I mentioned in my post aboutbuilding raised bedsthat I chose to add New Zealand white clover to the edges of the raised bed to act as a living mulch. First off, I should explain what a living mulch is, and how it differs from a cover crop:
“In agriculture, aliving mulch is a cover crop interplanted or undersown with a main crop, and intended to serve the purposes of a mulch, such as weed suppression and regulation of soil temperature. Living mulches grow for a long time with the main crops, whereas cover crops are incorporated into the soil or killed with herbicides.”
Definition from Wikipedia.
6 Reasons Why I Chose Clover as a Living Mulch:
So essentially, what I’m doing is allowing the clover to grow on the edges of my raised beds initially. If it travels its way into the beds, that’s OK with me. Here’s why:
1. Less Weeding
It will prevent most weeds and grasses from forming on the walls of the raised bed
2. Retains Moisture
Just like normal mulches, the clover will retain moisture in the soil by absorbing all of the sun before it hits the soil
3. Withstands Traffic
It should be able to withstand the occasional traffic involved in reaching into the garden beds
4. Nitrogen Fixer
It will fix nitrogen into the soil, which in turn benefits the plants in the raised bed
5. Improves Soil Tilth
Clover’s root system improves the friability of soil almost immediately
6. Attracts Pollinators
Clover attracts bees, who will hopefully stick around and pollinate my fruiting vegetables as well as my nearby fruit trees & bushes
(These 6 reasons are also a great example of the permaculture concept of stacking functions – more on that later.)
But Isn’t Clover a Weed?
I have had a few people ask me why I would add clover to a yard, because they thought it was a weed. First off, clover is only a weed if your goal is 100% grass. If that’s your goal, read this article on how to have a beautifulorganic lawn.
I personally like the appearance of clover better than grass. Clover does have aggressive tendencies: it spreads quickly and can block out other growth. My clover will be used in a place where it is surrounded by a wood chip pathway on one side, and a garden bed on the other. If the clover gets into the garden bed, that’s OK with me. I can always pull back the area of clover where I want a plant to be and then plant. In the meantime, all of the area covered with clover will be getting a dose of nitrogen and will be relatively protected from weeds.
Also, I mentioned in my post on raised beds that much of my current garden bed soil will eventually be moved around. When that happens, the clover will get mixed in as a normal cover crop would, and will improve the soil than as well.
Doesn’t It Compete With Other Plants for Nutrients?
Yes, a little bit, but that’s OK. First off, I take good care of my soil with plenty of organic materials and other natural amendments throughout the year, so the soil shouldn’t be lacking for nutrients. As mentioned above, if the clover ever gets in my way, I can just rip it out by the handful and whatever I’m planting will have plenty of space. Furthermore, I’m a firm believer that planting polycultures (many plants all grouped together) will always do better than monocultures (think big corn fields with nothing else growing).
On a side note, here’s a good read about polycultures being more productive than monocultures from a recent study at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science:
“…analysis shows thatplant communities with many different species are nearly 1.5 times more productive than those with only one species(such as a cornfield or carefully tended lawn), and ongoing research finds even stronger benefits of diversity when the various other important natural services of ecosystems are considered. Diverse communities are alsomore efficient at capturing nutrients, light, and other limiting resources.”
(Source:ScienceDaily.com via Virginia Institute of Marine Science)
How to Plant the Clover:
I used a broadcast method (aka scattering the seeds) to add them to my raised bed walls. If you use a broadcast method, be certain to do it(A)in your rainy season when the heat is gone or(B)cover it with a light layer of soil. If the seeds dry out or sit in the sun to bake, they won’t germinate well. In my picture, you can see the seeds that fell into soil cracks were the only ones that performed well.
Where Did I Get This Idea?
There’s nothing new about it. People have been using clover as a cover crop for a long time. Masanobu Fukuoka wrote extensively about using white clover specifically as a living mulch, so he gets full credit for what I’m doing. Here’s a good article by permaculturalistLarry Korn(the man who translated Fukuoka’s book,The One-Straw Revolution, into English) aboutFukuoka’s farming method.
Where Did I Get The Clover Seed?
