Exploring the Natural Methods of Soil Enrichment through Nitrogen Fixation by Plants
Cashing In on Nitrifying Nature: The Best Plant Pals for Your Garden's Green Gold
Get your gloved hands eager for a nitrogen boost! Cultivate a verdant empire with Legumes, Peas, Beans, and Clovers, the top-notch nitrogen-fixing plants that Mother Earth gifts us. These heroes keep the garden green and thriving by converting oxygen-friendly nitrogen into a downloadable form for other plants.
Here's a lowdown on the starty affiliates: Alfalfa, Beans, Clover (esparsette, kudzu, lespedeza, peanuts, soybeans, winter hairy vetch, comfrey, nettle, red clover, white clover, crimson clover, lupins, silver lupine, tree lupine, miniature lupine, wild lupine, riverbank lupine, Texas Bluebonnet, white alder, indigo bush, eastern redbud, mountain mahogany, yellowwood, honey locust, kentucky coffeetree, winterberry, southern wax myrtle, jerusalem thorn, screwbean mesquite, velvet mesquite, antelope bitterbrush, bristly locust, black locust, catclaw acacia, texas mountain laurel, californiailac)
These Magnificent Beings Provide Multiple Perks:
- Underground Allies: Rhizobia bacteria reside on these plants' roots, kicking off nitrogen transformations from the atmosphere and turning it into nutritious compounds that both the fixers and their companions can absorb.
- When to Get Nitty Gritty: Plant these cover crops during the off-season, then till them into the soil before growing season; incorporate them into crop rotations, or use as mulch or compost tea to deliver a nitrogen-fueled kick.
- Reaping the Rewards: Say goodbye to chemical fertilizers and hello to natural soil enrichment, improved plant health, slowed erosion, and reduced weed populations. Also, attract helpful insects and keep pests and diseases at bay.
But be mindful: too much of a good thing isn't so great — avoid overdoing it with nitrogen, as it can burn plants, leaving them weak.
Plants that enrich the soil with nitrogen
The Lowdown on These Legendary Players
Alfalfa, Beans, Clover, Esparsette, Kudzu, Lespedeza, Peas, Peanuts, Soybeans, Winter Hairy Vetch, Comfrey, Nettle, Red Clover, White Clover, Crimson Clover, Lupins, Silver Lupine, Tree Lupine, Miniature Lupine, Wild Lupine, Riverbank Lupine, Texas Bluebonnet, White Alder, Indigo Bush, Eastern Redbud, Mountain Mahogany, Yellowwood, Honey Locust, Kentucky Coffeetree, Winterberry, Southern Wax Myrtle, Jerusalem Thorn, Screwbean Mesquite, Velvet Mesquite, Antelope Bitterbrush, Bristly Locust, Black Locust, Catclaw Acacia, Texas Mountain Laurel, California Lilac
Legumes like Peas, Beans, and Clover
These stage-stealers are top-notch nitrogen fixers and garden Improvers-Extraordinaire. They collect nitrogen on their roots and restore it to the soil, making life easy for their neighbors. You can bet that peas and beans will strengthen the ties with partners like potatoes, carrots, cucumbers, cauliflower, cabbage, summer savory, turnips, radishes, corn, and most other herbs and vegetables.
How they enrich the soil
Not all legumes are built equal when it comes to nitrogen fixation — some do it better than others, and the nitrogen fixation can vary depending on the legume species, soil properties, climatic conditions, and cropping systems. For example, alfalfa, clovers, and vetches excel when it comes to fixing substantial amounts of surplus nitrogen under the right conditions. And, don't forget to incorporate the entire biomass (stems, leaves, and roots) into the soil to maximize the benefit of the fixed nitrogen.
These plants have rhizobia bacteria on their roots that convert atmospheric nitrogen into nitrogen compounds that can be absorbed by the plants and those nearby
Alfalfa Meal
Derived from the almighty Alfalfa, this plant-based source delivers nitrogen that gets quickly absorbed by plants. Alfalfa meal also offers phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and trace minerals, including triacontanol, a plant growth promoter that aids in improved growth and yield for many crops. To use, simply till it into the soil before planting or side-dress crops, with recommended applications ranging from 2-5 lbs per 100 sq ft. For side-dressing, broadcast the pellets by hand or with a fertilizer spreader at 25-50 lbs per 1,000 sq ft.
How to use them
Comfrey
Plant as cover crops in the off-season, then till them into the soil before the growing season; use in crop rotation; use as mulch; make compost tea
Although not a dynamic accumulator, comfrey boasts some unique benefits. For one, it churns out lots of leaves, serving as a popular addition to compost. Plus, its high potassium content makes it beneficial for fruit-growing plants. Bonus: Comfrey leaves can be used as mulch or made into a liquid fertilizer to boost potato yields.
Nettle
Benefits
Hold onto your gardening hats, folks — nettles have a knack for boosting the nitrogen in soil, especially with some fertilizer in the mix. However, bear in mind that the spread of nettles into new habitats due to eutrophication and land-use changes can have complex effects on the surrounding environment, creating a mixed bag of advantages and challenges for new and existing plant species.
Natural way to enrich soil without chemical fertilisers; improves soil health, provides nutrients for other plants, slows erosion, smothers weeds, attracts beneficial insects, helps control pests and diseases
Red Clover
More than just a nitrogen fixer, red clover can also control weeds after the harvest of winter wheat. But remember: red clover should not be the sole nitrogen source for high corn yields.
Downsides
Now that you're armed with the secrets to a thriving, nitrogen-rich garden, the gauntlet has been thrown. Go forth and cultivate a verdant paradise with these extraordinary nitrogen-fixing allies!
Excess nitrogen can burn plants; some plants may grow too rapidly and become weak
Explore the intersection of science and health-and-wellness by acknowledging the importance of soil health. Many health-and-wellness practices, such as fitness-and-exercise and nutrition, promote a holistic approach to wellbeing. Similarly, gardeners can adopt a fitness-and-exercise routine to cultivate nitrogen-fixing plants, like legumes, peas, beans, and clovers, thus promoting the health of their gardens and fostering a greater biodiversity. This diversity is similar to the diverse food groups essential in human nutrition, providing a balanced diet to all plants in the soil ecosystem.
Moreover, incorporating nitrogen-fixing plants within a garden can have advantages beyond nutrient cycling, such as improving soil structure, attracting beneficial insects, and reducing erosion. This process mirrors how a balanced diet can lead to a stronger immune system in human nutrition and, consequently, a healthier body overall. Additionally, the practice of reducing reliance on chemical fertilizers can be likened to focusing on a wholesome, organic diet in the context of health-and-wellness, benefiting both the plants' health and overall environmental sustainability.
