Sow green manure

After your crops are harvested rather than forkirz in welI-rotted manure or compost, grow a green manure. It enriches and breaks up the soil, needing only a minimal amount of digging

Time to do: all year round

Green manures are plants sown directly into bare ground purely to be dug back into the soil in order to improve its fertility and boost the organic content. They also keep weeds at bay on an empty plot by covering the soil so they can’t grow. You can leave green manures in place for anything up to a year if you wish, but most gardeners don't have the luxury of that much space. It's usually best to opt for a crop that is sown and grown in just six weeks. If you need a quick fix in summer, sow buckwheat, mustard, phacelia or fenugreek; in the winter months grow winter tares or Italian ryegrass (though this needs a little more digging in than other green manures). It's important not to let the plants flower, and if they look like they’re about to, simply chop off the tops. When you’re ready to use the bed again, out the plants down to the ground, leave for a day or two, then dig them back into the soil.

TIP If you do have an area of ground that you won’t be cultivating for a year, then sow a long-term manure, such as winter beans, red clover or alfalfa. Chop the plants back occasionally to keep them under control until you’re ready to dig them in.