I purchased 1 lb of it with my seed order at Territorial Seed Co. this year specifically for this purpose. The exact type I bought wasNew Zealand White Clover, which cost $11 per pound of seed.
More Information about New Zealand White Clover:
Territorial Seed Description:Trifolium repens– Growing to only 8 inches, this low perennial clover has a growth habit similar to White Dutch Clover but will stand drought conditions better, is more vigorous, and tolerates a wide range of soils. Used for both a spring and fall cover crop, New Zealand White Clover can be sown between row plantings or as a solid seeded cover. A terrific green manure as it fixes up to 170 pounds of nitrogen per acre and attracts beneficial insects. Sow 1/4 pound per 1000 square feet; 6–10 pounds per acre. Pre-inoculated.
Interesting White Clover Factoids:
- Initial taproot may grow to 3 feet deep.
- 通过种子和传播营养生长而自我再生。
- 适合多种土壤生长,但适合粘土和壤土,不适合沙地。
- Decent tolerance of shade, heat, flooding, and drought (all important here in Seattle).
- Depending on moisture availability, can produce about 1 to 3 tons of dry matter per acre, containing 80 to 200 lbs of nitrogen per acre.
- When growing white clover, farmers should see immediate improvement in the top soil. White clover’s extensive root system make the soil more friable, improving tilth and water infiltration.
- Susceptible to potato leafhopper, meadow spittlebug, clover leaf weevil, alfalfa weevil, and lygus bug. Slugs will also attack white clover.
- Competition with your primary crops can bereduced by mowingand hand pulling back the clover. Competition may be higher during drought periods.
(Source: University of Hawai’i PDF, See Below)
For More Information on White Clover:
Excellent PDF Download from University of Hawai’i about White Clover: (Download Clover PDF)
Great Article on White Clover by Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education: (White Clover)
Photo Credit:Martin LaBar
Brian Cantorsays
Any way you can post pictures of the finished product? The beds with the clover growing around them? bc
Kane Jamisonsays
Absolutely, we’ll have a few follow-up posts through out the summer. Keep an eye on our facebook page athttps://www.facebook.com/pages/Seattle-Homestead/184190984956180– that’s where we post lots of pictures that don’t get their own blog post.
Tamra Stallingssays
多年来,我一直在我的花园里做类似的事情。我在东南部,所以不要用高床它们很快就干了。我把三叶草种植在我的种植床之间的小路上。工作起来很棒,看起来也很棒。
Kane Jamisonsays
Thanks Tamra, good to hear that you don’t have trouble with the clover spreading too much. That’s been the #1 concern with this method. If you have some pictures please feel free to post them on our wall athttps://www.facebook.com/pages/Seattle-Homestead/184190984956180.
Tamra Stallingssays
it creeps into the beds a little, but I just pull it out and use it as mulch.
Shani Renfro Lattimersays
I’m going to try this, but with the pink clover that grows here naturally. Thanks for the tip!
Kane Jamisonsays
沙尼好运!一旦完成,我们希望看到照片。不过,红色三叶草要小心,这取决于它的类型,它可能有几英尺高,会遮蔽其他植物。我特别选择白色三叶草的部分原因是它只有6到10英寸高。
Dawn Cicchinisays
I just found this post throug the archives of another blog and it’s making me think about clover for my front yard. We have horrible clay soil on a tiny city lot and my only planting space is the front lawn. I set up a raised bed and have dug in a few small beds on the edges of the lawn but am struggling with the poor soil. The lawn is uneven and grading/smoothing it would have to be by hand, so I’m trying to plant in the ground rather than figure out how to get raised beds to sit flat, but it’s all a mess…
Do you think I could plant my yard in clover? I’d be willing to do the work of tearing out the grass and planting clover if it means easier digging for new beds and better soil in the future!
Ellen Carnahansays
Hi Dawn -I scattered white clover in some hardpan areas of our yard one year, and it did a fabulous job of “greening” the area and improving the “soil” -two or three years later, there are no more bare patches. I am a fan of a higher than normal concentration in lawns as well, it is a fantastic plant for improving soil quality. And I have friends who grew up with all-clover lawns and loved them. You can always overseed with grass over a few years if you change your mind.
