Topic: Yellow Trefoil manure benefits of ?

[woodypecks]

So my Runnerbean frame is up and I,ll soon be planting out my little bean seedlings and for the past few years I have laid newspaper and cardboard down the middle .  I have been told that it would be a good idea to  sow Yellow Trefoil down the middle instead as it apparently  fixes nitrogen into the earth and also attracts bees which will pollenate the bean flowers ,which sounds great ....but it just sounds a little odd ,  like sowing weeds and you're supposed to dig it into the earth in the spring .....but doesn't it then just keep coming back like the wretched Hairy Bitter Cress ?    Could it just be covered over at the end of the season ,with cardboard and newspaper ?
 Has anyone here ever used this Yellow Trefoil as a manure in this way ?  Thanks in advance  for any advice  . Debbie   
 

[Tee Gee]

I plant my sweet peas up one side of the A frame and my beans up the other and that takes care of the bean pollination and as an added bonus I have bunches of nice scented flowers all summer long.

[johhnyco15]

i put planters down the middle of my bean A frame put some pigeon poo in them then only water the troughs (all the troughs have been drilled on the sides and the bottom) this feeds and waters the bean at the same time and i get no weeds down the middle of the a frame

[Deb P]

What TeeGee says. I do exactly the same thing! I also let poached egg plant flowers self seed wherever they wish, they go near my cordon apples and also assist in pollination. I would hesitant to sow something like trefoil deliberately, it loves to spread as well so you may introduce a new problem whilst helping to solve another...

[woodypecks]

TeeGee- But what  do you do with that space in the middle ,under the frame ? ......( the slugs ate my sweetpeas already ,just sown some more , but probably too late now  : (
DebP  - I,m growing those Poached Egg flowers in a small bed in the middle of my four veg beds. I,ve never grown these before either . So I,m looking forward to seeing them flower 
 Johhnyco15 - that sounds interesting ! Could I do that with horse manure ?  Are those planters sunk down into the earth  ? 

[Tee Gee]

TeeGee- But what  do you do with that space in the middle ,under the frame ?

Last year it was swedes

[johhnyco15]

TeeGee- But what  do you do with that space in the middle ,under the frame ? ......( the slugs ate my sweetpeas already ,just sown some more , but probably too late now  : (
DebP  - I,m growing those Poached Egg flowers in a small bed in the middle of my four veg beds. I,ve never grown these before either . So I,m looking forward to seeing them flower 
 Johhnyco15 - that sounds interesting ! Could I do that with horse manure ?  Are those planters sunk down into the earth  ? 

yes any manure will do to give them an extra boost and yes the planters are sunk in the ground drilled in the sides and bottom

[woodypecks]

Thanks Johhny .
Thanks Tee Gee ...swedes would be a good idea too . 
 So lots to think about , maybe I,ll do a combination of all these things .  Thanks all  .  Debbie 

[Deb P]

DebP  - I,m growing those Poached Egg flowers in a small bed in the middle of my four veg beds. I,ve never grown these before either . So I,m looking forward to seeing them flower 

My plants are already in flower...

[Beersmith]

A plot holder close to my own allotment is a big fan of using green manure.

When I asked his advice he said one golden rule "never let it run to seed". Apparently if you cut wilt and dig in early the benefits to soil structure can be considerable, but if it seeds it can be a nightmare to eliminate.

So worth checking how long trefoil takes to flower. If your beans are still in place and you cannot disturb the area it could all be more trouble than it is worth.

Cheers

Beersmith

[woodypecks]

DebP ---Loving your appletrees !   

Beersmith ---- Thats a very good point ! ...In fact that is a very , very  good point !
   So maybe Swedes or beetroots if there's enough light under there ..no harm trying...might as well grow something edible ! Cheers Beers !