing legumes. Baptisia is another. I'm planning on planting both in the iris beds in the future.
I've alsoheard that the brassicas release a chemical as they decompose that fumigates the soil for certain diseases. As I recall, the article I read discussed planting brassicas in the spot you plan to plant nightshades the next yearand incorporating the brassica plant residue into the soil to prevent certain wilts and blights in the nightshades the next season. Like Chuck said, I don't know what iris diseases this might help with, but it probably wouldn'thurtanything.
On Facebook, Rick at Superstition has posted pictures of his iris fields being planted with cover crops that are tilled underto enrich the soil, and they rotate fieldsto do this.
I'm a big fan of rotational plantingand adding organic matter to the soil every chance I get. Last year, on my way home from our local iris society's November meeting, I LOADED the back of my truck withtree leaves that the folks in town had kindly bagged and put out at the curb for me. I managed to cram 39full lawn-waste bags in my short-bed pickup.(Happily, I always keep tie-down straps in the truck.) This year, I am contemplatingtaking my horse trailer tothe November meeting... just imagine how many bags of leaves I could cram in there! 

Diana in N. Illinois



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