🚀 go-pugleaf

On Thu, 22 May 2003 09:05:18 +1000, "David Hare-Scott"
<TiredOfSpam@eMPTY.COM> wrote:

>I read that some plants that develop a strong deep tap root quickly can
>be used to help to break up compacted soil.  I am going to be
>rehabilitating a cow pasture and I need all the help that I can get in
>this repect.
>
>I would like something that grows quickly from seed, that is strictly an
>annual or can be easily contolled otherwise so that it can be removed
>when it has done its job.  If it was a legume and could be left as a
>green manure also that would be a bonus.  I am in a warm temperate area
>where we are into autumn, you can expect the occasional frost during
>winter but no snow, the rainfall is around 1100mm PA and the soil is
>rich clay-loam river bottom. Any suggestions?
>

Borage would be a good choice, so long as you slash it before it seeds
as it is a prolific seeder and can become a weed. It has a good deep
tap root which will "mine" deep nutrients and release them back into
the soil as the tap root decays, and you can leave the slashings as a
fertile green manure.

Potatoes may also be a good choice, if you are able to rip the soil
first.

Tara

David Hare-Scott <TiredOfSpam@eMPTY.COM> wrote in article
<3ecc05fc$0$1028$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au>...
> I read that some plants that develop a strong deep tap root quickly can
> be used to help to break up compacted soil.  I am going to be
> rehabilitating a cow pasture and I need all the help that I can get in
> this repect.
> 
> I would like something that grows quickly from seed, that is strictly an
> annual or can be easily contolled otherwise so that it can be removed
> when it has done its job.  If it was a legume and could be left as a
> green manure also that would be a bonus.  I am in a warm temperate area
> where we are into autumn, you can expect the occasional frost during
> winter but no snow, the rainfall is around 1100mm PA and the soil is
> rich clay-loam river bottom. Any suggestions?
> 
> David

Lucerne! If you get desperate it also doubles as alfalfa sprouts.

gtoomey

"David Hare-Scott" <TiredOfSpam@eMPTY.COM> wrote in message
news:3ecc05fc$0$1028$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au...
> I read that some plants that develop a strong deep tap root quickly can
> be used to help to break up compacted soil.  I am going to be
> rehabilitating a cow pasture and I need all the help that I can get in
> this repect.
>
> I would like something that grows quickly from seed, that is strictly an
> annual or can be easily contolled otherwise so that it can be removed
> when it has done its job.  If it was a legume and could be left as a
> green manure also that would be a bonus.  I am in a warm temperate area
> where we are into autumn, you can expect the occasional frost during
> winter but no snow, the rainfall is around 1100mm PA and the soil is
> rich clay-loam river bottom. Any suggestions?
>
> David

Although I've asked farmers what they use in the spring (something like
winter wheat, but for spring), I never remember. Got an Agway farm store
nearby, or a cooperative extension office? You can till this stuff in when
you're done with it and it does wonders for the soil.

David Hare-Scott wrote:

> I read that some plants that develop a strong deep tap root quickly can
> be used to help to break up compacted soil.  
> David
> <snip>


I go along with Tara - spuds is the conventional plant for breakin up 
and cleaning soil. The dense cover and the working kills a lot of the 
weeds, as well as breaking the sod
Barrie


> 
>