Crop Cover - Crimson Clover Live Compost

[quietlybinary]

Hi Everybody,
I am wondering if anyone has experience with crimson clover as a companion plant or crop cover, specifically with outdoor growing. I am planning to reuse my soil and have been growing crimson clover to restore the soil's nitrogen levels. There has been some White Powdery Mildew on the clovers and the plants have not flowered yet. If I turn the clovers into the soil before the soil freeze over the cold winter, is there a chance that WPM will return in the spring? Do I have to wait for clovers to flower to receive the full nitrogen benefits?
Thanks for reading and for your thoughts.
qb

[SoOrbudgal]

Hi there i'm an older gardener I've tilled many a garden with plenty of rotton/moldy leaf matter before the rains of fall. I'm not sure where your at but the soil from the ground in the spring won't be harmed by powdery mildew that was tilled under in the fall. I don't know how deep you till but I go 8". I think you'd be fine not to worry. That's a really good cover crop for large gardens. I got 8 large raised beds now, my back is not what it use to be so I try to keep it raised beds only. I do love crawling around in the garden, i'm a bit crazy about it LOL

[Farmall]

You know you mentioned tiller. We bought a Garden Way ( now Troy-Built) tiller in 1978. One of those 1 hand walk-behind monsters and 41 years later...it still works like the day it was new except for a few maintenance items. This was one of those commercials on tv that just really lived up to its promises

[quietlybinary]

Thank you for the insight! I live a few stories up in a high rise so I do not want to get rid of and haul soil every year. I stepped out to turn the plants in and even though they did not flower, I think I left them in a bit too long as the root structure is pretty tough. Thanks SoOrbudgal !

[SoOrbudgal]

Farmall yes we have had a troy built walk behind/rear tine for many years. I like it still easy for me to adjust height till depth.

[Rwise]

I luv my old Troy Built horse! It can till more than I can do every day of the week. I bought it new many years ago (my kids were little, I have near grown grands now) planing to use it when I retired, and here we are, I only wish I held up as well as it has,,,, in all those years only change the oils, air filter and adjustments.

[Rwise]

oh ya, I tried Dutch clover this year, it attracted bugs, I pulled it!

[Farmall]

Yup! That’s the one. My 40yr old daughter was not even born yet and we have 2 grandkids

Troy-Built Horse