Scott, sorry I took so long to answer. Didn't know I had any responses. Yes I did till, once I get a working system in place I hope to be no-till or minimum till. I will probably till again to relase N from the roots of the clover. Not sure if tilling will totally kill the perennial clover. There are still many unknowns. Should I go to annual crimson clover? Have to plant every year, but with the crop rotation and different spacing of different crops who knows what will work best. I like the idea of perennial always being there to combat weeds and store N from early spring going forward. I have laid out 2 new inground gardens next to the back 2, that will give me 5, plus 4 12x4 raised beds with a couple more planned. I need to figure out what percentage to leave in cover crop only, and for how many seasons, and fit that to a proper rotation schedule. I have close to the garden space I want so probably 2 ingrounds and 2 raised beds every year will be in N producing cover crops. I may collect my own winter wheat seeds from this to have going forward, lot of ifs and a lot of work, but hopefully a vast improvement. The septoria is rampant. Many of the ash trees on my property have it every yr, as well as black eyed susans that are along the fence lines. Low flat clay-based soil.
Worth: From what I now understand, any weed cover is preferable to bare soil. Just keep it trimmed to keep it from out-competing. I may decide to pull my slicer garden early, and plant more white clover where the rows are now, to establish it before fall. Next year putting down the 2ft wide gray felt the plants go into over a close cut clover would result in no loose soil to splash up on plants, as happened this past year. A little loose soil really splashes high up on the plants off of the fabric. I used pins and soil to hold the edges down, and had soil splash from day 1. Also considering cutting the felt into individual circles or squares just larger than cages with a small center hole and a slit AND installing that around each plant as I put them in. A small amount of grass clippings to cover the small hole and no soil splash, hopefully. So much to consider.
kj
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