Organic Camelina - Green Manure - Ferme de Sainte Marthe seeds - Gold-of-pleasure

The Camelina, False Flax or German Sesame is an annual herbaceous plant with small pale yellow flowers that will produce seeds rich in omega-3 and proteins. It is sown from April to June and harvested from July to September. During its growth and thanks to its taproot, it excels in soil loosening and aeration while also acting as a barrier against weeds. Then, only three to four months after sowing, it is ready to be cut and used as green manure. Buried at just a few centimeters deep, it enriches the soil with nitrogen and promotes the creation of humus. A single packet is sufficient to sow 60 m² of land.

The Camelina belongs to the Brassicaceae family and has been cultivated for over 3000 years in Europe and Central Asia for animal feed and the production of vegetable oils used in cosmetics or chemistry, for example in certain paints. Its stem was also used in the past to make brooms or, when bundled together, for roofing. Today, it is cultivated as a biofuel and, for individuals, as green manure.

Harvesting: Harvesting is done by mowing three to four months after sowing. The plant will then have reached a height of 60 to 80 cm (24 to 32in).

Storage: To bury it, it is necessary to dig a few centimeters and incorporate the stems with a spade. The advantage with Camelina is that it is not necessary to dig very deep.

Gardener's tip: Camelina can be used as a support for other plants such as lentils, certain dwarf peas, etc., during its growth.