These days, gardeners and lawn enthusiasts are either mixing clover with the grass or completely swapping out grass for clover. This is because they are easy to maintain and require minimal water, fertilizer, and herbicides. The best part is that clovers don’t need to be mowed, and it naturally gives a uniform and even appearance.
Clover is a nitrogen fixer, which means it takes nitrogen from the air and converts it into nodules on its roots. These nodules are then deposited into the soil, which acts as their own fertilizer. However, clover lawns are often monocultures, which means you can only plant one type of clover in a single area. But during winter, clover may die, leaving the ground soggy and muddy until spring.
What Are the Benefits of Clover?
Here are some reasons why you must grow clover in your lawn -
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They need less water, as the clover’s deep root system can access water in the soil. This increases the drought tolerance and reduces the watering needs.
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They don’t need mowing, but you can cut the flowers, if you want.
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They don’t need rich and fertile soil, as they usually thrive in sandy, rocky, and infertile soil conditions.
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Clover can survive the summer heat, and unlike other grasses, it stays lush green until fall.
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They can even handle areas where sunlight does not reach.
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Clovers are less expensive than turfgrass seeds, and the cost of maintenance is absolutely minimal.
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Clovers can outcompete weeds and also prevent unwanted weeds from growing and crowding your lawn.
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Clover reduces the need for aeration because its growing root system naturally breaks up compacted soil.
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Clover flowers attract honey bees and other beneficial pollinators that also help other fruit trees and ornamental plants.
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It does not allow pests to invade because clover is highly palatable, so bunnies and rodents won’t enter your garden to nibble the flowers.
Types of Clover for Your Lawn
People love having clover in their yard, mostly due to their less aggressive nature. Here are three types of clovers that you can sow -
White Clover
White clover (Trifolium repens), also known as Dutch clover, is popular due to its small white flowers and thrives well in Southern climates. They are easy to grow as all you need to do is sow the clover seeds and watch it spread across the lawn, with white blooms. Once it grows, white clover is easy to maintain and care for.
Red Clover
Red clover (T. pratense) looks similar to white clover, but it blooms with pinkish-purple flowers, and the leaves are a bit more elongated, which do not live as long. If you are looking for a drought and shade-tolerant option for your lawn, this is it.
Red clover is often grown as an annual winter cover crop, but then it is tilled into the soil as green manure.
Micro Clover
White clovers with smaller leaves and shorter growth are mostly considered as micro clovers. As compared to the full-sized variety, these clovers don’t clump and adjust with the grass easily.
Due to their demand, some companies have started selling clover seeds mixed with bluegrass and tall fescue. The major reason for doing this is that the clover supplies nitrogen to the lawn and co-exists without overpowering one another.
What Happens to Clover Lawns in Winter?
During winter, the clover dies, and after the winter, it grows back again from the roots. During the winter, and after the spring rain, you’ll have no clover lawn. However, you may see some grass and muddy soil. Many gardeners prefer to sow clover with grass, because even if the clover dies, the grass can keep the soil intact.
How to Maintain the Lawn After Clover Dies in Winter?
As the clover dies in winter, you have to deal with bare ground, so consider growing some turf grasses along with clover. These grasses will act as coverage for the ground soil when the clover has died. You can opt for tall grasses or some dwarf varieties to help you achieve a short-grown, no-mow lawn.
As clover lawns grow up to only a foot tall, it is better to prepare the lawn for winter. Though they die during winter, mowing the lawn a few weeks before the first frost can make it less messy to deal with.
What Turfgrass Should You Grow With Clover?
There are several options to blend clover into an existing yard. You can also grow grass and clover together from scratch. Here are some of the options you can choose from -
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Fescue (tall, fine, and dwarf) is considered the best option to grow with clover. This is because it can blend well with clover and does not require regular mowing.
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Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass are also the best companions for clover. For a bright color and texture, mix 50% of Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass turf with clover for a beautiful lawn.
You can purchase all the grass mix separately and mix it at home, as per your preference and requirement. Also, you can purchase premixed seeds that are convenient to use and cost-effective. There are two ways you can add clovers to your lawn -
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You can wipe out the entire lawn and start from scratch by using 100% clover seeds only.
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Or, you can mix clover into your existing grass to create a mix.
Should You Remove Clovers During Winters?
