Credit: Connecting to Nature (Facebook)

"Did you know? Clovers are in the pea family (Fabaceae), and like nearly all the plants in this family, they can ‘fix’ nitrogen by forming a symbiotic (mutually beneficial) relationship with soil bacteria.

How does this happen?

The first thing to recognise is there is a huge amount of nitrogen in the atmosphere. The air you breathe is actually mostly nitrogen – 78 percent nitrogen to be more specific. Legumes form a symbiotic relationship with a type of bacteria in the Rhizobium genus. These bacteria form nodules on the roots. The bacteria in these nodules take nitrogen from the atmosphere and put it into a form that the legume can use to make protein and grow. This process is known as nitrogen fixation.

Fixing nitrogen into the soil naturally fertilises the plants around it, eliminating the need for chemical fertiliser, making our world a healthier place (and it doesn’t cost anything)" #gardening