Best clover for long term soil improvement?

11 years ago

So last summer I cleared about an acre of aspens, white pine and mixed hardwoods from our property for a large garden. We are doing it almost exclusively no till, in raised beds made of logs from the felled trees. We didn't have nearly enough compost to fill the entire area with beds, so we are just going to build and fill them over the course of the next several years. So that leaves about 50% of the area empty and last year I planted various types of clover and alfalfa in hopes of improving the sandy soil over this time.

My question is what types of clover or other cover crops are going to be my best bet. As of now nearly the entire area is growing either alfalfa, crimson, landino, and medium red clover(with some flax mixed in here and there). I have been reading about how many types of clover will succumb to disease in the second year and I am worried about this happening. In some of the areas and especially pathways I would like to have these covers a permanent fixture, but still have the option of using the space down the road and hopefully having better soil there to work with.

Any advice or links to information about using clover as a long term soil improver would be greatly appreciated. Or any advice/resources about any sort of long term soil improvement scheme for sandy former forest areas.

Comments (4)

Kimmsr
11 years ago
Covers can be a good choice for part of a soil improvement progran, along with Field Rye, Vetch, Oats, or about any other crop that will help add organic matter to soil. Which clover is best for you depends on your soil and its pH since some clovers will tolerate soils with low pH and some won't.
Keep in mind that organic matter will need to be added to your soil every year, it is not something that you add now and it will be there for a long time.
denno
11 years ago
I started using buckwheat on my rows for a few years, where the row wasn't being used, or at the end of the summer into winter. I have been pleased with how it softens the soil after breaking down, and I mix it with the top layers in the Spring. And I usually leave some part of it go to seed to pick for the following year. Buckwheat doesn't add to the nitrogen values, so I'm trying alfalfa this year in some rows. As for the clover, I plant the red clover next to the buckwheat in the rows where I want more nitrogen available. As I said, you would want to turn these plants before getting seeds, or they'll come back like weeds in the future.
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Kimmsr
11 years ago
Buckwheat is a good summer cover crop and I have often seeded twice in one year. Buckwheat also has allelopathic properties which might inhibit some "weeds". A good winter cover crop is Field or Cereal Rye. Seeded in the fall and left over the winter it too has some allelopathice properties. Both of these will add organic matter to soil but not the potential Nitrogen that a legume like clover would.
david52 Zone 6
11 years ago
It sounds like you planted a decent mix, and I'd just leave it alone, let the clover varieties 'duke it out' and what ever the particular conditions that develop, the best mix / proportion will win out.

Best clover for long term soil improvement?

Comments (4)

Kimmsr

denno

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david52 Zone 6

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