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EmailAt one time, most lawns had at least some clover growing in them, and many were almost entirely clover. Today, many lawn enthusiasts are trying to limit the use of pesticides and are again turning to clover.
Benefits of Clover
- White clover (Trifolium repens) is a rapid spreader that crowds out broadleaf weeds while it grows harmoniously with grass. It will thrive in areas that are poorly drained or too shady for a conventional lawn.
- Being a legume, clover has the ability to convert nitrogen into fertilizer using bacteria in it's root system, practically eliminating the need for additional fertilization.
- It is an extremely drought-resistant plant and will keep its cool-green color even during the hottest and driest parts of summer.
- Left uncut, white clover grows 4-8 inches tall and produces small white flowers that are often tinged with pink. 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.
Planting Clover
You can plant clover by itself for a ground cover, but it stands up better to foot traffic when combined with lawn grass.
- Only 5-10% by weight of tiny clover seed needs to 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.
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.
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Comments
By olderpersonage on May 13
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Three young men lived in the house before I bought it. They did not water the lawn, so consists of clumps of grass interspersed with bare ground and weeds. It is impossible to mow. I am hoping to put it all in clover except for a flower bed. I hate mowing and get asthmatic from the grass. My parents had clover and they didn't worry about mowing because it doesn't get as tall as grass. I want that.
By Bama Belle
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Just a note to say:I live in the south and had a problem with grass not growing under my trees so, I planted white clover under my trees and was very pleased with the coverage!!! Hey no mowing that is even better.
By Ives from MSU
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Does anyone know if cover is poisonous to dogs. I would love to plant some in our dog area.
By Jonalisa
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One of the benefits of white clover is that it doesn't turn yellow or burn when a female dog urinates on it. I have not found any info indicating that white clover is unsafe for animals. I am overseeding my lawn with it in the spring.
By Almanac Staff
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Hi Ives, Everyday clover is not listed as being poisonous to dogs on the ASPCA site. http://www.aspca.org/Pet-care/poison-control/Plants?plant_toxicity=toxic-to-dogs&page=6
On vet sites, we see that "red clover" can both help certain medical conditions but also is unfriendly and possibly toxic in large quantities. Perhaps it's OK if your dog doesn't start ingesting lots of clover and simply plays (and pees) in it. To be safest, for your particular dog and its medical condition, we’d recommend that you ask your vet. Or, just not plant clover.
And of course, stay away from pesticides if the dog eats plants in the lawn.
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