green manure

noun

: an herbaceous crop (such as clover) plowed under while green to enrich the soil
green-manure transitive verb

Examples of green manure in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Red clover can make a drought- and shade-tolerant lawn alternative, but it is more often grown as an annual winter cover crop and then tilled into the soil as green manure. Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 11 Aug. 2025 Plants like forage radish, buckwheat, and alfalfa can also serve as cover crops or green manures to improve soil structure and replenish nutrients in gardens after the growing season has ended. Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 June 2025 Traditional green manure crops include alfalfa, oats, and even winter wheat. Paul Cappiello, The Courier-Journal, 19 Apr. 2024 Lay plants on top of soil to break down as green manure for improved soil fertility. Kristin Guy, Sunset Magazine, 6 Feb. 2024 Plant this year’s tomato bed with a green manure or cover crop. oregonlive, 21 Aug. 2021

Word History

First Known Use

1785, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of green manure was in 1785

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Cite this Entry

“Green manure.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/green%20manure. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

green manure

noun
: a crop of plants (as clover) that is plowed under while green to enrich the soil

More from Merriam-Webster on green manure

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