How fast does clover spread

However, some homeowners may prefer to mow in midsummer in order to deadhead old blooms, neaten the appearance of the lawn , or to prevent from blooming.

The Shamrock, Sorrel or Oxalis plant has a very bitter taste, which often deters dogs and cats from consuming large quantities.

However, when ingested in large enough quantities in small animals, it can result in poisoning in dogs , cats, and even humans. The most commonly used perennial clovers in the United States are white clover and red clover. These clovers can be grown throughout much of the nation especially in the Midwest, Northeast, and Northwest in areas in which there is a suitable soil pH, adequate fertility, and good soil moisture during most of the year.

Like many species in the legume family, clovers are known for adding nitrogen to the soil, reducing the need to apply fertilizer to a lawn. Although most weed-killers target clover , getting rid of it in a lawn isn't necessarily a good thing. As a natural lawn fertilizer, clover adds nitrogen to the soil which benefits surrounding grass plants. It's also green, hardy, and drought tolerant.

It out-competes bad weeds and it grows well in shady spots. However, some wild strains of White Clover can be mildly toxic if it is eaten in quantity by such animals because its foliage contains a glycoside that converts to prussic acid. Over time, the clover will outcompete the grass. This is completely normal as germination of Kentucky Bluegrass occurs 3 times slower than White Dutch Clover.

A natural way to thwart clover is to deprive it of sunlight and oxygen. Douse it. Here's a natural remedy many gardeners find effective: Mix vinegar with a small amount of dish soap, put the mixture in a spray bottle, and spot treat clover clumps.

Kill it with corn gluten. Hit back with herbicide. Micro clover sometimes spelled as microclover is a small variety of white clover well worth consideration for spring lawn renovation. It goes to flower quickly and attracts bees.

I would love to build an all clover lawn. Mainly fescue? Tx a million. Where do I sign up? I'm allergic to grass! I hate grass, the lawn grass industry has manipulated and scammed us for decades. Awesome Hub, may you have many 4-leafs in your clover yard and than harvest and brew clover leaf tea from your own backyard. I just bught a 10 lb bag of Dutch White Clover and am super excited to get in in the ground We live in Lincoln, California and we have a very small patio yard with an area about 6' x 10".

We attempted a sod lawn but we were unsuccessful we believe because we have very poor and compacted soil. It is my understanding that clover can thrive in this type soil, is this correct? Also, is clover at all toxic to pets? You say that clover is good for reducing dog spots from female dog urine - however, every source I have read says that clover is toxic to dogs.

Ilive in east central florida and have about feet of "lawn". The lawn is a mixture of weeds and grass and bare spots and god only knows what else. I plan on seeding with Dutch White clover, but at 79 yrs old I don't plan on doing much more than just spreading the seed over what already exists. What kind of results should I expect? I didn't see an answer to Afo's question and I have the same exact question. I spent most of the summer and fall pulling weeds from my clover.

Excellent article with great info! Ive always loved clover lawns. I live in Florida and would frequently see them when visiting states north of us on vacation.

They smell so good and i love the way they look. I would love to have one too! Thanks for the tips! How can I get rid of all other weeds AND keep clovers? Is there a weed killer which doesn't kill clovers? I have all kinds of weeds and clovers and I just want to keep the clovers and get rid of other weeds. I would definitely encourage a mix of many different types of blossoms on your garden or farm, though.

It is very important for beekeepers to provide a steady source of forage throughout the active season of the bees, and the more variety of flowers, the easier this is to ensure. We grow Bees. We are looking for something to plant on about 3 Acres that the bees can feed on.

Would the White Clover be the best for that? Or should we use a mix? I've got some popping up already. I didn't inoculate as I already have Dutch white in parts of the lawn. This is a super informative hub! In fact I have a clover front lawn. But I had no idea of all the information you provided - it was already there when I moved here 17 years ago.

I'll bookmark this and keep in mind when I move to the country. The mixed lawns work really well i got a part of my yard that's covered in clover but has plently of grass between. Best part of my lawn. We always must remember that native plants have co-evolved with native species; they are always better suited to the habitat in question and more beneficial to wildlife, including pollinators and birds.

Unfortunately white clover Trifolium repens is not native; neither are most other clovers such as sweet clover Melilotus officinalis and species of Medicago. However the advantages pollination, soil enrichment probably outweigh the disadvantages; after all most grasses used as lawn are also non native. It may be rather impractical to do this considering that it is an endangered species; on the other hand it would be well worth a try precisely for this reason.

