Clover in the Lawn

Ever wonder why clover seems to grow better in your lawn than the grass does? There are probably several reasons for this, including the following:

• The soil pH is too low or too high for lawn grass – but clover grows well in almost any pH
• The soil is deficient in important nutrients, especially nitrogen – clover thrives in nitrogen-deficient soil (white Dutch clover is an indicator plant for low nitrogen)
• The grass has been cut too short – longer grass shades and crowds out other plants, such as clover
• The grass doesn’t get enough water – stressed grass is less dense, leaving room for clover and other weeds
• The soil is compacted (usually due to lack of organic matter) – clover tolerates compacted soil better than lawn grass and has longer roots, enabling it to access water at deeper levels

So, what can you do about it? The best, organic, way to control this is to properly care for the lawn, mow high, water regularly so strong, thick, healthy growth is maintained, and feed the lawn properly.

However, you may want to consider leaving the clover alone. It wasn’t until recently, when herbicides became popular, that clover was considered a weed. In fact, lawn seed mixes used to include clover (such as white Dutch clover) – something that some seed providers are now starting to do again.  Because clover takes nitrogen out of the air and soil and makes it available to your lawn, it helps the lawn grow healthier and more pest-resistant, and reduces the amount of fertilizer required.  It also requires less frequent mowing, attracts honeybees and other pollinators, and breaks up compacted soil. The one drawback is that it doesn’t stand up to heavy foot traffic quite as well as lawn grass.

What does your lawn look like? Mine is a lovely swath of green – with beautiful white clover flowers throughout…

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