#Clover lawn full#

The best time to spread clover in the spring is from mid-April to mid-May, to coincide with spring rains. Plant clover in the spring after the threat of frost has passed and the temperature at night is 40 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. On top of that, it can tolerate flooding for up to two months and thrives in salty tidal streams. It attracts beneficial insects and aids with nitrogen fixation in the soil. It can be grazed or mowed and can endure heat and alkali. It’s a low-growing, deep-rooted clover that thrives in orchards, lawns, vineyards, and pastures. Strawberry clover is a warm-season perennial legume that tolerates heat and salt and is commonly used as a cover crop and in landscaping. Some of its most common uses include forage, grazing, seed harvesting, nitrogen plowdown, and hay in warmer regions. It can be easily overseeded or frost seeded into mature crops. It adds loamy topsoil and a modest amount of nitrogen, inhibits weeds, and breaks up heavy soil. Red clover is a hardy, low-cost plant grown in USDA zones 4 and up. The red blooms at the tips of the spreading stalks are frequently preserved and used medicinally. Red clover is a perennial that grows wild in meadows throughout Europe, Asia, and North America, where it has naturalized. White Dutch grows well in poor soil and is resistant to cold, heat, drought, and foot traffic. It spreads quickly and crowds out weeds, and it grows thicker and stronger with each passing year. This perennial seed is suitable for planting in USDA Zones 3 through 10. The lovely white flowers create a sweeping white carpet. This perennial clover can be utilized as a cover crop, groundcover, erosion control, or component of your pasture mix. Dutch White CloverĪlthough it also has other uses, Dutch White Clover is the most commonly planted clover on lawns. Perennial clover, which returns year after year, is ideal for a low-maintenance lawn. Strong fertilizers should not be used on clover since they might burn the plant’s delicate roots. In most areas, you may also plant in September or early October.īecause clover seed is so little, you may wish to combine it with lime or fertilizer to prevent it from being blown away by the wind. Plan to plant clover in the spring or early summer, when the earth has softened and is moist.

#Clover lawn full#

This will help guide you to use the right quantity of lime to maximize germination.Ĭlover is a resilient plant that can tolerate various light situations (from full sun to partial shade). Get a soil test to determine the pH of your soil to ensure effective clover seed planting. Lime also helps release phosphate and potassium from the soil, which helps clover grow, so no fertilizer is needed. The Basics of CareĬlover needs water, sunlight, and lime (in most soils) to germinate well.Ĭlover does not grow in acid soil, so lime is required to raise the pH of the soil to a neutral level (6.0 to 7.0 for the best performance). Take note if you are concerned that it will spread to your neighbors’ yards. It spreads similarly to grass and will seed if not mowed. Also, if you are allergic to bee stings, it might be better to avoid clover on your lawn.Ĭlover is not as resistant to foot traffic as grass, so it will quickly look downtrodden if you have a lot of foot traffic around your home. If you have little children, teach them to look for bees before they walk or sit on the lawn. It can grow in poor soil and actually contributes nutrients to the mix.Ĭlover blossoms attract bees, which sting if threatened.It helps maintain soil moisture levels.It will make a wonderful compost supplement if you choose to mow it.It is not easily discolored by dog urine.It does not require fertilization or chemical treatments.It does not dry out and becomes brittle or prickly like grass during dry, hot months.It chokes out weeds and is a favorite of honey bees.It is a drought-tolerant plant that requires very little water once established.However, herbicides kill clover, so the plant was rebranded as a weed and removed from seed mixes to not interfere with the mass use of herbicides. Before the mass production of herbicides, and before the commercial landscaping industry began promoting a flawlessly uniform grass lawn, clover was frequently mixed with grass seeds. It involves proper watering schedules, mowing heights, re-seeding rates, and weed management. If you’ve ever tried to grow or maintain a lush, green lawn, you know how difficult it can be. Today, I’ll try to persuade you that you should grow clover in your yard. In reality, clover is one of the best things for a lawn.ĭid you know that lawns were once formed of clover before someone decided that grass, frequent irrigation, and weekly mowing sounded like a good idea? I was raised to believe that clover is an undesirable weed that needs to be removed.