NOURISHMENT FOR THE SOIL
My neighbour Claire, who has rented her allotment in Mill Hill East for over 20 years, suggested that I plant Hungarian ryegrass because it would provide nourishment for the soil. Hungarian ryegrass is a green manure, and one of the best for sowing over the winter months. Sown in August/September, or as late as October in the south, it provides a good cover crop to prevent nutrient leaching during the onslaught of the winter and benefits the structure of the soil. When it grows in spring to an approximate height of 12 inches or more, it is cut down and dug back into the soil releasing nutrients; particularly good in clay soils.