Nitrogen Fixing Plants

You've planned out the plants that are going to feed you, now integrate some plants that will feed the soil.  The most common nitrogen fixers are plants in the legume family, Fabaceae; which includes peas and beans as well as some perennials such as lupine, indigo and mesquite.  Legumes host symbiotic Rhizobia bacteria on their roots that fix atmospheric nitrogen into a form available to plants.  Some of our most important native nitrogen fixers host Frankia bacteria and include alders and ceonothus.  Toby Hemenway has a list of nitrogen fixing plants from his book Gaia's Garden.  Annual plants that fix nitrogen and are grown to be incorprated into the soil are referred to as "cover crops" and "green manures".  You can find more detailed information on cover crops specific to our region at the Mid Klamath Watershed Council Foodsheds webpage Cover Crops for the Klamath-Trinity Region.