Hi, I am new to organic gardening,have just planted a cover crop of New Zealand white clover, it was just planted yesterday , is it ok to mulch with leaves before the clover comes up? I have a lot to learn and am really glad for this forum to talk with other gardeners.
Please post your garden zone in the 'signature'line. I don't know why you would cover the newly planted clover with leaves. I would gather leaves and compost them to turn in with the colver in the spring. Or,if you are in a warm climate, wait until you have a nice,healthy bunch of clover and then till the clover and leaves together to winter over and compost together.
"Maybe one of the secrets of survival is to learn where to dance." Stanley Kunitz
Posts: 892 | Location: New Hampshire Z4 | Registered: February 11, 2002
It is best to put crushed or whole leaves, mature or immature compost, or any other organic matter on the bottom first on your soil, then grow any legume or grain cover crop seeds through the mulch. That way you have lots of humus build up and microbes growing and thriving in it all winter until spring.
Thanks for your help regarding my cover crop of clover, I know that I have probably got things a little backwards, next year I will tille the leaves in first,This year I will wait and put the composted leaves on in the spring when I tille in the clover, providing that it makes it, we are expecting temps in the 28-29 range tonight, I hope that won't hurt the seed. I am in zone 6, Pacific Northwest.
Cindy, It sounds like you have some great ideas rolling. I am in the same boat with planing cover crops for the first time this year. I have had some success with spreading a 1" (or so) layer of compost down over lightly cultivated soil - I pulled out dead veg plants, kicked up the soil a little with hoe, and spun my Garden Weasel through to break up the larger chunks. Then I spread my cover crop seeds over the layer of compost, and shoveled another thin layer of compost over the seeds to complete the planting. I watered a few times and my hairy vetch and winter rye are pretty happy new characters in the garden. I am amazed at how frost tolerant the vetch has been! We have had a few really hard freezes so far and it is still pretty green. Good luck.
