Ground cover for over winter in veg patch

wilco65, Mar 17, 5:17pm
Hi
Can anyone advise me what I should plant in my veggie garden for over winter. I have some beds being used for veg but am leaving the rest fallow until spring. I heard I could plant clover and that it suppresses weeds and then in spring I dig it into the soil for added nutrients.
Any suggestions of plants and then where to buy them!

thanks
lilyfield, Mar 17, 5:45pm
lupins- buy at any plantshop or farm supplies(cheaper)
tigra, Mar 17, 5:52pm
Dont plant clover, you will never get rid of it. Doubt that lupins will make good ground cover but when dug in will add nutrients to the soil. Of course if its not very bigyou could dig it over, add a really good compost and lay multiple sheets of newspaper covered by weedcloth over the top to have it remain fallow. Pull off about 6 weeks before planting and turn it over again
accroul, Mar 17, 5:59pm
I've got a patch of garden that I'm going to sow lupins or mustard in. Not ground cover per se but when howed in, will benefit the soil.
dibble35, Mar 17, 7:51pm
Sounds like what you are thinking of is a green manure crop, a mix of lupins, mustard, and oats - or can buy them seperatly. Plant them now/soon, leave till before they flower then cut down and dig into the soil. Adds organic matter, fixs nitrogen and the mustard helps clean the soil. Grows to about 40cm tall in my garden. You can buy it at The Warehouse, bunnings mitre10 etc.
wilco65, Mar 17, 7:59pm
thank you everyone. the green manure is exactly what I need, and I like the compost and newspaper idea for my smaller patch
maclad, Mar 17, 10:49pm
Why would you want to leave your garden fallow in winter when veges are at their most expensive. Perhaps you could plant it up and leave a small part fallow with green manure planted.
brapbrappy, Apr 23, 11:19am
Some areas nothing much grows that is really eatable in winter so a good reason totake the opportunity to add lots of nutrient ready for summer.