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Lucerne (alfalfa) garden paths.

William Bronson

gardener

Posts: 5174

Location: Cincinnati, Ohio,Price Hill 45205

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posted 7 years ago

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I need to suppress "weeds" in my garden paths.
I have tried clover, but it isn't dominate enough, and gets lost in a see of "volunteers"
This is in my tiny front yard, so my wife wants mulch.
I'm thinking that alfalfa is tough,pretty, and dominating,with great root structure.
I could even sow it into.the mulch, low nitrogen not being much ofa problem for alfalfa.

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Bryant RedHawk

gardener

Posts: 6814

Location: Arkansas - Zone 7B/8A stoney, sandy loam soil pH 6.5

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posted 7 years ago

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The only issue I can think of is that Lucerne is a tall growing plant.

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Angelika Maier

pollinator

Posts: 1475

Location: Zone 10a, Australia

posted 7 years ago

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would you mow it?

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Bryant RedHawk

gardener

Posts: 6814

Location: Arkansas - Zone 7B/8A stoney, sandy loam soil pH 6.5

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posted 7 years ago

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Yes I do mow alfalfa that is not for animal consumption (in the pastures).

When you mow this fodder plant while it is trying to mature it will put out new shoots and create a thicker path.
Another way to use it for paths is to let it grow and just bend it over by walking on it, this creates a mulch layer that can be planted through and it builds your soil by adding humus.

Jane Griffiths

Posts: 1

posted 6 years ago

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I have had gravel paths for years. They were lined with weed cloth but over time weeds have grown through. So I started putting the straw from my chicken run (cleaned first) on top of the gravel. Then wonder lawn (dichondra) grew over it and it has proved to be a fabulous plant for the pathways. A thick, low growing mat that doesn't let weeds grow through it. If it grows into the beds it is easy to remove.

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