Dawn Cicchinisays
Thanks for the advice! smile emoticon I am going to try it out and see how it goes – it can’t be worse than the dandelions and bindweed currently edging out the grass!
Agnes Elayne Douesays
So how did it work out? Did it get too invasive? Just ordered a pound for our garden. Thank you!
Keep Eureka Beautifulsays
谢谢你!我们将鼓励人们替换草皮。
Kelly Clementsays
你每年都要重新种三叶草吗?
Donna Wilson Wolffsays
I have been planting the Dutch White clover in any disturbed area mole and dog digging areas of my lawn trying to displace grass. It has been very successful even on my very sandy soil. I don’t mow super short so I’m able to enjoy the white flowers between mowings. Easy to pull out at flower bed edges. Love it!
Sue Moyersays
我爱,爱,爱,有三叶草和茂盛的草莓跑在一起,爬满了我的观赏花坛。蜜蜂喜欢它,蝴蝶甚至是蜻蜓也会来。我的大部分多年生植物花园在自然中是非常“小屋”的,与三叶草和浆果快乐地生活在一起。我在为土壤、蜜蜂和大自然提供养分。
Marty Crawfordsays
我想种一片三叶草草坪。土壤不好,我种了很多苔藓,但院子里通风后,三叶草就疯长起来了。这个三叶草会代替我,取代原来的草坪吗?顺便说一下,杂草也长出来了。三叶草会把它闷死吗?
Carolyn DeVoesays
Clover withstands dogs playing in it too, And oh my, all the little wild life creatures love it.
marlaine matsonsays
any problems with the plants getting into the neighbours yards…I live in a trailer park..some have nice lawns…mine not so much..haha…it wouldn’t be right next to any lawns…
Kane Jamisonsays
Hi Marlaine – yes, definitely. Clover is kind of known for spreading a bit via wind, birds, or whatever else. I wouldn’t be surprised if it shows up in neighbor’s yards, and some people don’t like clover.
Danielsays
I love white and crimson clover as a companion for my fruit trees, in addition white clover keeps short so it doesn’t compete with fruit tree in my honest opinion.
Nancy Suttonsays
So Kane, that was a few years ago… got an update on the results? plus and minuses? unexpectedes? ox
Kane Jamisonsays
Yes – we still keep plenty of clover around the yard, but I don’t rely on it to fully keep out the weeds. It tends to be a little too thin to block persistent grass, but it seems to keep out the opportunistic weeds that occur on bare dirt. If you’re looking for a perfect yard of clover – may be hard to do. If you’re looking to improve a field or an area that doesn’t have to be 100% clover, it’s a great fit.
Chuck Wysssays
I have weeds coming into the garden currently. The plants have been in the ground for 8 days so far. Does anyone know if it might be too late to spread the clover in Ohio? I did this several years ago and it worked well, not sure why I haven’t done it again.
Kane Jamisonsays
Hey Chuck, you should be fine to still plant seeds, but they’ll probably have a harder time in the heat of the summer. But – they won’t block out those weeds – you’ll still need to pull some now and again. We found that they somewhat slowed new weeds, but definitely didn’t stop them.
April Pryorsays
I love this article. Great to know someone else likes clover as much as I do. I have a very large space, like a meadow around my garden in clover and I like to graze my chickens in a chicken tractor all around the clover, double nitrogen. Well anyways keep up the great articles.
Abbysays
你想出了一个防止花园杂草丛生的好办法。我发现白色三叶草也很漂亮,所以对于那些想用自然的决定来改善他们的院子的人来说,这是一个完美的决定。
Tiffinsays
我也在西雅图地区,在为我的养床寻找替代护根物时偶然发现了这个。我今年才开始建的,所以有很多空的土壤会变干变硬。我在传闻中看到蛞蝓喜欢吃三叶草。这会让他们远离其他东西吗?我有鼻涕虫,那些虫子很烦人。
Kane Jamisonsays
We never experienced any pests going after the clover itself, however it definitely won’t stop pests like slugs. If you’re looking for total weed block, you’ll have better luck with mulch, but both will still allow a few weeds through.
