We’ve done white clover in our 3 beds, between all the flowers, for the last 2 seasons. We do, still, apply a layer of mulch at first frost but that’s because we’re Zone 4b. I love my clover, I think it fills the empty spaces really well, it’s a nitrogen fixer, so I feel like it’s helping the other flowers, and as long as the other plants are already established, the clover hasn’t snuffed out the “good” plants, just the “weedy” growth. The only 2 things to keep in mind are (1) I found if I plant small/really young plants while the clover is established, the clover will need to be plucked until the new flower has good growth. And (2) the clover itself can get a little wild, but again, we bring it right down and mulch in the winter. Good luck!

I don’t have too much to add here, since you’ve already been given some really great advice – both for the physical and mental aspects of running. Something that I’ve recently started incorporating into my training and growth as a runner is addressing and analyzing the question, “Why do I run?” It sounds like you’re living a healthy, active lifestyle. So what is it that makes you put on your shoes — even on days you might not feel like it? Running is about being active and staying healthy and setting goals for ourselves, but it’s also about who we are as people. While it might not help you with your immediate goals, really knowing Why you run may help you with feeling like you’re in a slump. I certainly know it’s helped me. Best of luck!

I think it looks lovely. Something I like to do with vining plants is propagate the extra long vines and pot them back into the same pot. It’s a fun way to have more plant babies, more vines, and a fuller looking pot!

It’s a little hard to tell from the picture alone, so take my thoughts with a grain of salt, but it does appear to be etiolated. Direct sun (or what we think of as direct) might not be the issue necessarily. Sometimes consistent, lower levels of light can help maintain lower growth — for example, using a plant lamp for ~12 hours a day, pointed more specifically towards the base. A good rule of thumb is to hold your hand between the light source and the plant and check how “sharp” the shadow is. A sharp shadow means the light is strong, a fuzzy shadow means the light isn’t going to be as impactful. Aside from light, if the lower leaves are turning yellow and also mushy, or yellow and also crunchy, it could be a watering issue. And then there’s always plants who like to decompose their own leaves in an attempt to regain some energy reserves. Maintaining a diluted fertilizer schedule could help. Sometimes it’s hard to know where to start! But little adjustments over time is always a step.