Living mulch in pots

Habanebro · Jul 16, 2017

Hello everybody, I am wondering if living mulch, like clover or anything else would be anything good for growing hot peppers in pots?

Thank you in advance!

The_NorthEast_ChileMan · Jul 16, 2017

Uuuummmm, ground cover/mulch in pots? Paging Powelly.....

He's on the other side of the Pacific in a different Time Zone so I wouldn't expect a quick response....

Edmick · Jul 17, 2017

Just di a little reading on it. Sounds good.. Im just wondering why i dont hear about anyone else doing it..

Habanebro · Jul 17, 2017

I guess it would need plants with short roots, not too needy.

lek · Jul 17, 2017

How about prehistoric-era family (Selaginellaceae)? Here is my Selaginella kraussiana. I grow it everywhere. In ground, in pots, ...

Habanebro · Jul 17, 2017

Do you put it with your peppers?

Powelly · Jul 18, 2017

Yeah I do it and it works great
If you're an organic gardener then it's imperative to put down a lot of mulch

Living or not I don't think it matters personally. However I like the living mulch because once a week I just trim it and it grows back - then I have an unlimited supply of free much.

It also ties nitrogen into the soil which is a plus. I'll post photos tomorrow (it's dark now)

Habanebro · Jul 18, 2017

Hello Tardigrade man!

Yeah I keep it all organic so mulch is essential (and I don't do it enough).
But yeah, what you're saying about having living mulch and trimming it now and then is what I was thinking about. What sort of plant do you use?
Am very interested by the photos, thank you!

Powelly · Jul 18, 2017

Botanical Names: (Trigonella foenum-graecum, Avena sativa, Trifolium repens, Vicia villosa, Panicum milliaceum, Fagopyrum esculentum, Brassica rapa)

Habanebro · Jul 19, 2017

Thank you!

DontPanic · Jul 19, 2017

Powelly said:
Botanical Names: (Trigonella foenum-graecum, Avena sativa, Trifolium repens, Vicia villosa, Panicum milliaceum, Fagopyrum esculentum, Brassica rapa)

My curiosity made me look all these up.

Trigonella foenum-graecum: Fenugreek - cultivated worldwide as a semiarid crop
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fenugreek

Avena sativa: Common Oat
https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=AVSA

Trifolium repens: White Clover
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trifolium_repens

Vicia villosa: hairy vetch, fodder vetch or winter vetch - used by organic growers as a winter cover crop
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicia_villosa

Panicum milliaceum: Proso millet - Drought resistant, but doesn't like the cold.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proso_millet

Fagopyrum esculentum: Buckwheat
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckwheat

Brassica rapa - Turnips?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brassica_rapa

Habanebro · Jul 19, 2017

I'm thinking about using alfalfa, which is a leguminous that retain nitrogen. You can also eat the sprouts I think.
What do you guys think?

Powelly · Jul 19, 2017

Yeah alfalfa is a great cover crop and it's hay makes a fantastic mulch

Habanebro · Jul 20, 2017

Ok! Are you still willing to show us photos of your pots? :dance:

Habanebro · Jul 26, 2017

After 5 or 6 days, here is my afalfa living mulch growing.
I'll keep you all posted if you're interested.

MangoChilli · Jul 26, 2017

How are you planning on keeping it short? Lucerne grows rather tall. Will regular trimming work? I have used living mulch in garden beds before but not pots so I am keen to hear how it works out.

Habanebro · Jul 26, 2017

Yes I'm going to trim regularly, but I don't know if the plant is going to keep on growing because of that. I'll let you know!

Habanebro · Aug 11, 2017

So after a bit of experimenting, I would strongly suggest not to sow afalfa seeds right after having transplanted a plant to another pot. The added soil being new and airy, and the afalfa growing so fast, it developed quite long roots, preventing the expansion of the pepper roots.
However, in not freshly transplanted pots, I trim the afalfa regularly and the roots don't grow too deep.