Hung Phat Do Nguyensays
I have a question for you
How about pH degree can I grow clover?
Christine Stackersays
I have clover that planted itself under a couple rose shrubs. Recently the leaveson my roses dried up and turned brown. None of my other roses (without clover) did this. Is the clover bad for my roses?
Kane Jamisonsays
嗯,我想有可能是玫瑰吸收了太多的氮,但我更愿意猜测它们只是干燥了,特别是如果你说的是适量的三叶草的话。
Lynnsays
Hi,
I have been searching for information on micro clover to use between rows in peony field and around the peonies for weed prevention. Do you know if they will harm the peonies since peony roots are close to the surface? Compete for nutrients? what nutrients does clover use up?
TJsays
The next time someone asks if clover is a weed, tell them it was once accepted as a healthy part of every suburban lawn. Here’s an except from a piece in the Boston Globe by Ralph Ranalli titled “Once again, clover is a good thing” (June 24, 2007):
Once a prized ground cover and grazing material for animals (clover contains more protein than other grasses), clover was no match for the marketing forces of lawn chemical companies who rebranded it as a noxious weed in the years after World War II.
But that thinking is slowly changing, lawn-care specialists say.
In the 1940s, clover was considered an acceptable part of the suburban lawn. It made sense, because clover and most lawn grasses enjoy a good relationship. Unlike grass, which greedily sucks the crucial nutrient nitrogen out of the earth and can reduce rich topsoil to moon dust in a matter of years if left to its own devices, clover takes its nitrogen from the air.
The clover fixes the nitrogen from the air in the soil around it, where it can be used by the grass growing nearby. When it dies or is cut and mulched, clover becomes a nice bit of nitrogen-rich compost, just like other grass clippings.
Then, in the late 1940s, along came 2,4-dicholorophenoxyacetic acid , a chemical weed killer that was hailed as a breakthrough and became a component of herbicides ranging from the Vietnam War era’s infamous Agent Orange to current popular home-use brands such as Roundup and Halts .
“三叶草是传统草坪的一部分,”韦兰德拉塞尔花园中心(Russell 's Garden Center)的长期草坪护理买家比尔·温特(Bill Winter)说。“然后我们开始了整个通过化学物质更好地生活的事情。他们发现,新的除草剂也杀死了三叶草,所以除草剂一定是好东西,三叶草就变成了杂草。”
Shaunnsays
My yard is a biohaven for white clover, sorrel, violets, wild garlic, and a plethora of other flora. Everything gets a chance. Hubby mows as little as possible; everything is green.
我们的小猫喜欢他的杂草;我们的大部分草坪最后都进了沙拉碗。永远不要使用化学药品!
我告诉兽医、专栏作家、环保主义者迈克尔·w·福克斯(Michael W. Fox)博士,我们实行的是郊区公民不服从。当邻居们割草的时候,我们让它生长。当他们喷的时候,我戴着喷雾面罩站在旁边,用一张大纸板挡住。我警告他们:下次我会拿出一把大扇子!
They must water and water; burn spots show up now & then. Their kids & dogs play in that crap. Thank goodness they put up a fence. Still, I won’t let my cat near the property line!
Biodiversity starts in our own backyards. Don’t expect it to be somewhere “out there”. Today’s kids and tomorrow’s grandkids need it NOW!
Christopher Crabtreesays
What do you do when it’s time to seed new veggies? Doesn’t the height of the clover block sun so your seedlings don’t want to come up?
Kane Jamisonsays
一些三叶草(尤其是红色三叶草,如果我没记错的话)非常高——12-24英寸,所以这是个问题。这种白色的三叶草大约4-8英寸高,所以如果你想种植一些东西,很容易在那个地方挖出1-2英尺的三叶草圈,把它扔进堆肥中,然后挖出你需要种植的任何大小的洞。
Christopher Crabtreesays
What do you do when it’s time to seed new veggies? How do they get light so they can sprout?
Williamsays
I have accumulated clover in my lawn over the years and I find it attractive But the down side is it attracts honeybees. Now I have to wait to later in the day after the bees go home to mow my lawn because I don’t want to kill the bees.