Question
I have a partly-shaded area of about 300 square feet (in a yard near Boston, MA) that has never been planted.  This summer I turned over the soil and aerated it as well as I could, pulled up the crabgrass and weeds as much as possible, and sowed white clover as a soil-building cover crop.  Should I turn over the soil now that the clover has died from frost, or let it sit on the surface and dig it in next Spring?   I'm not sure yet what I'll plant next Spring - there are lots of tree roots in the area, and it is partially shaded and next to the driveway.  But I want to improve the soil as much as possible in advance.  Thank you!

Answer
Over the winter the clover will send long roots down into the soil and will be much harder to pull out in the spring. I would pull them up now, shake off the soil, and lay them on the surface, roots up, as a mulch.

If you have any thing else around that you could cover the area with for a mulch, it will protect the soil over the winter and keep it from compacting.  I would see if I could find a bale of alfalfa hay, break it apart with my hands, and sprinkle it about four inches thick over the area.  This will keep the soil warmer, encourage earthworms (they love alfalfa) and in the spring you can just part it and plant rows or clear a circle for a transplant.  

I presume that you have tested your soil and added the needed nutrients.  If not, you can always take the mulch off in the spring, test the soil, add the nutrients, and put the mulch back on. Or if the ground is not frozen yet, test the soil and mix them in now, then mulch the area, and after sitting all winter, it will be all ready to plant in the spring.

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