I've got a small backyard plot where I intend to grow vegetables next season. Beforehand, I'm trying my first hand at cover crops. I'm doing oats, hairy vetch and field peas, sold as a "green manure" mix for tilling into the soil..
I want to leave it on top as mulch and I'm debating crimping or scything..
Similar topics been discussed but my question is specifically, (aside from how much the soil strata are affected) Will the oats\vetch\field peas come back if they're cut at the root, just below the soil surface?
I've seen excellent info/ videos of cover cropping on a large scale, but here I've got reasonably loose soil, a small plot, and these cool serrated hand blades they sell here in Japan.
I've read cooperative extension reports that some 20-odd % of vetch survives crimping (don't quote me on the number).
I'd appreciate any info.
R
