Living mulch

[cjp1953]

I put in a winter cover crop every fall in my 12'x12' garden.Winter rye, yellow clover,alfalfa and hairy vetch.I want to try a living mulch of white clover between my rows of tomatoes and peppers.I then will turn it under in the fall and put in my winter crop.I'm trying to go chemical free and not use any fertilizers.Here in North East Ohio we have hot and humid summers so I think it will help the soil.I also have a problem with a stray cat getting into the garden.Last year I used a cloth in the garden but did not like the mold that I saw when I pulled it up in the fall.It was only a small bit of mold,but I don't want to use that again.Hoping the white clover will fill the bare ground in and I can keep that stray cat out of my garden.I might try lavender around the outer edges.Any ideas would be great.Thanks.

[Redbaron]

Originally Posted by cjp1953

I put in a winter cover crop every fall in my 12'x12' garden.Winter rye, yellow clover,alfalfa and hairy vetch.I want to try a living mulch of white clover between my rows of tomatoes and peppers.I then will turn it under in the fall and put in my winter crop.I'm trying to go chemical free and not use any fertilizers.Here in North East Ohio we have hot and humid summers so I think it will help the soil.I also have a problem with a stray cat getting into the garden.Last year I used a cloth in the garden but did not like the mold that I saw when I pulled it up in the fall.It was only a small bit of mold,but I don't want to use that again.Hoping the white clover will fill the bare ground in and I can keep that stray cat out of my garden.I might try lavender around the outer edges.Any ideas would be great.Thanks.

Good ideas, but why till it in?

[cjp1953]

Originally Posted by Redbaron

Good ideas, but why till it in?

I guess it could stay and I could add my wintercrop mix,I have always turned the soil after I pulled the plants.I don't have a tiller,so I just turn it over by hand.But that's why I would joined this forum to see what others do.I have never tried a living mulch.I just found ideas when researching covercrops and mulches.

[Stvrob]

You don't need to pull the plants, let it grow in thick, mow it high and rake it up to spread in other parts of the garden. Before long you will have choice dark soil under your cover crop.

Not sure if it will repel the stray cat though.

[cjp1953]

I'm hoping if it's very thick like my wintercrop is right now the cat can't dig so it will go somewhere else.

[Redbaron]

Originally Posted by cjp1953

I guess it could stay and I could add my wintercrop mix,I have always turned the soil after I pulled the plants.I don't have a tiller,so I just turn it over by hand.But that's why I would joined this forum to see what others do.I have never tried a living mulch.I just found ideas when researching covercrops and mulches.

Well, you are in Ohio. There is a guy named Dave Brandt that turned his clay soil into a mollic loam with cover crops and living mulches. No Tillage.



I also have several videos listed on my Red Baron Project

Hope that is a start for giving you some ideas.

[cjp1953]

Thanks for the video.

[cjp1953]

I was looking around the web about no till gardens and think I'll do that this year.We have had so much rain and snow this past winter that the ground here in North East Ohio is in flood stages all around.I think I'll mow it down and plant and use a mulch of straw or alfalfa straw that I might get free from someone at work.Then in the fall mow and plant another winter cover crop.Trying to do any work with the ground this wet can't be a good thing.

[Redbaron]

Originally Posted by cjp1953

I was looking around the web about no till gardens and think I'll do that this year.We have had so much rain and snow this past winter that the ground here in North East Ohio is in flood stages all around.I think I'll mow it down and plant and use a mulch of straw or alfalfa straw that I might get free from someone at work.Then in the fall mow and plant another winter cover crop.Trying to do any work with the ground this wet can't be a good thing.

First year just remember the weed barrier. News paper works fine. Cardboard even better.

[cjp1953]

Thanks,I will.

[strax]

yeah, its a swamp for sure, even the high rocky areas are slushy and it is supposed to rain again for 2 days. dont know when i will be able to get my peas in.

i am planning to do a white clover cover crop between rows this year as well. i usually just let ground ivy and a little grass grow in between.

I always get a lot of rain here. ( 10-15 miles south is always dry, grrrr.) anyway i cant mulch too heavily and definitely cant use newspaper or cardboard. it just rains too much and with heavy mulch or cardboard under mulch, the soil will never dry out and the plants will die. so consider that if your area gets lots of rain.

best of luck