Chinese milk vetch spreading all over the paddy fields
There are many paddy fields and other fields in the countryside. I like to walk along with them in the early morning. It feels good to me to walk along with them, hearing the birds chirping and looking at the beautiful flowers.
In the spring, from May to June, farmers start planting seedlings in the paddy fields. This makes it possible to harvest the crops in October and November.
Before the rice planting started, the rice paddies were planted with Chinese milk vetch. I was wondering why so many Chinese milk vetch were planted in the paddy fields. My son once told me that there was a reason for this. He said he liked biology and had read about it in a related book.
Why we can plant Chinese milk vetch?
The farmers who manage the paddy fields sow the seeds of Chinese milk vetch in the fall of the previous year. The flowers are said to be effective in fertilizing the soil, so farmers let the flowers bloom before planting rice to let the roots grow and increase the amount of fertilizer in the soil.
The term “green manure” refers to the use of these fresh green plants as fertilizer by straining them directly into the fields.
My son knew things that I did not. I was amazed at his wealth of knowledge. He must have acquired it from reading so many books.