Usually, there is no need to remove the clovers from your lawn, as they naturally die on their own. But clover, being a weed, grows very fast during the growing season, and if you want to take it out, it’s easy.
Use Spade or Hands
If you want to get rid of the root system, take them out using a spade or your hand. To do this, loosen the soil by wiggling the plant and pull out by force to ensure that the plant has its roots when out of the soil.
Get all the roots out of the soil, because if there’s any left, clovers will grow again. But the process of removal is tedious and time-consuming; however, if done correctly, it can get rid of all the clovers once and for all.
Block Sunlight and Air
Another way to get rid of clover is to restrict the sun and air from reaching it. You can cover the area with a dark-colored covering, such as trash bags or any plastic sheets. Secure the edge to ensure the covering stays in place. But make sure you only cover the area where clover has grown, as this might kill the grass if you cover it in the process.
DIY Methods
DIY methods can also help get rid of clover patches in the lawn. For this, mix vinegar with a few drops of dish soap, and transfer the mixture into a spray bottle. Then, spray all over the clover, and this will resolve the clover issues without any hassle.
Again, you need to ensure that the mixture is not sprayed onto the grass, as it may burn or harm it.
ADIOS
Advanced Development in Organic Solutions (ADIOS) is an organic compound that helps you get rid of the clover patches in the lawn. This is the safest option to use as it won’t harm humans or pets, and also does not contaminate the water sources. Using it is also easy, as all you need to do is spray it all over the clover.
What is the Best Time to Seed a Clover Lawn?
For a lush green lawn filled with clover, the best time to plant them (especially white and micro clover) is in early spring, after the winter ends, and the temperature is between 50 - 60 degrees Fahrenheit. But the exact time would depend on where you are growing them. You can also sow the seeds from mid-March to mid-April.
Just like any cool-season grasses, you might also find recommendations on growing the clover in late summer and early fall. But most gardeners would suggest not to plant during this time and wait till spring arrives. This is because of the obvious reason that clover dies during winter, and planting them a little before the spring gives them enough time to establish themselves.
How to Start a Clover Lawn?
Growing a clover lawn in winter is not a good idea. However, as soon as spring starts, you can sow the seeds, as they germinate in cool seasons (approximately 50 degrees Fahrenheit). Here are some simple steps to get started -
De-Thatch Your Lawn
Before sowing the seeds, it is important to de-thatch the lawn to remove the thick, pressed layer of organic materials. Rake deep into the soil to break the pressed layer. This process also removes any unwanted weeds from the lawn.
Prep the Soil and Sprinkle the Seeds
Clovers thrive in a pH level of 6.0 to 7.0, and if you have a very acidic or alkaline soil, use lime or sulfur, depending on your local extension office’s instructions. Then, sprinkle seeds evenly across the lawn. They don’t need to be planted deeply, so gently rake the soil afterward.
Water the Soil
Use a gentle shower or a sprinkle to water the lawn evenly. It is important to keep the soil moist when there is not enough rainfall. Once clover is established, the rainfall provides it with the required amount of water and moisture to survive and thrive.
What Happens When You Over-seed Clovers?
It is quite common for a new gardener to overseed the lawn with clover. That may be a problem for some, but that doesn’t mean you have to get rid of the lawn and start over. Here’s what you can do -
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Start by mowing the grass 1 to 1.5 inches tall.
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De-thatch the area with a power rake.
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If you see small patches, use a garden rake to loosen up the soil.
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Once done, follow the steps mentioned above.
How to Take Care of Clover Lawn?
Clover is low-maintenance and does not require much care. But there are certain things you need to consider when growing clover in the lawn -
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If you’re growing Dutch white clover, avoid watering too much, as they are generally drought-resistant. The rain during early spring is enough for them to thrive.
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Don’t add fertilizers with nitrogen content, as clover makes its own nitrogen, and excess nitrogen may hinder the growth. Instead, you can add phosphorus, potassium, and macronutrients.
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Wait for the flowers to grow before you mow. Once you see the blooms, cut them 2-3 inches tall to remove the flowers. Don’t throw the clippings out, as they help release nitrogen during their breakdown process.
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Check and adjust the pH of the soil every few years, so that it remains stable for clover to thrive.
If you want to grow a clover lawn in winter, that might not be the best idea, as these weeds tend to die during cool periods. But you can sprinkle the seed a few weeks before fall and wait till the spring for it to grow.
