White clover (living mulch)
White Dutch or New Zealand white clover (Trifolium repens)
Nutrients & rotation
Low stature clover dribbles N and constant living roots into tired paths and bed edges — not a one-shot ‘fertilizer spike’ like tilling in a full vetch stand.
Perennial mindset: best for paths, bed shoulders, or orchards — not always ideal inside dense annual rotations unless you manage it aggressively.
In the garden
- Start from seed after soil warms; keep watered until established.
- Expect to pull or edge it back from slow-seeding crops like carrots.
Timing
Spring through early summer establishment; tolerates light foot traffic once rooted.
Caveats
- Can compete with small seeds and narrow rows — design beds with clover lanes in mind.