Clover topping?

[VILEPLUME]

Does anyone add a clover topping to their potted plants? Does it really help balance the N level? Any other pros or cons to growing clover?

 

[Rufus T. Firefly]

As in a cover crop? First let me say that my answer is oversimplified but the real benefit of a legume, which includes clover, cover crop is that they are nitrogen accumulators. They will make nitrogen available to bark down carbon and if there is more nitrogen than needed to break down said carbon than the excess is available to the plant.

I would say cover crops are very beneficial in organically replenishing the N in your soil but it's a longer term proposition. And I don't see much of a downside to using them.

 

[PadawanWarrior]

Basically the take nitrogen from the air and put it into the soil. That's my 3rd grade explanation, lol.

Nitrogen fixation | Definition, Process, Examples, Types, & Facts | Britannica

Nitrogen fixation, any natural or industrial process that causes free nitrogen, which is a relatively inert gas plentiful in air, to combine chemically with other elements to form more-reactive nitrogen compounds such as ammonia, nitrates, or nitrites. Learn more about nitrogen fixation in this...

www.britannica.com

 

[VILEPLUME]

Thanks for the replies.

I added clover to my freshly transplanted plants. Only took 3 days to start growing. Ill let you know how they make out.

 

[ExoticKangaroo]

I planted mine way too late(plant was already shadowing everything) and this is the best I got. Lol. Lesson learned for next time

 

[Kind Sir]

Thanks for the replies.

I added clover to my freshly transplanted plants. Only took 3 days to start growing. Ill let you know how they make out.

View attachment 4735442View attachment 4735443

What size pots are those? May I ask you soil recipe and it worked well?

 

[VILEPLUME]

What size pots are those? May I ask you soil recipe and it worked well?

15G. My recipe is probably not 100% the best, but its simple and works. Its like 20 percent ocean forest, 70 % hp promix, 5% worm casings and 5% gia green 444.

First go and a little yellowing but nothing serious, I feel I'm about 80% there just need to learn more and practice.

 

[LawnXweeds]

Basically the take nitrogen from the air and put it into the soil. That's my 3rd grade explanation, lol.

Nitrogen fixation | Definition, Process, Examples, Types, & Facts | Britannica

Nitrogen fixation, any natural or industrial process that causes free nitrogen, which is a relatively inert gas plentiful in air, to combine chemically with other elements to form more-reactive nitrogen compounds such as ammonia, nitrates, or nitrites. Learn more about nitrogen fixation in this...

www.britannica.com

Nitrogen fixers like legumes aren't beneficial until they die because all the N gets stored as ammonia in the root nodules which is then released upon death/decomposition and being in ammonia form, it immediately plant available. Sowing cover crops at the same time you sow your cannabis does more to rob your cannabis of nutrient than it does anything else, at least until the cover crop matures and can act as a living mulch, assuming you planted it thick enough.

 

[ExoticKangaroo]

Nitrogen fixers like legumes aren't beneficial until they die because all the N gets stored as ammonia in the root nodules which is then released upon death/decomposition and being in ammonia form, it immediately plant available. Sowing cover crops at the same time you sow your cannabis does more to rob your cannabis of nutrient than it does anything else, at least until the cover crop matures and can act as a living mulch (assuming you planted it thick enough).

If you're running continuous crops the clover will be dying and getting consumed by the soil continuously. You just wouldn't notice because the rest is still alive. Also it helps with moisture retention and helps hold soil in place during watering as well. It really is going to depend on the setup its being used in. 3 gal pot? No. 280 gallon bed? Well sure

 

[VILEPLUME]

Nitrogen fixers like legumes aren't beneficial until they die because all the N gets stored as ammonia in the root nodules which is then released upon death/decomposition and being in ammonia form, it immediately plant available. Sowing cover crops at the same time you sow your cannabis does more to rob your cannabis of nutrient than it does anything else, at least until the cover crop matures and can act as a living mulch, assuming you planted it thick enough.

If you're running continuous crops the clover will be dying and getting consumed by the soil continuously. You just wouldn't notice because the rest is still alive. Also it helps with moisture retention and helps hold soil in place during watering as well. It really is going to depend on the setup its being used in. 3 gal pot? No. 280 gallon bed? Well sure

I just planted white clover in my veg tent pots, now I don't know if I should pull it out. Can anyone help me out with this decision? Any reliable articles that come to a conclusion if growing clover is beneficial for the veg cycle and not just as mulch later on?

 

[VILEPLUME]

This article warns against using companion plants with weed because they will "overtake" the cannabis plant. Thoughts?

