lawn

I am going to try some new things with our lawn this year. The yard is a mix of dry hot sunny areas and deep shade. The soil gets compacted very fast. I'm thinking of aerating and sodding the backyard, which is mostly deep shade and the grass gradually peters out there a few years after sodding. I resod every 3-4 years and seed spring and fall the 2nd and 3rd years.

For the front yard, which is sunny and the grass does pretty well, I'd like to try over seeding with Dutch White clover. I read the clover will supply 1/3 of the nitrogen needs of the grass. And the bees will like the flowers. Dutch White is a low growing 1-6 inch clover. I am looking forward to trying this.

Interesting - if you google "lawn clover" the first entry is how to grow clover in the lawn, the second is how to get rid of it ....

thick cover of clover and rye

I'm pleased with the patch of green manure I planted early this fall. The clover and rye did very well though the field peas and vetch didn't do much. My later sowings (too late) did not sprout as well.

topic: soil

clover as a ground cover

I have a new crop of Crimson Clover. The leaves are very pretty after the rain. They collect the droplets like shiny jewels.

The clover is in the garden bed adjacent to my house. This bed has lead levels too high for vegetables. I had cleared the shrubbery from this area before testing the soil. I am planning to fill the bed slowly with flowering perennials and small bushes. In the mean time, I've planted clover. Soon it will bloom with flowers the bees should enjoy.

Scattered in the clover are a few seedlings of pumpkins, sunflowers, dahlias and some wildflowers I grew from seed this spring. There are also three large barrels that I planted with chiles and bell peppers. I'll plant bean seeds soon in a few window boxes along the edge.

chile and bell peppers (Capsicum)

topic: soil