Green Manuring

Green manuring is the practice of growing green manure crops and ploughing them directly into the field, mainly to raise the soil's nitrogen content while also improving its structure and physical properties. It is practised in two main ways. Green in-situ manuring grows the manure crop in border rows or as an intercrop alongside the main crop — examples include sun hemp, cowpea and green gram. Green leaf manuring, by contrast, applies the green leaves and twigs of trees, shrubs and other plants, often collected from wastelands and field bunds, directly to the field; useful species for this purpose …