Barley is one of the cereals used by summer residents as green manure. It is unpretentious and has a high nutritional value for the soil. The main thing is to sow the grain in time and mow the greens correctly. How and when to carry out work on green manure with barley, we will tell in the article below.
The value of barley
Barley as a green manure quickly gains green mass, suppresses most of the weeds and improves the quality of the soil. These features and properties are subsequently used to grow other garden plants.
Benefits of using barley as green manure:
- High resistance to drought.It is one of the few cereals that can grow in arid regions.
- Tolerance to frost.A short-term drop in temperature to minus 5 ° C is not dangerous for barley. Therefore, it can be sown for green manure in early spring.
- Versatility for different soil types. Growing barley on light soils protects them from erosion and weathering. And such green manure structures heavy lands - facilitates and increases their aeration.
- Vermicompost formation.During decomposition, the cereal gives the soil many substances and mineral components, increasing its fertility. It promotes the development of useful microflora of the earth.
- Soil disinfection. Some viruses and pathogenic microorganisms are intolerant to barley root system secretions. Therefore, they die without having time to infect the site and harm the plants.
- Prevention of pest attacks. Attracted predatory insects feed on cicadas, aphids and other pests, significantly reducing their numbers or completely exterminating them.
- Suppression of weed growth.A fibrous root system in dense planting displaces weeds, preventing them from growing.
- Increased productivity.The conditions created by green manure are optimal for active growth and fruiting, therefore the quality and quantity of the yield of the main crops after barley increases.
- Improving soil properties.Grain reduces the acidity of the soil, increases its moisture permeability and moisture capacity.
Positive changes in the land obtained after sowing with this cereal persist for 3-4 years.
Sowing and growing barley for fertilization
The technology of sowing and cultivating barley for the purpose of green manure has its own characteristics. Consider these to maximize the value of the cereal.
Optimal sowing time
Sowing dates and climate dependence of winter and spring barley differ from each other. For summer residents of cold regions with harsh winters, it is advisable to use spring cereal as green manure. If you live in the middle lane or in the south, then you can sow any of the crop options.
Sow winter barley for greening after the end of the harvesting of horticultural crops. The cereal sown in late August and early September has time to build up its green mass and accumulate useful substances. Mow the barley when the plants reach a height of about 25 cm. Embed the green mass in the ground, where it will be processed by soil microorganisms before the onset of frost.
When planted in late autumn, the aboveground mass will not have time to form before the onset of cold weather. Such barley will grow rapidly with the onset of spring warming.
Sowing the land with spring barley begins with the arrival of heat in spring. As soon as the soil temperature reaches plus 5 degrees, feel free to get to work. On average, this period falls in the third decade of March-early April. Carry out mowing of green manure in 4-6 weeks.
Sowing scheme and seed consumption rates
When sowing barley, use the narrow row method. Such a landing pattern assumes compliance with the following parameters:
- row spacing - 6-8 cm;
- the gap between the seeds in a row is 1.5-2 cm;
- seeding depth:
- light soils - about 6 cm;
- heavy soils - no more than 3 cm.
The average consumption rate of grain will be 15-20 g per 1 sq. m of plot or 1.5-2 kg per 1 hundred square meters. To suppress weeds, increase the indicator to 25 g per 1 sq. m.
When and how to dig up green manure?
Carry out mowing of green manure 10-14 days before planting the main crop. In this matter, it is important not to be late - the discarding of the ear by barley makes the green part of the plant tough and reduces the amount of nutrients in the composition. Such green manure takes longer to decompose, and its benefits are less.
There are two ways to dig up a plot with green fertilizer. The main thing in these works is to leave the roots of the cereal intact. They release nitrogen and other trace elements obtained from deep layers of the soil, allowing oxygen to enter the soil. Biohumus is formed among the remains of the root system.
First way:
- Mow the barley without touching the root system.
- Spread the shoots over the site. If the stems are crushed before this, then their decomposition and the release of nutrients will occur faster.
- Plant subsequent crops by making holes or rows among the scattered barley.
The surface distribution of the barley cut will become the mulch for the plot. In addition to the useful qualities of green manure, this will also give a natural shading of the earth, prolonged retention of moisture in the surface layer.
Second way.This method involves digging a site with green manure to a shallow depth. For these works, use not a shovel, but a hoe or a flat cutter so as not to damage the root system of the cereal.
What can be planted after barley?
After barley, it is recommended to plant:
- peas, beans, lentils and other legumes;
- cabbage, radish, turnip, radish and other cruciferous plants.
Do not sow other cereals after barley. They need the same nutrients, most of which were spent on the growing season of the green manure. This means that the harvest of rye, wheat, oats will be small.
In the area where barley was green manure, exclude planting potatoes. A wireworm attracted by the cereal will cause irreparable harm to the tubers.
The unpretentiousness, stability and mass of useful properties of barley make it possible to use it for the purpose of enriching the soil, fighting weeds and pests. Sowing a plot with this cereal as a green fertilizer will facilitate the work of the summer resident, save his time and money.