posted 10 years ago
Thanks everyone, I am feeling a bit better and confident in my original plan of not tilling. I did want to chop and drop this but then found out about the root system. I am hearing different things even with you all! Some say it is not that bad, more of a tap root, some say its more rhizomatous. My experience is that regular red clover is more creeping than tap root and takes a few cuttings to kill it IF it dies at all. The scalping then planting sounds good though. Yes, I was also thinking about the lasagna!! I have started that in a couple of the beds of clover already thinking the clover will just die and create fabulous nitrogen rich soil. Also, yes I might just try to plant in it, pulling the clover out? I spaded a good size area about two weeks ago to see what would happen but the I see what ever I missed is definitely growing back, but the roots seem easier to pull up. But today I noticed where I did spade and mix up the soil the plants I did not get to are growing back already. Ive read that in order to get full N out of the clover, like other leguminous plants you must kill it and turn into the soil. This is typically done 2 weeks before you would plant. In the past, I would have not even thought twice about tilling. This "problem" would have been an excellent situation and still is for most farmers/gardeners. BUT with new light shed on permaculture style farming/gardening this garden would not benefit from tilling. Last year when I first arrived I tilled two of the many beds. Those two beds had more weed seed germinate than any of the others and the clover and buckwheat had a difficult time establishing. I regularly "weeded those beds of amaranth, thistle, and other things I can't remember now. So I decided then, No more tilling. In all the other beds I did not till, and the clover and buckwheat did fantastic job of covering the beds. I was able to easily select more useful "weeds" like mullein, calendula, plantain, dandelion, and other volunteer herbs and flowers from years past. I am still worried about keeping it cut back (not letting it go to seed) because that might be all I will do all summer! This is an experimental garden and it does need ground cover. I just need to figure out how to manage it properly. I am however still concerned with it competing with certain herbs. I am going to try a few different things.... Thanks!!
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