Hairy Vetch - an excellent green manure for dry conditions (Aug 2014)

Hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) produces a huge biomass also under dry conditions and is therefore an ideal green manure for Mediterranean cropping systems. However, the incorporation of this green manure into the soil is challenging. This video presents three different machines - disk harrow, stone burier, and crimper roller - for the termination of hairy vetch. These machines have a different degree of conservation of soil fertility and main pros and cons are discussed.
This video documents one of the field days within the TILMAN-ORG project (CORE Organic II) organized by the Italian research team. (CIRAA Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerche Agro-Ambientali and Scuola Sant’Anna Pisa, Italy). www.tilman-org.net

[@chokkan7]

While I haven't worked in a Mediterranean clime, I've gardened in the southern US, where summers are hot and dry. Vetch will grow (and it does; as a weed) in hot weather as well as cool. For many seasons, after I hilled my sweet corn in May, I broadcast hairy vetch seed, and it germinated with the first rainfall. The foliage of the vetch wicked the morning dew down into the soil, greatly benefiting the corn ( and also helped with weed suppression), and by the time the corn had been harvested (usually by early to mid-July), the vetch was 2' tall. Plowing this under sped up the breakdown of the corn stalks due to the presence of the succulent legume in close proximity, and a turnip or rutabaga (or tyfon) crop could then be sown in early August for fall harvest, followed by winter rye. I've grown corn in a rotation for several years in this manner, with only a side dressing of blood meal (40-50 lbs/acre, in heavy clay), and have always had excellent results, and my soil fertility improves every year. Similar results could probably be had with pearl millet or sorghum...

[@gpvaneron1584]

3 yr old comment but that's a great rotation tip. thanks

[@kmgfarmer3499]

A very clear and well planned presentation. A mould board plough will give you total inversion and a clean seed tilth.

[@robertpayne2717]

Hairy vetch problem is with hard seed that doesn't germinate in the fall with planting but carries over to the following winter. Very detrimental if winter wheat is in your rotation.. vetch is a noxious weed in winter grain rotations..

[@jean-mariemorin4870]

very interesting. Clear. It's also a good pedagogical support for our students (professionnal language in English). Thank you

[@FiBLFilm]

Dear Jean-Marie, Good to hear that this is also interesting for France. Thanks for your feedback, for more videos on reduced tillage and green manure see www.tilman-org.net best wishes, Thomas

[@Nightowl5454]

You're far better off to grow a mixture of cereal rye and hairy vetch. Then roll and crimp to kill it. The rye has Allelopathy effects on weed seeds if you go with no-till methods, the crop residue will slowly breakdown and provide nitrogen to your crops. The big bonuses is that you also get a mulch that also helps to cut down on seed germination, conserve soil moisture and you build up the soil and carbon in it so it's more drought tolerant.

[@zafermenekse06]

What is the name of the machine hanged back of the red tractor

[@5er593]

I think crimper roleri is way forward!

[@alisterstewart8657]

Cattle would work too plus they'll turn it into manure. But need grass also otherwise bloat would be bad

[@kingjames4886]

this stuff just grows wild all over the place here...

[@paulipotgieter]

Fascinating

[@JIMPONYD]

Thanks for posting this video.