History of nitrogen fixing in some plants

[DirtMechanic]

Cornell article on the development history of genetics allowing nitrogen fixing nodules found in some plants and efforts to develop them further in crops for reducing fertilizing needs.

Link Here

 

[Meadowlark]

I've been doing this successfully for many, many years. I use beans and all kinds of cow peas in spring and summer and use clovers, vetch, and small grains in fall and winter.

My garden soil is NEVER, EVER bare...if it isn't producing crops, it is being replenished by N2 providing cover crops. My recently harvested onion row is now growing purple hull peas, my recently harvested carrot and radish row is growing crowder peas, and my recently harvested potato row was planted today in blackeye peas. These will be allowed to grow to mature peas, then shredded and allowed to reseed and grow again. I've done up to four generations a season of N2 fixing in a growing season this way without ever adding seeds after the initial planting. Imagine the amount of N2 and green manure and effective weed protection this provides. This is stuff that money can't buy and no amount of artificial fertilizer can equal.

People ask me how to grow 4 pound onions...I tell them N2 fixing, soil building, weed preventing cover crops.

Works for me!

 

[Meadowlark]

Here's an example of just recently planted peas in this year's onion row and also the peas previously planted in carrot/radish/turnip row. You can see old discarded onions.

Cover crops until fall.

I also love to use beans...green and pintos for soil building...and of course eating:

 

[NigelJ]

Interesting article.
I'm sure I saw somewhere that for the maximum nitrogen fixation from legumes you need to dig in before they flower.
Interestingly it's not only legumes that can fix nitrogen, but some other plants as well see https://www.hutton.ac.uk/staff/euan-james and links there in.