Penobsquis, New Brunswick, Canada | my results and further experiments with greenfix
to me it is worth the investment, not for the N but for the O.M., it has more in it than pure N and also provides a holding effect for nutrients.
in '07 i planted a 24' strip across one field, august 6, it formed a mat within 6 weeks and N nodes were visible when dug up. went into blossom but did not set seed. continued to grow til novenber 8 when we has -10C or 14F frost.....killed it. in another plot planted july 10, the greenfix set maturing seed by september 25th.
in '08, OACC (Organic Agricuture Center of Canada) tested this strip against a check strip next to the greenfix strip, with 50 or so grain plots = oats, wheat, barley. by tour day july 28, it was VERY evident where the greenfix had been, and we had a 3 1/2 week dry spell before the tour day. i don't have the numbers from the plot harvest yet. but in another field i had wheat, oats and hulless barley.....the yield was there but what is impressive is the plumpness and size of the kernels....no protein tests have been done yet.
the '08 experiment was planting greenfix with a companion crop to hold it up so i can combine it and not have to scrap it of the ground....after all a greenfix plant that has grown for 3 or 4 months has sucker shoots at every leaf joint (much like a tomato plant), is 4' long or longer, and is only growing to a height of 6"....a mess to combine.
i like to underseed my grain after it is up 6" to 12", let the greenfix start and when the grain comes off, it takes off growing till november....we normally have frost here the first week of september.
when the greenfix was dug up at the near kill date, the amount of nodules was high plus they were bunched up on top of each other till they got to fingernail size.....i can send photos of this and my '07 trials .
questions and varying veiwpoints are welcome
FarmerTom |
AC Greenfix in Kansas
