Clover as cover crop

[FromCali]

I have heard that clover is recommended as a cover crop. Every spring, clovers show up at almost everywhere in our yard. We associate clover with weed because we haven't planted them, but we spend a lot of time removing them in the spring.
For folks who use clover as a cover crop, how do you handle this?

 

[YumYum]

There are several varieties of clover. I've planted Ladino (perennial) and Crimson (annual) clover as cover crops. They work well to add nitrogen but not really for organic matter because they don't grow as tall or big as something else. All you do is till it under. You can mow it but try to kick the green where you want it to go.

We have some sort of wild clover here that grows vigorously in the yard. I don't worry any with it. If It is in the way, it gets tilled under too.

 

[cpp gardener]

It’s mostly a location thing. In the vegetable bed where you want a cover crop it’s good. In the lawn and other garden areas, not so much. Just like Real Estate; location,location,location.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Don't let them flower and set seed, mow or till before that happens. Weeds mostly have seeds that are capable of travelling somehow, and one plant will produce many seeds.

 

[Meadowlark]

...For folks who use clover as a cover crop, how do you handle this?

I like to use it to my advantage. Clover is a legume. It adds beneficial Nitrogen to the soil as well as powerful organic matter. It is welcome in my yards and gardens and pastures.

Its life is relatively short in my growing zone as it begins to die out when temps go above 75 deg F. Hence, I don't do anything to it in yards as it will take care of itself. I encourage it by NOT mowing the flowers and allowing it to reseed. It is terrific at attracting pollinators for your gardens.

It is a wonderfully useful plant to have, IMO. I'm always sad to see it go from the yards every year in late spring and thankful for all the benefits it provides.

 

[FromCali]

When I weed them, I am amazed to see nitrogen-fixing nodules in the roots. That makes me think nature has given cover crops without me doing anything about it and question do I want to pick them? It makes sense not to weed them from the area where vegetables grow. But of course I can't contain them in area I want and it's annoying to see them growing on the top of wood chips where perennial shrubs are, right next to most shrubs, under trees where rocks are, at the edge of sidewalks and other similar places.

 

[Mr_Yan]

I've thrown a few pounds of Dutch White Clover across my lawn to get it in the grass. The areas where it did take are some of the best patches of lawn I have.

I've been hesitant with short white clovers like that as cover crops in my veg garden as I know many are perennial in my area and I don't want to fight that. Maybe I should get some red clovers for my cover mix.

 

[big rockpile]

I had Cover Crop of Winter Wheat in my Garden that did well.

Next Fall be Rye and Red Clover.

As far as the Lawn we're going to mow the Leaves and spread some Compost.

big rockpile

 

[Meadowlark]

I've thrown a few pounds of Dutch White Clover across my lawn to get it in the grass. The areas where it did take are some of the best patches of lawn I have.

I've been hesitant with short white clovers like that as cover crops in my veg garden as I know many are perennial in my area and I don't want to fight that. Maybe I should get some red clovers for my cover mix.

It just never ceases to amaze me that many so called gardeners fail to recognize the benefits of clover...but those shortsighted views seem to be decreasing in numbers. Those "best patches" of yours are magnified many times over as a cover crop.

I really especially love the red clovers. According to Wikipedia they are herbaceous, short-lived perennial plants that belong to the bean family (Fabaceae). For me, they are outstanding in a rotation with corn in the garden.

I usually will only see very few scattered red clover plants in the second year after using them...but the soil, WOW.