Undersowing mustard greens as weed suppressant...

I have some mustard greens naturalized into my two yards.
They  bolted and went to seed weeks ago.
Around that time I was establishing new beds with plant starts.
In one bed I scattered a bunch of the dry seed from the mustard greens.

Today I was checking on the beds.
I had lots of grass and bindweed in every bed except the one that was filled with tiny mustard greens  instead.

After weeding,  I grabbed more dry branches from the greens and stripped and crunched them over the beds.
Even if I have to pull the greens because they ate squeezing out my main crops,  I will at least get a harvest.

Has anyone else has good luck undersowing to supress weeds?

I had the same results with kale seed which I have in abundance.  It suppressed grass around asparagus without hindering the asparagus ferns   Also gave me a second crop in that space.

Now you remind me, it's about time to plant daikon radishes for fall harvest. I found out they tolerate low light very well as understory plants, then after you harvest your main crop, they take off and form big roots.

Daikon and kale,  perfect!
I was just at an asian  supermarket, eyeing their daikon.
Those stickers  were huge!

I'm wishing I had done this under the corn, there is bunch of smartweed popping up there.
Maybe I can smother the smartweed with mulch and plant into the mulch.

Is there an edible nitrogen fixer that would work for undersowing  this time of year?

William Bronson wrote: Is there an edible nitrogen fixer that would work for undersowing  this time of year?

Type 2 or 3 soybean would definately work in your area.  Mung bean needs about 60 days.  Red Ripper cow peas might make maturity.  When is your first frost typically?  Sunn Hemp will give you a good winter mulch to protect the soil in 60 days, but nothing edible except maybe your animals.  

Not a nitrogen fixer, but pumpkin vines will kill off a lot of that undergrowth in corn.

Great ideas!
I'm liking the Mung beans,  I know where to get them, and sixty days is nothin'.
Red rippers sound good too,  I've never had real cowpeas,  I've heard great things about them.

First frost has been landing near Halloween  for the last 5 years or so.
Plenty of time if I get on it.

Even if I get no beans,  it would give me a chance to try bean leaves.
I imagine they are not very tasty fresh,  but if they are like grape and mulberry leaves,  drying them will improve their texture and flavor.

You can add Fava Bean to the list.  Checking it is recommended to have 75 to 95 days for full maturity.  

I'm wishing I had done this under the corn, there is bunch of smartweed popping up there.
Maybe I can smother the smartweed with mulch and plant into the mulch.

Is there an edible nitrogen fixer that would work for undersowing  this time of year?

Sugar snap peas is what I had planed but I did not get the corn planted. I figured the stalks could work as a trellis for the pea vines.

I spread mustard greens around 2 years ago as a green mulch. The seeds are very cheap and I will do it again this year.

Its really very nice and appreciable, i will suggest everyone about it

May Lotito wrote:Now you remind me, it's about time to plant daikon radishes for fall harvest. I found out they tolerate low light very well as understory plants, then after you harvest your main crop, they take off and form big roots.

Update here. I broadcasted daikon radish seeds underneath corns and squash leaves. They germinated quickly under the shelter. After I removed the corn stalks and squash vines few weeks later, the radish took off. I started harvesting about 60 days after sowing.

I also put more seeds in ground one month later than this batch, but due to temperature drop and high wind, they are not doing as good.