Fertilise Your Lawn With A Good Quality Fertiliser
Clover in your lawn is often a sign that its low in nutrients, especially Nitrogen.
Soil can become deficient in nutrients for a few reasons
Many beginner gardeners apply fertiliser to their lawns and complain that it doesnt work.
What they fail to understand is that when their lawn is thick with thatch and the soil is compacted the nutrients in the fertiliser cant penetrate into the soil. It just sits above the surface and has no effect at all.
If your lawn is thick with moss and weeds, scarify and aerate it. Then apply a good quality fertiliser. You only need to scarify once every year or two and aerate in the spring and autumn.
Just one application of a good quality, slow-release fertiliser will improve the health of your lawn immeasurably. Itll promote good grass growth causing the grass to outcompete the weeds.
What Does Clover In My Lawn Mean
In most cases, when you see clover growing in your lawn it means that there isnt enough nitrogen. Clover is a legume plant, much like beans, lucerne or alfalfa, that actually draws nitrogen from the air, which it stores in its roots. When the roots die back, the soil draws in the nitrogen. But when your lawn already has enough nitrogen, the clover starts to struggle.
Clover growth can also be a sign that your lawn has been mown too short, is underfed or has been overwatered. All of these issues can be addressed by practising proper lawn care.
How To Get Rid Of White Clover Without Destroying The Lawn
To get rid of white clover in your lawn you can try 2 methods.
- To pull out the weed manually by hand
- To apply a selective herbicide to your lawn which only kills white clover weed in your lawn and doesnt harm the grass.
Lets discuss how to do these properly in detail:
1.Pull it out
The best way to get rid of a small amount of clover weed in your lawn is to pull it out by hand. First water your lawn to make the soil moist so that you can remove the weed very easily without leaving any roots in the soil. This will ensure that you have eliminated all the weed and it will not come back.
2.Apply herbicide
The second way to remove clover from your lawn is to apply selective herbicide which only kills clover weed and doesnt affect your grass. Apply herbicide when the soil is moist and do a little watering after the application of the herbicide to wash away all the herbicide from the leaves of the grass so it doesnt get burned.
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Clover In Lawns: It Was On Purpose
Prior to the 1950s, a standard practice was to add clover seed to lawn-seed blends. Clover effectively competed with other weeds and provided a fairly low-maintenance lawn by providing nitrogen to the grass. Some grass seed blends today continue to include clover seeds.
The suburban, middle class, along with single-family homes with carpets of lawn, grew significantly after World War II. Some of the chemicals developed during the war were now becoming available commercially to homeowners. The first residential herbicides were available in 1945 and was used to kill broadleaf weeds, which includes clover. This made it more convenient to eliminate clover from lawns than promote it.
Although were seeing a trend to again introduce clover to lawns, most homeowners continue to prefer the clover-free, weed-free lawns that have been in vogue for the past seven or eight decades. These folks want to kill clover in their lawn.
How To Get Rid Of Clover In Your Lawn
Are you struggling with clover taking over your lawn?
Its quite normal to have a little clover in your garden if you live in the UK. However, if its out of control, clover can be a bit of a nuisance.
In this guide, weve explained three natural methods to get rid of clover. Weve also explained how to prevent the clover from returning, once youve killed it off.
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Have A Clover Problem
As the weather begins to warm up in Spring and Summer, your garden and lawn will begin to grow. Unfortunately, along with your yard, other common weeds such as dandelions or clovers will likely begin to sprout.
Before you realize it, the entire lawn is a blend of blades of grass and clovers, and at that point theres not much you can do. So the key is to prevent the problem before it spreads.
Killing clover can be difficult because it is a stolon plant, which means it forms an intense and thorough network of roots under the dirt. And because they are so little and grow in large clumps, its hard to manually rip out every single root.
The good news is that if you address your clover problem at the first sign of growth, its much more manageable throughout the year. But first what exactly is clover?
