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Date Posted

Valencia Spain

is it possible to grow clover as a green manure, but leave the clover and grow the pumpkin without digging in the clover

1/9/2013 2:29:58 PM

Germany

IMHO, it should be possible. People can grow AGs on little compost piles and let the plants run across the lawn, which doesn´t necessarily promise any great soil for the additional tap roots. Having clover as a green manure on a good patch should be the ideal version of "lawn" for an AG plant to run across, because the soil is fine (...if it had been good patch soil the year before), there´s some soil structure and life, and your clover probably doesn´t grow as tall as some grasses would, and therefore you might be lucky enough to have the AG leaves as the canopy and no weeds which climb higher than your AG leaves. I doubt that people have tried growing AGs your clover way, but it might be worth a try (at least on a little patch for just one AG plant...for direct comparison with the other plants.
Instead of digging in the clover you could let it continue to grow on top of your patch soil but still try to loosen the soil under your clover covered surface, e.g., like using a broadfork...perhaps it works also with a spade fork...just put it in, wobble a bit.

1/9/2013 2:44:01 PM

Bethlehem CT

Yeah, It sounds like a good idea to me also. I would still put a scoop of compost or soil at each leaf node to encourage maximum rooting of the vines.

1/9/2013 6:30:48 PM

South Bloomfield, Ohio

If you didn't till the clover in, then it wouldn't be a green manure crop.

1/9/2013 9:16:04 PM

Germany

...who knows? Tilled in the year after...it can still perform its job as a green manure.

1/10/2013 8:56:50 AM

President - GPC

A living mulch.....Go for it!

1/10/2013 9:59:29 AM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

If you do that, use a low growing clover like White Dutch. Red clover could provide too much competition for the pumpkins. The pumpkins will shade clover and supress it a lot once the leaves cover the ground. You might have to keep the clover mowed down ahead of pumpkin vine growth. Just make sure you keep adequate moisture in the soil and it could work. Some farmers in Iowa are experimenting with living mulches in corn with some success.

1/10/2013 1:03:44 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

We did this back in 2009 did not work so well

1/10/2013 1:13:04 PM

Omaha, Ne.

don't leave me hanging LVP. Why and how didn't it work?:)

1/10/2013 5:33:35 PM

Germany

...kids searching for four-leaf clovers damaged the vines???

1/10/2013 5:38:07 PM

Torrance, Ca.

Is he still leaving you hanging Darren? ;)


And,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, are we the only ones that do the happy face after our comment so others don't think we're mad??

:):):)

1/10/2013 6:25:01 PM

Omaha, Ne.

lol yep

1/10/2013 7:28:42 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

We had a reduced yield in the Living Mulch area's. I believe it was do to competetion for water and nutrients.

1/10/2013 8:54:25 PM

England, essex

the clue is in its title (green manure) ;-)

1/11/2013 8:13:35 AM

Valencia Spain

well it looks like i better dig the clover in the soil
thanks:)

1/12/2013 10:24:34 AM