Trifolium incarnatum

Red Clover

Common names: Blood Clover, Rose Clover

This description was machine-translated.

Description

The red clover is a nitrogen-fixing cover crop with striking carmine-red flower heads that attract bees and bumblebees in May and June. Through its root nodules of nitrogen-fixing bacteria, it enriches the soil with atmospheric nitrogen and is well suited as a preparatory crop for heavy feeders, but not for other legumes.

Care instructions

Sow red clover in April or May, or as a fall sowing in August or September, directly into the bed and rake it in flat. Keep the seedbed evenly moist until germination. The fall sowing will overwinter in mild locations and flower the following May. Cut or roll the plant at flowering and incorporate it flat into the soil, this releases the bound nitrogen to benefit the succeeding crop.

Soil & site

Soil pH

4.0pH 5.5–78.0

Soil type

sandy, loamy, well-drained, lime-loving

LightFull sun

HardinessHardy with protection

Water needMedium

Feeding

Light feeder

Companion planting

Good neighbors

cabbage family (Brassicaceae)

particularly well established

Leguminous plants collect nitrogen in the soil, from which Brassicaceae benefit as heavy feeders.

For example White cabbageKohlrabiRadishKalebroccolicauliflower and 34 more species in the catalogue

Source: classic companion planting (DACH-Gartenpraxis)

carrot family (Apiaceae)

Peas and beans provide carrot and celery with nitrogen and grow as shallow-rooted plants without competition next to each other.

For example celery rootDillParsleyCarrot fennelCorianderCelery (Stalk Celery) and 18 more species in the catalogue

Source: classic companion planting (DACH-Gartenpraxis)

gourd family (Cucurbitaceae)

Beans and peas enrich the soil with nitrogen, which cucurbits, as heavy feeders, can make good use of.

For example CucumberPumpkinCourgettepickling cucumberButternutHokkaido and 14 more species in the catalogue

Source: classic companion planting (DACH-Gartenpraxis)

Carrot Potato Tomato

Rather not

amaryllis family (Amaryllidaceae)

particularly well established

Allium species inhibit the nitrogen‑fixing rhizobia of legumes through their root exudates, which slows their growth.

For example GarlicOnionLeekChivesDaffodilRocambole and 12 more species in the catalogue

Source: basic crop‑rotation rule

Broad bean Bush bean Pea Pole bean

Companion planting is partly traditional gardening lore. Where the reason is known, it is given.

Some of these explanations were machine-translated.

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