Cover Crops & Companion Plants for Growing Weed: Good or Bad Idea? | Grow Weed Easy

by Nebula Haze What Are Cover Crops or Companion Plants? Have you ever heard of the term "cover crops" or "companion plants"? Basically this is a plant that you keep alongside your main plant, and it provides benefits in a symbiotic way.

www.growweedeasy.com

 

[ExoticKangaroo]

How big and how deep are your pots

 

[LawnXweeds]

I just planted white clover in my veg tent pots, now I don't know if I should pull it out. Can anyone help me out with this decision? Any reliable articles that come to a conclusion if growing clover is beneficial for the veg cycle and not just as mulch later on?

Most articles of this nature that provide the best info are not about cannabis. However, it's not exactly difficult to figure out what benefit growing multiple plants in a pot has if those other plants are still in their infancy. Newly planted cover crops aren't doing much except pulling nutrients from the soil. The first cycle once they reach maturity, they offer moisture retention and good soil composition (top layer of peat doesn't get hydrophobic, for example). That said, I see no reason for you to pull it all out because they don't steal enough nutrients to negatively impact cannabis.

 

[LawnXweeds]

This article warns against using companion plants with weed because they will "overtake" the cannabis plant. Thoughts?

Cover Crops & Companion Plants for Growing Weed: Good or Bad Idea? | Grow Weed Easy

by Nebula Haze What Are Cover Crops or Companion Plants? Have you ever heard of the term "cover crops" or "companion plants"? Basically this is a plant that you keep alongside your main plant, and it provides benefits in a symbiotic way.

www.growweedeasy.com

Most of the points made are valid, but I've found that Growweedeasy is a shit source for organic growing. Also, you need to understand the WHY of cover crops and not just seeing it as something you're supposed to do when growing organic/no-till. Using cover crops in containers, IMO, is often a futile effort. There is little point in using cover crops in containers smaller than, say 15 gallons and even less of a point if you don't intend on leveraging no-till practices in that pot and will be dumping that soil out after each cycle. If you have a bed that just gets amended every cycle? then use cover crops.

 

[VILEPLUME]

How big and how deep are your pots

15G, I think 2 feet deep

 

[VILEPLUME]

Most articles of this nature that provide the best info are not about cannabis. However, it's not exactly difficult to figure out what benefit growing multiple plants in a pot has if those other plants are still in their infancy. Newly planted cover crops aren't doing much except pulling nutrients from the soil. The first cycle once they reach maturity, they offer moisture retention and good soil composition (top layer of peat doesn't get hydrophobic, for example). That said, I see no reason for you to pull it all out because they don't steal enough nutrients to negatively impact cannabis.

Ok thanks, so long story short, leave the clover in the 15G pots for the remainder of the veg and bloom cycle?

 

[ExoticKangaroo]

That would be an odd pot size. My 30 gallons aren't even 2 feet deep. If you're correct though you'd absolutely be fine to leave it. There's no way those roots could compete so deep. Even if that's not how deep it is id be surprised if the clover did much of anything detrimental. I believe in plants growing together though.

 

[LawnXweeds]

Ok thanks, so long story short, leave the clover in the 15G pots for the remainder of the veg and bloom cycle?

Yes. Then leave them in there post harvest. Cut the stem as close to the soil as possible then cut down the cover crops and drop the cuttings in place and let it sit for a few months to break down the stem and rootball. Once it's all turned back into humus (not to be confused with the delicious mediterranean treat hummus), cut back the cover crop again if necessary and use as a regular mulch and sow the seed right in there. Top dress with worm castings and high P dry amendments prior to and during flower.

 

[VILEPLUME]

That would be an odd pot size. My 30 gallons aren't even 2 feet deep. If you're correct though you'd absolutely be fine to leave it. There's no way those roots could compete so deep. Even if that's not how deep it is id be surprised if the clover did much of anything detrimental. I believe in plants growing together though.

Ok its actually only 1 foot deep, sorry I thought they were taller.

Random question, when you get into bending and training, does it kind of feel like you're a bonsai grower?

 

[VILEPLUME]

Yes. Then leave them in there post harvest. Cut the stem as close to the soil as possible then cut down the cover crops and drop the cuttings in place and let it sit for a few months to break down the stem and rootball. Once it's all turned back into humus (not to be confused with the delicious mediterranean treat hummus), cut back the cover crop again if necessary and use as a regular mulch and sow the seed right in there. Top dress with worm castings and high P dry amendments prior to and during flower.

Thanks, but isn't worm castings going to be too much N in bloom? I'm already giving them blood meal and alfalfa meal via gia green 444 and 284. Do you think they need more N?