I am planning on dividing my garden into two parts, one a grass lawn and another as a clover lawn. What can I do to make sure that the clover doesn't start spreding to the grass lawn? Do I have to put something in the middle to separate them?

I have a lot of clover clumps or clonals. The blooms are starting to turn brown. Can't I just mow to spread the seed? Not sure where you live Kristen, but there are fescue mixes that you can use to over-seed your current lawn. These fescues with clover can be used to create a drought resistant, dog friendly, low mow lawn that will stand up to your dogs.

I have never been let down by their products yet and that says a lot considering I live in Calgary where the Chinooks wreak havoc on our gardens. I like the idea of a clover lawn but i need something that can withstand not just the urine burns but the traffic of my three dogs!! I love the fact that this information is getting out there. It's such a stigma to have clover in a lawn, and when I tell others about my plan to have a clover lawn I get a lot of raised eyebrows.

I was wondering if you had any helpful links on creating a clover lawn with other landscaping items, such as rocks. I live in Memphis--it is hot and humid. My lawn gets direct sunlight--very little shade. Glad that you share the info with us. We have a big lot and all kinds of stuff growing. I don't mind anything except the dandelions and Poison Ivy and Posion Oaks.

Thanks for the hub. We have a small grassy area in our backyard that has always been difficult to keep healthy grass in. It gets way too much shade from the trees and it is generally pretty wet. And now that we've put in a trampoline for the kids, the grass underneath has been eliminated completely.

I've been looking for an alternative, something that would grow even underneath a trampoline, as the yard is a bit of a mudbowl without the grass and we have a dog who brings it all inside.

I was thinking that possibly clover was the answer, but I'm worried about the bees. The kids don't really run around on the grass much around the trampoline, but they are on the trampoline a lot, of course. And I don't want them stung. Is there a type of clover that doesn't flower? Or could you suggest another type of ground cover? What would be a good grass to mix with clover. I have 5 acres that I would like to plant with a clover and grass mix. A day or two before planting your lawn, remove any newly sprouted weeds and rake to a smooth, even texture.

Mix your clover seed with sand, sawdust, or fine soil to make spreading easier. Use a broadcast spreader if you can find one that accommodates clover for large areas to ensure even distribution. Do not fertilize. Follow with grass seed if using.

Rake the planted area to lightly cover the seeds. Compress with a roller or by walking over the area. Water regularly until established. This will also favor the clover over the grass, and help the clover plants establish their roots.

Leave the clippings on the lawn they are a valuable mulch. You can always overseed with clover if the grass starts taking over. Adding clover to your existing lawn or planting a new lawn with clover in the mix will help reduce the impacts of your little patch of green.

With fewer requirements and care, and more time for enjoyment, a clover lawn is a natural choice for your overall sustainability solution. Shannon Cowan Shannon Cowan is the blog editor at Eartheasy. She lives on six acres of land with her husband, daughters, and backyard poultry flock. Read Article Shop Products. Ah, the backyard lawn, that controversial patch of greenery adored by some and shunned by others. Restricted to the aristocracy before mechanical mowers made them possible for humbler folk, lawns have become the norm of boulevards and subdivisions alike.

Lawn alternatives How to Grow Microclover However you feel about lawns, one thing is certain: you can make yours more sustainable by considering clover.

There are so many clover, including annual ones. For a lawn you want perennial clover that comes back year after year like grass. Dutch White Clover - My lawn. It can be done by a few dollars. This is what I planted actually heavily overplanted - see below, lol. Can grow much taller when competing for light for a deep meadow effect.

Micro Clover - More expensive but still cheap. Bee Turf and Easy Care Envirolawn. I did mix these seeds in too although I so heavily overseeded my clover the flowers didn't have a chance. Clover needs continual moisture to germinate, so spring is best, fall works.

If you're considering this for next year, I'll tell you what I wish I had done last fall. It's what I do when I'm turning a patch of weed-filled property into garden and have it done along my weedy lawn edge currently. Cover the lawn or any intensely weedy patches for the winter. When I have small patches I use cardboard, for big ones, construction wrap. This will kill some weeds, but the toughest can wait out anything!

Grass is also also a weed and even when covered in plastic or cardboard mine has never fully died. Which is good, as you'll find out below. I got my wrap from Home Depot, most lumber stores have it in a bin sitting out front for you to take. It's the stuff you see wrapped around stacks of lumber in transport. Any weeds with a long top root, I'd use a root pulling tool.

For my heavy soil, I'd make sure the soil was moist down deep, ideally after days of rain, followed by a dry day. I'd never get it all of a tap root, although it will be slowed down dramatically.