Crimson Clover for the Winter Win

Pulling the spent vegetable plants from our summer garden is always a bit heart wrenching. Tossing the majority of them into the compost bin for the girls to forage through is always enjoyable especially when I see how happy it makes them.  I toss in old tomatoes, but not tomato vines, as the plants are toxic to chickens.

We plant year-round, planning our plantings with foods we usually know we’ll enjoy. Every season, I try something new, from cuca-melons to specialty melons, knowing that if we don’t like them, the chickens probably will. It does make it more fun and interesting in the garden to try new vegetables. Frustrating as it can be with the cabbage worms, I do grow a variety of brassicas, i.e., Chinese broccoli, kale and cabbage, since I know the girls will enjoy any tasty worms they find!

Once I’ve pulled the summer plants, it’s tempting to cover the beds and let them rest, but a better idea is to plant crimson clover. Crimson clover is an excellent cover crop, helps to minimize erosion and nutrient loss, blooms in late winter for early bees to forage on and the chickens love it! It is easy to plant in just about any space, including containers and if you need something green for your chickens over the winter, it’s free and accessible. 

As the season ends, you can mow over it and let it naturally decompose to add to the soil, till the plants under or just pull and let your chickens have a field day with it. Plant a small patch today!