Green Manure Question

I've been doing a bit of reading about green manure. Typically I see it is usually planted prior to planting a crop and then dug in once grown. I'm wondering if it can be used as a live mulch/ground cover between plants that are currently growing?

I see clover is a nitrogen fixer. I have a row of soft fruits (currents, blackberries, raspberries). Can I just sow clover along the row around the plants and leave it and gain a benefit or will it compete with the plants that are growing?

I also have another bed area in my driveway with some bamboo plants and a Czar plum tree. I would like to do something similar there.

Cheers
Mike

 

Chicken manure pellets are high in nitrogen. Would it not be easier to feed with these?

Rusty

 

@Mike77
The clover fixes nitrogen for it's own benefit and little gets out to the neighbouring crops. So you have to get the fixed nitrogen out of the clover, so it gets dug in to benefit the next crop.
It will compete with the soft fruits especially for water at this time of year.
I use green manures to increase soil organic matter, to improve soil structure and suppress weeds. Especially useful over the wet winter period.

 

It's not just about fertilising. I'm hoping the green manure will improve soil quality, suppress weeds, provide an attractive ground cover and attract bees.

 

I've been doing a bit of further reading on the internet (which is always right ). Seems that some of the nitrogen will be shared with other plants. I know that you get clover mixes for grass and that lawns using this mix are supposed to require less fertiliser. I've found several threads where people are companion planting clover alongside their fruit and veg. I'm going to give it a bash as I can't see it doing much harm. Will definitely do some over winter in the vegetable beds as well and dig in as normal.

Mike

 

Just think you will end up with a weed problem.
I use green manure over winter, but you can't dig it in if it is growing around established plants.
Let it seed and you have an ongoing problem.

 

I think Nigel has hit the nail on the head.

I wouldn't have thought that green manure (of whatever type of plant) would be any good for your purposes.

I've used field beans to break up my clay soil - they need to be dug in before they flower.

They did look quite attractive and grew quickly - but if you grow something - whatever it is - it will compete for nutrient with other plants - only when you dig it in does it return the goodness. As has been said you can't dig them in if they're in between plants you want.

Nitrogen will boost leaf growth - you will want a high potash feed for your soft berries and the czar plum tree - so again green manure wouldn't be ideal.