It's no secret that when most crops are grown, nutrients in the soil are lost. Of course, fertilizers can be used to enrich the soil. But there is a more sparing, eco-friendly way - sowing seeds . So called plants, which improve the structure of the soil and enrich it. To them it is possible to carry and a grass a sainfoin.
Espartet as siderat
Perennial bean plant sainfoin, grown more often as a forage crop, honey plant, has recently been used as a fine siderate. The fact is that the sainfoin, forming a large volume of green mass and roots during growth, is a nitrogen fixer (that is, it enriches the soil with nitrogen due to nitrogen-containing bacteria). In addition, it is believed that the plant is able to dissolve in the ground phosphorus and calcium.
Agricultural equipment of sainfoin
Since this representative of legumes is practically not demanding for soils, it can be safely sown even on poorly stony soils. True, the espertset gives preference to a soil with a neutral reaction, but with a calcium content (lime). Contraindicated him the location of groundwater.
If to talk about when to sow a sainfoin, then the end of March or the beginning of April is optimal for this purpose. In advance, preferably in the fall, conduct a digging site for landing at the depth of the shovel, while removing seedlings and rhizomes. Seed sowing is made to a depth of 2-3 cm in heavy soils, 3-4 cm in loose soils, after which the ground is trampled. It is equally important to observe the rate of sowing of sainfoin. It is 1.5-2 kg for every 100 m ° of your site. In the future, care for the plant is minimal. True, it does not tolerate low temperatures, or rather, frosts. But the sainfoin is drought-resistant, it grows fine in a dry summer.
Two weeks before sowing the main crop, the sainfoin is mowed and buried in the soil. However, the most useful for the soil will be the mowing of the plant before flowering.