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Living Mulch
Can anyone suggest a "living mulch" for hardneck garlic beds? Last year
planted 5'x50' beds w/cloves one 6"x6" centers, but ragweed, red-pigweed
and lambsquarters were quite a problem. Cultivating at such close spacing
required great care, to avoid hitting the garlic. This year's crop is 6"
in 1ft. rows, but that vacant 12 inches between rows seems a waste of good
soil/space to me. I'd much rather plant a useful living mulch than
cultivate, and if the mulch could not only smother weeds and retain
moisture, but have use as a green manure or salable aromatic herb, salad
green or whatever, I'd be companion planting, and double-cropping!
Everthing I've read thus far, says that the alliums don't do well with
legumes, so that eliminates red-clover, the vetches and alfalfa. Mulch
crop has to stay relitively low, so not to shade the garlic. The only
thing I can think of is chamomile, since it stays low, doesn't mind being
stepped on, and has some value. My concern though, is how heavily it
feeds, and would it starve the garlic. Plenty of dairy and race-horse
manure/bedding around for mulch, but I'm concerned about the effect
vermicides and antibiotics have on soil microorganisms. (Not to mention
uptake)
Any thoughts would be welcomed. Thanks!
Marjakecol@aol.com (Martin Colburn)
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