3 leafed clover in raised bed - Ask Extension
I'm pulling up the tomatoes in my raised bed. They did pretty well this year. But the bed has been taken over by 3 leafed clover. What do you re...
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3 leafed clover in raised bed #487867
Asked October 01, 2018, 10:10 AM EDT
I'm pulling up the tomatoes in my raised bed. They did pretty well this year. But the bed has been taken over by 3 leafed clover. What do you recommend doing to it before I put the bed "to bed" for the winter? I usually just dump a couple of inches of mulched leaves on it. Should I dig up the clover or let it be and compost it into the soil in the spring?
Allegheny County Pennsylvania
Expert Response
Clover is considered a good cover crop since it is in the legume family. Here is a link to a university fact sheet on clover as a cover crop. https://extension.umn.edu/how-manage-soil-and-nutrients-home-gardens/cover-crops-and-green-manures-h..
Of course you don't know if the clover will be able to attract the nitrogen fixing bacteria in a raised bed, but either way the clover is a good winter cover. One thing you will need to do is turn it under before it goes to seed in the spring. You can still mulch any bare soil in your bed.
