Clover Comeback: Learn All About the Benefits of White Clover
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At one time, most yards had at least some white clover growing in them. It was a world before chemicals, and clover was part of seed blends because it improved the soil and the condition of the lawn. Gardeners are beginning to recognize the benefits of clover in lawn grass mixtures—or even as a replacement for grass. Learn more.
Move on from the quest for a perfect lawn of just turf grass. It’s not natural and ends up requiring chemicals. Before World War II and the advent of chemicals, clover was used as a great companion with turf grass. It was added to seed blends, along with fescues, ryegrasses, and Kentucky bluegrass, because it helped grass thrive.
See the incredible benefits of clover below, and you’ll wonder why you don’t grow clover!
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Benefits of a Clover Lawn
- Being a legume, the clover plant fixes poor soil! Clover has the ability to convert nitrogen into fertilizer using bacteria in its root system, practically eliminating the need for additional fertilization.
- White clover (Trifolium repens) is the most common clover for lawns. Left uncut, white clover grows 4 to 8 inches tall and produces small white flowers that are often tinged with pink. It’s a rapid spreader that crowds out broadleaf weeds while growing harmoniously with grass.
- Like white clover, red clover (Trifolium pratense) is native to Europe, but has been naturalized in North America. It produces attractive purple flowers and typically grows taller than white clover (a little too tall compared to lawn grass).
- Clover is among the first plants to green up and thrive in the spring.
- It’s an extremely drought-resistant plant and will keep its cool-green color even during the hottest and driest parts of summer.
- Clover will also thrive in areas that are poorly drained or too shady for a conventional lawn.
- The flowers not only create a beautiful visual effect but also bring in bees, butterflies, and beneficial insects that prey on garden pests.
- Honeybees rarely sting when they are away from their hive, but if they make you uncomfortable or you are allergic to bee stings, simply have the lawn mowed more often when clover is in bloom. Or, grow clover on surfaces where there is little activity on the lawn, and the desired result is more aesthetic than functional.
Planting Clover Lawns
You can plant clover by itself for ground cover, but it stands up better to foot traffic when combined with lawn grass.
- Only 5 to 10% of the weight of tiny clover seed must be mixed with the recommended amount of grass seed to create a thick stand.
- When adding clover to an existing lawn, first mow it close and remove any thatch to allow the seed to fall to the soil surface.
- To sow clover alone, mix it with enough sand to facilitate spreading. About 2 ounces of clover is needed for every 1,000 square feet of lawn.
- Since clover has a low growth habit, it can be left unmowed all season long if desired. Alternatively, it can be mowed a couple of times a year to maintain its appearance.
Luck of the Clover
Finding a four-leaf clover is considered good luck. Surely, it must be because, on average, there is only one of them for every 10,000 clovers with three leaves. But even if you never find a four-leaf specimen, just having clover growing in your lawn will keep it greener longer with minimum care, which we consider to be extremely good luck.
Looking for more ground cover options? See a few more hardy ground cover plants.
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I live in coastal Massachusetts, Zone 7A. There are parts of my yard that are full sun and won't grow grass without massive amounts of watering and fertilizer. I'd like to convert portions of those areas to clover — with some grassy walkways between. Any suggestions for something that doesn't grow too high (4 - 6 inches is fine) and has a long blooming season? Thanks.
Hi Maronn,
As mentioned above, white clover is a commonly planted clover for lawns and fits, for the most part, into your height requirement with white flowers that can have a pink tinge during the growing season. White Dutch clover also seems like it could be an option. Strawberry clover is similar in growth to white clover, but has a higher salinity tolerance and can be used in coastal areas. But in terms of your specific area, it might be best to talk to your local gardening center or a lawncare professional to see what experiences they have with clover planting and if there is a specific variety that has performed better in your location.
And just remember that even with perennial clover, you will need to do some reseeding in 2 to 3 years to maintain a consistent ground cover.
Hope this helps!
Thanks very much. The advice is appreciated. Now to call the local lawn care folks and bounce your ideas off them.
Maronn
I live out west & have an ongoing fight with bindweed & goat heads. Will clover displace these demon plants?
Hi Harri,
Sorry to hear about your issues with a couple of destructive weeds. Unfortunately, planting clover will not completely remove your unwanted growers. It will take time and persistence to fully eliminate your areas of concern, using a mixture of pulling, digging, and while not ideal, herbicides. These invasive and destructive plants are not easy to get rid of, but don’t be discourgaed because it can be done. It will just be a matter of staying on top of what needs to be done and when.
Here is a link to get you started: https://www.almanac.com/6-noxious-destructive-invasive-weeds-and-how-get-rid-them.
Hope this helps.
I have a very large Oak tree in my front yard. There have always been some patchy spots, I assume because of the roots of the tree. I have tried spreading clover seed, but it too is patchy. Any suggestions? I live in a rural area of Piedmont NC and as the trees have grown and all the rainy, cloudy weather the back yard has grown mostly moss. Only on full sunny days is there sun on the yard. How can I best turn this over to the clover?
Hi Alison,
You will want to make sure to chose a clover that grows well in shady locations because it will not get a lot of sunlight under your oak tree. You also want to plant it in either the spring or fall when the ground has adequate moisture. You should avoid sowing during dry spells or when heavy rain is in the forecast.
Try planting Wood Sorrel ( violets ) under the tree. They grow well in shady red lines and should do nicely under that oak. I have had white dogtooth violets under a shade tree and it looks so lovely.
I don't use pesticides at all on my lawn, despite my neighbor's fascination with perfectly clipped baseball diamond bluegrass. My yard is fescue, ajuga, violets, forget-me-nots, and clover. I laid down clover 10 years ago, and though my poor dog Caleb stepped on a bee and needed to be consoled for days, it really was wonderful. I had lots of wildlife, birds, bunnies and honeybees pollinating my herb garden and my lawn was GREEN in August when all the neighbors and their 4 step program had brown dead grass. I highly recommend it for those looking for an alternative for their yards. Love it!
What is the difference between white and yellow clover.i have a lot of yellow clover in my yard.
