Cover crops

[GrowingHabit]

My landscaping is barely a whisper of a fringe on much larger open areas of... ground. We've done a lot of clearing, and hardscaping, and we're still driving a backhoe back and fourth over these open areas, further compacting them. Weeds have been the bane of my existence since we cleared this property of bull pine and scrub brush 7 years ago.

What I have in mind to do is throw out seed over areas that I can't get to right now. Something that'll form a cover crop, fix nitrogen, compete with/suppress weeds, be drought tolerant, and look good, yet not stage a coup on my more civilized areas of landscaping, or be overly obstinate when I decide to kill it off by whatever method. Am I asking too much? Anyone with experience using cover crops?

So far, I'm thinking 'summer' alfalfa and/or cowpeas now, and if the alfalfa can't take the xeric nature of our summers here in S. Oregon (6 months cold and wet, 6 months bone dry and hot), the cowpeas surely can. And late this summer, I'll put out crimson clover, for next spring's cover. I have seen crimson clover in patches, and it was beautiful. But how aggressive it it, I wonder? I will keep all cover crop choices well back from flower bed areas. I just need something to look at besides red dirt and weed, when I pull my nose up from the flowerbeds.

Anyone got some thoughts?

[Alan_L]

My only experience is with white clover -- not strictly a cover crop, but covers quite well. Is the plan for these areas to eventually be lawn?

[GrowingHabit]

I'm not fond of lawn. I mean, I adore it when its plush at other people's houses, but I don't want the hassle. Eventually, the areas I want to cover are liable to be subject to more shaping and moving of dirt, or leveled for greenhouses, or some such. If I did want lawn- is the thought of a cover crop a concern for that eventuality? The weeds that I can't get caught up with seem to be more of a problem to me at the moment. Its been bad since we exposed the ground to sun by cutting the pines out.

Did you like the white clover? That's my first choice (without ever having tried it) over actual lawn.

Mostly, I envision growing something, and turning it under, and replanting either the same, or some other crop- repeat once or twice a year. I'm hoping for a way to improve and build soil and choke out weeds, while I otherwise don't invest any further time, effort or thought into those areas, yet maybe have better than original soil in place when I can turn my attention back to them.

I did buy some crimson clover today. 4 pounds, is all, for a test patch or until I get more information figured out about what to choose. Feed store said vernal alfalfa is best for our area, but that crimson clover is by far better even than that, for what I want. And that I should plant it now. All of which is backward from information I've read online. But.... I could be going back for the 50 pound sack. Its very cheap in my area. I can't see how to give these large, visually obvious seeds a chance against the hordes of migrating birds plundering our garden right now, though. Even raked in.

If anyone has a better choice than the Crimson, do tell!

[Alan_L]

The white clover spreads quite quickly, and I do like it even though it has essentially replaced large sections of my lawn. Like you I'd prefer not to have any lawn, but it's not really practical. I do mow the clover area with the rest of my lawn, and hoping to reduce my lawn area more this year.