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Re: Green crops

Ian,

They break down quicky if you work them in before they flower.  After
thhey flower the lignin builds up in the stalk and they take longer to
rot.

I need to also add that not all varieties of broad bean are cold hardy. 
The very sweetest large edible beans are bred for spring sowing and will
not take extreme cold.  The smaller-seeded, not-so-tasty, varieties are
best for green manure.

I bred my own green manure by puchasing small quantities of several
broad bean varieties and saving seed from the survivors.  Now I have a
prolific, winter growing broad bean that is exactly suited to my climate
and soil.  But they're no good to eat.

Perhaps the N.Z. establishment that passes for what we call a "feed
store" can connect you with some local farmers that grow winter beans,
or perhaps provide you with suitable seed.  I'm fairly sure that, with
it's stong British heritage, N.Z. farm culture still includes winter
beans.  

Steve



Ian Gill wrote:
> 
> Hi Steve... Thanks for the pointer to Broad Beans (Fava), I had not
> considered using them as a green crop. Do you let them get into bean
> production or do you work them into the soil early? Yes,  your climate
> sounds very close to mine.
> 
> Regards  Ian Gill
>                          Westland  new Zealand.
> 
> > I live in a maritime climate which, I think, is similar to yours.  Cool,
> > rainy winters with warm, relatively dry summers.  My soil type is a
> > silty clay.  I get the best success with Broad Beans, which we call Fava
> > Beans in the U.S.  They stand up well to the high moisture and can stand
> > temperatures below zero C, which we have fairly often in winter.  Our
> > normal extreme lows are -5 deg C (about 22F) although we have hit -15
> > (near zero F) some years and the beans did not survive those temps very
> > well unless they had snow cover -- which is rare.
> >
> > Alfalfa does quite well in drier soils.  Mustard would be good if you
> > can be sure to chop it before it goes to seed and becomes a weed.  I
> > have no experience with lupin.  Broad beans, lupin and alfalfa are all
> > nitrogen-fixers, of course, which is an added bonus.
> >
> > You also might consider corn salad (lamb's lettuce in the U.S.) or a
> > Japanese mustard called Tyfon.  Neither fix N, but they are both edible.
> >
> > Steve  (Maritime...)
> >
> >
> >
> > Ian Gill wrote:
> > >
> > > Hi guys.... I wonder if group members would be prepared to share their
> > > experiences growing winter green crops? I'm in a good position this
> year to
> > > begin this practice but I'm at a loss as to what would be best -
> alfalfa,
> > > mustard or lupins.
> > >
> > > Regards  Ian Gill
> > >                          Westland   New Zealand
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