Today mustard is effectively applied both in cookery, and in agriculture. The plant is considered to be weed, and it is recommended to destroy it. But actually it not so.
Mustard — the plant relating to family Cabbage. It represents annual plant which is resistant to cold. Plant quickly tall, within month large leaves with original coloring grow, flowers of the small size, yellow color which merge in kolosovidny inflorescence, fruits have pod appearance.
Advantage of mustard for other plants
- The biggest advantage of plant is saturation of the soil nitrogen and phosphorus. Mustard as culture, possesses special functions;
- It does not allow the earth to be exhausted, oxygenates it;
- Does not allow to develop to weeds;
- Destroys such wreckers as: phytophthora, fir seed moths, slugs, wireworm and other putrefactive microorganisms;
- Improves structure of the soil, doing it friable;
- Does not allow leaching of the earth;
- The stood mustard plant, represents not only green fertilizer, but also serves as the shelter for the soil which does not give the chance for soil freezing thanks to what rather large volume of moisture remains.
- Is ideal for landing near grapes and fruit trees as serves for them both fertilizing, and the defender from wreckers;
- For beekeepers serves as excellent melliferous herb.
What is necessary for cultivation of mustard in the form of green fertilizer?
This plant in itself unpretentious, and it means that no efforts on its cultivation are required. Mustard adapts to various soils and conditions, young escapes maintain frosts to -5 °C. It is the best of all to land mustard in rows, doing distance between seeds in 10-15 cm, and between rows about 20 cm. Depth for landing of seeds from 1 from 1.5 cm. The first shoots appear in 3-5 days.
Very often crops of mustard happen in the fall when practically all cultures are removed from kitchen gardens, but to the first frosts still there is enough time. As it was already told above, the mustard which has sprouted to frosts protects the soil from frosts, thereby does not allow moisture to freeze. As for useful properties, with confidence it is possible to tell that mustard concedes nothing to such fertilizers as manure and humus. And seeds of mustard are many times cheaper.
Green fertilizer is good the fact that it does not need to be pulled out, mown. It is necessary to loosen only the earth with young plants of mustard and to start disembarkation of vegetables.