growing & crawling: lessons in vetch

Growing & Crawling

Lessons in Vetch

In my years of learning about growing plants and food production, there have been a few rules that have stuck with me that I have repeated to the point of making them a mantra. One of the biggies, that we all know is, "healthy soil, healthy plants". A common way to keep soil healthy, especially in food production, is by planting cover crops in beds that are not in use. The most popular cover crops are the nitrogen fixers like winter peas, red clover, and vetch! I have planted Vetch--my favorite being Hairy Vetch-many times--in my vegetable garden over the winter to add some important nitrogen to my soil. As a nitrogen fixer, vetch does the job well by providing rather than taking nitrogen in the soil for next spring's crops to gobble up.

Such was my love for this beautiful and hardy plant that I was at first delighted to notice it making itself at home in yards all over town! It wasn't until recently that I discovered the true story behind my beloved vetch. Sure, vetch will fix your nitrogen but what it doesn't want you to know is that it is an INVASIVE PLANT! That's right, vetch originally hails from Europe, northern Africa, and southwest Asia and was brought to America for erosion control and has since spread unchecked. So, don't let the vetch fool you too! Winter peas are an effective,tasty , and non-invasive alternative.

By janet douberly

Janet Douberly is Program Coordinator at Downtown Greens. learn more about things growing & crawling in Fxbg, check out our Facebook & Instagram.