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Posted by symplastless on August 15, 2008, 11:46 pm
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Good question. My father loves his clover (Trifolium L.) Free fertilizer (nitrogen
fixing plant) without compromising ground water with run off. In the summer
during dry times when mono culture lawn is brown it is green with other
grasses it grows with. Spring and fall seem to be good planting times for
grass. I have had success with grass starting in August with the additional
top-dress of leaf compost to retain moisture. I also fertilize with organic
fertilizer. About two months ago we planted grass which contained clover
and we fertilized it (the seed and soil) with sea kelp which has all of the
micro essential elements in it. It has NPK but low nitrogen. The client
was interested in protecting the ground water so we choose that one. We
then had many days of rain and the grass took off. I will visit the site
soon to take a closer look to see if the clover grew and I will let you
know. I do know that you won't require as much clover as other grass seed.
I am in Philadelphia area. You are just a little colder than us. I have
traveled through Connecticut often going to and from New Hampshire. I used
to like stopping in Providence Rhode Island at the Bread and Circus. I will
check to see if I have a pH kit at my fathers house and I will check the pH.
Mostly sun. No moss which would be a sign of low pH soil. The best thing
to do, I have wanted to do this, is go to a place like old growth forest but
old growth grasses where clover grows. In other words the area least
tampered with by humans. For example I did pedology work in old growth
forest for optimum fertility levels for many tree species. The problem or
one of the problems is that the people that tested for me did not test for
all of the essential elements. At least the 14 of 17 that come from the
soil. I do have pH for such species as hemlock. 4.2 which is much lower
than what most authors' suggest. The old growth does not lie. These
hemlocks were over 400 increments old. Real survivors. My studies did show
that there was a great deal more potassium compared to phosphorous in all
test. I say that because the fertilizer I use has a great deal more K than
P. Trees do not absorb phosphorous they absorb phosphates. Anyway it would
be nice to visited old growth grass or meadows. I will try to measure my
fathers. I tested one lawn section in 1996 and it was 7.2. I can not find
my inventory drawings for the 90's. I do not know how happy the clover is
but it is surviving at 7.2.
--
Sincerely,
John A. Keslick, Jr.
Consulting Tree Biologist
http://home.ccil.org/~treeman
and www.treedictionary.com
Beware of so-called tree experts who do not understand tree biology.
Storms, fires, floods, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions keep reminding us
that we are not the boss.
Some people will buy products they do not understand and not buy books that
will give them understanding.
> When is the best time to plant clover in Connecticut?
> Also, does it prefer acid or sweet soil?
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