clover, weeds

Clover 'fixes' nitrogen, which is a good thing to do. My first question is, does this help nearby plants while the clover is growing, or does the clover first need to be turned under, and then benefits others in the future?

A related question (I think): do weeds do harm, at the root level? Obviiously, shading out the 'good' plants would harm them. And, there are specific cases where the 'weed' produces chemicals that inhibit other plants. (think, Black Walnut.) But, for run-of-the-mill garden weeds/grasses, just growing together with my vegetables, how much are the weelds really depriving my guys of water/nutrients? They certainly don't seem to bother the other weeds.

Reply to
gbeccles
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after the plant gets nodules formed on the roots. when it is younger it doesn't do much at all for neighboring plants besides a bit of shade.

there are many different types of clovers. i have some which are quite small and act like annuals, and then i have others that are quite large and will come back like perennials. the latter can smother almost any neighboring veggie plant and can easily take over an area if i let it go.

also, it is worth considering your plantings of legumes in relation to water flows to make sure there is some filtering of runoff to keep extra nitrogen out of lakes and rivers. even a small wetland can help a lot.

it depends upon the neighboring plant root structures. some plants are more shallow rooted so will not do well in competition with certain clovers. weeding sometimes can be trouble as if you are pulling out weeds you can also pull out the neighboring plants or disturb their roots too much.

cutting back the clover and leaving it behind can be a good source of nitrogen for the plants as it rots and the worms break it down. if things look too crowded and there isn't much rain or watering then thinning is likely going to help give the veggies more of what they need. after a certain point the veggies should be big enough that they crowd out and limit the clover's growth (depends upon the type of clover).

songbird

Reply to
songbird

I've read that bermuda grass also releases something from the roots that suppresses competition, but I don't recall the exact effects. That may be a myth, but I am inclined to believe it, since I hate the stuff with a huge, great hating.

Reply to
Drew Lawson

Those links are enlightening. Thanks. As to the weeds, I'll keep fighting them.

Reply to
gbeccles

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