Grass isn't a legume. Some grasses are used as a cover crop, but they won't fix nitrogen like an innoculated legume.

I think that soy is popular because it's available and has multiple uses (food, inks, oils, etc.). Vast fields are grown in rotation in the midwest, but the farmer has a commercial outlet for the beans. The other beans are not as commercially flexible. I'm currently growing edamame soybeans. until I replant garlic. If you've never had salted edamame as an ppetizer in a Japanese restaurant- you're missing a real treat that's simple to make!

Alfalfa is probably more beneficial if you have a while to grow it- the roots get staggeringly long! Seeds are smaller, so a pound covers a larger area.

Go ahead and plant black eyed or lima beans. Buy bags of dried beans in the supermarket- they're MUCH cheaper than buying beans packaged as "seeds". I once planted a 1# bag of dried mixed beans for 16 bean soup :)

I know grass is not a legume. But my garden veggies so better where there is grass verses well weeded beds. I read that grass exudes (if that is a word) a type of sugar that other plants like. But trees surely do not like grass. Trees grow faster if grass is not up against the tree at least for the first two-three years. They did a study on this.

There is tons of mixed press on weather you should eat soy. It is entirely possible, if eaten in moderation it is ok, as will many things in life. Personally, I am allergic to soy.

I have low soil fertility and my 20 year old daughter said why don't you plan soy beans? Throughout history, folks probably just planted what ever legume that was native to their area.

I could up the soil fertility faster by importing tons of mulch, and compost, but I am just letting nature build it up over time. cheaper, and I can't get out due to illness so not really possible anyway. I like the deep rooted plant idea the best. I have these weeds in my yard, you can hardely pull them up. I only tried to pull a few in the front yard, as folks get kinda weird if your yard starts to look unruly. I just leave anything now. If nature needs it there, I figure she knows what she is doing. Funny, I always wondered if that weed would flower or just be green. Well it finally did. It is a like a mini daisy thing. Not really, but it is white. I think the plant is rather cute. It is like a long green stick with stick side branches and a tiny white flower on top.

It has been terribly dry in texas this year. I have had zero grass growth this year in a part of the yard that the water tends to stream over it to get to the street (builder's drainage!). I am having green things pop up here and there, not grass though. I am fining it amazing that nature can find water someplace.

In a different part of the yard where there was nothing, due to chopping down huge ugly photinia bushes, there are spawling succulents (they have a pretty yellow flower) volunteering along with other bushy looking weeds. The weeds are quite tall, but I don't cut them. I water this area daily since I planted purple three awn. It is coming up, and the burmuda in the non bare area is so tall due to the water. I leave it all. I feel tall is better for the ground. I want to plant trees there one day, when the soil is not hard as a rock.

I don't water anything but the veggie garden and the small patch of grass seed. Cost too much to water, and the grass will come back when it rains. I wonder why the nuts around her water water in the 100 degree weather. Like anyone cares if their grass is green! It is like painting the snow green in vermont in the dead of winter. Silly really.

Here is a link that might be useful: soy alert

Seeing that you live someplace hot, the grass may be acting as a living mulch- shading the soil, keeping in moisture, and if they're relatively shallow rooted- they may outcompete other weeds. Mulch of any sort (I like shredded leaves), is about the best thing you can do for a garden. Growing turf thicker, ironically enough, means that you will generally need less water for it (once properly established).

A good solution for your front yard might be to get ahold of local wildflower seeds- sort of boost the process of what seems to be happening there- plus you get to pick the colors. They'll be drought tolerant, and when they come in thicker and bloom- they'll take care of eachother. I'm into seed collecting locally to encourage native plants- fun and free.

Taller is better for the ground... to a point. You can get an effect called "undergrazing" if you don't mulch mow at least a couple/few times in the season. Also- when plants bloom and go to seed- you'll notice that they'll then go dormant or die (if anuals). If you want to encourage reseeding volunteers- then let 'em go. If you have the turf density that you want, regular mowing at the highest setting possible will keep it healthiest.

You're right about watering. Even if you want green grass- watering deeply once a week is the way to go! If you teach the grass that they get water all the time- then roots won't be taught to go deeper in search of water! They get a "water habit". We've had lots of rain this year- I don't have to water much of anything.

thanks for the tip. I mowed the long grass becuase of what you said, and left the bushy weeds. The grass that was under the tall stuff is not all that happy. I just was on the wrong track I guess

Mary

If you live in an area that gets thunder storms grass will slowly build the soild. thunderstorms rain nitric acid (lightning electolyses nitrogen and oxygen and they reform as NO3 then rain water falls through and makes nitric acid) slowly over time soil collects this nitrogen, its part of the nitrogen cycle. So you weren't completely wrong. so long as you aren't moxing and tossing what you cut off your soil is just a tiny bit better with every rain, however it litterally takes hundreds of years for poor soil to become rich soil in this fashion, and there are other facftors like erosion to consider on that time scale.

I'm not an expert on the nitrogen content, but if you aren't in the biggest hurry (which it doesn't sound like you are), why not plant things you enjoy eating and growing? In general, I just try to incorporate different varieties of things in my soil, turned over turfgrass does great things for new beds, and they are so easy to grow, why not try a few things, and see what you end up with?

There's always the "free" composting materials that I tend to bury in new beds. Moldy leaves, coffee grounds/eggshells, whatever you've got. Add your soil on top and then plant the beanies. Your following season will be a little better, right?

That's what I am doing now.

I plant veggies that I like and native wild flowers (that I like) to look at and to feed the birds, butterflies and whatever else likes them. I plant drought tolerant stuff so I won't have to water, and because drought tolerant stuff tends to have deeper roots, that will break up the soil and allow water to go deeper.

I always throw, egg shells, coffee grounds, and organic veggie scraps from the health food store in my garden beds to help with fertility. I also add grass clippings and leaves to the beds. I would rather leave the grass clippings and leaves where they lie to feed the soil there, but I want veggies too.

This spring I am planting some little blue stem grass so it will not need as much water as the bermuda. I sure do hope it sprouts, as I will planting in an existing bermuda yard.