St Patrick's day falls on March 17. The green cloverleaf associated with St Patrick is thought to be lucky. Gardeners should embrace it for what clover brings.
As a green mulch in your beds, it fixes nitrogen in your soil for the summer. It will survive in shade where other ground covers won't grow easily. Clover flowers earlier than many other plants, providing early season pollen and continues for much of the year, which is why it is favoured by beekeepers.
Science has shown clover has complex anti-inflammatory compounds that include salicylic acid in the flowers and herbalists in many cultures include clover in their compendium of anti-cancer agents. Genistein, a phytochemical in clover, has anti-tumour properties, along with other isoflavones that fight cancer. Gardeners will know that it is wonderful, mild addition to a cup of green tea.
So on St Patrick's day, gardeners, toast the green clover. Its usefulness to our health and to our soil is why it's lucky.
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