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Fagopyrum esculentum

Buckwheat

Common names: True buckwheat, Heath buckwheat

Buckwheat

This description was machine-translated.

Description

Buckwheat is a fast summer green manure that thrives even on poor soil, mobilizes phosphate, and with its white flower spikes attracts bees. Botanically a knotweed and not a grain, it does not belong to any vegetable family and fits into any crop rotation. It is very frost-sensitive.

Care instructions

Sow buckwheat from May to July when no frosts are expected, directly into the bed and rake it flat. It germinates quickly and shades the soil within weeks. Water sparingly; it tolerates dryness well. Cut it at full bloom before mature seeds fall, otherwise it will self-sow. Left as mulch it decomposes quickly into loose humus.

Soil & site

Soil pH

4.0pH 4.5–78.0

Soil type

sandy, loamy, well-drained, lean, humus-rich

LightFull sun
HardinessFrost-sensitive
Water needLow

Feeding

Light feeder

Companion planting

Good neighbors

Companion planting is partly traditional gardening lore. Where the reason is known, it is given.

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