Reason : Microclover Provides Clover Benefits Without Drawbacks
Over the years many people have called us wondering how to eliminate the Clover in their lawns without using chemicals. Once they understand the benefits of Clover they often leave the Clover and even consider purchasing additional Microclover to help make the lawn more uniformly Clover covered!
The image above is of a lawn seeded with our Microclover which flowers much less prolifically than standard White Clover and is aggressive enough to spread evenly through a lawn. We’ve found that lawns planted with Microclover stay greener, healthier, and have fewer weeds than lawns with no Clover. In addition, they need less fertilizer and water. So, if you’re now of the mindset that if you can’t “beat clover, join clover” then you might want to learn a little more about it by visiting our Microclover page. You can also purchase Microclover at our online store.
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Kill Clover In Grass With Plastic
A surefire way to kill clover is to deprive it of what it needs to thrive, which are oxygen and sunlight. Use a garbage bag or other type of plastic sheeting to cover the clover patch. Secure the sheeting down with stakes or heavy objects to prevent it from blowing away.
For best results and to increase your chances of not killing the surrounding grass, only use this method on more extensive patches of clover. Within a few weeks, the plastic sheeting will kill off the clover and any future seeds.
This is also a great way to get rid of crabgrass patches in the lawn or other weeds that occur in a specific area. It also requires very little effort. If you have the time, smothering is an ideal solution for weeds.
Reasons For Killing Clover
With so much going for it, you may wonder why some homeowners consider clover a weed. But they do, and here are some of the reasons they would give:
- Lawn purists often crave uniformity in a lawn. They feel that a lawn should be composed of nothing but grass, giving it a clean, even look.
- Clover puts out a flower that attracts bees. If you have small children playing on the lawn, this can be an unpleasant experience for them.
- Likewise, due to the fact that clover attracts bees, adults may wish to kill it if they are active on their lawns during the summertime.
- If you will be putting your property on the real estate market soon, you should be tailoring your landscaping to what the average buyer wants. Most people prefer the look of a lawn with no weeds, including clover weeds.
However, there is a way to deal with the concern over bee stings without killing your clover. To be on the safe side, simply make sure to mow during the blooming season for clover .
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Use Corn Gluten On Clover
Another way to get rid of clover is to use corn gluten. Corn meal gluten kills off the clover without harming nearby plants. It works by releasing organic dipeptides into the soil. The dipedtides dry out the clovers seeds and make it hard for them to sprout. This well-reviewed product can be used by mixing three parts water to one part corn gluten. One liter of this mixture will cover about 1,000 square feet. Once applied, be sure to water well and then allow it to dry.
Note: While the dipedtides have worked to get rid of clover for some, corn gluten hasnt worked for all, and is therefore not universally regarded as a solution for dealing with clover.
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Clovers grow in most temperate and subtropical parts of the world, excluding Southeast Asia and Australia. The plants are useful as livestock feed and can also be used as green manure. The clover flowers are highly attractive to bees and clover honey is a popular by-product of clover cultivation.
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Corn Gluten Meal Kills Clover
You can purchase corn meal gluten at your local garden centers or online. Kill grass and weeds naturally with this simple staple. The benefit of this method is that it doesnt affect any other plants growth, aside from the clover and weeds you want to eliminate.
How corn meal gluten works to inhibit clover is through dipeptides, which are released into the soil and dry out clover and other weed seeds. Dry seeds have a difficult time sprouting.
Use about 20 pounds of product for every 1,000 square feet of grass. After applying corn gluten, water thoroughly and allow to dry.
Removing The Clover By Hand
In some cases, you can actually dig the clover out of the ground, to remove it from your lawn without the need for weedkillers or other chemicals.
You may remove some areas of grass in the process, but its easy enough to overseed these bare patches, as we have discussed a bit below.
To remove clover, dig around it using a small gardening fork or hand trowel. Clover roots do not go very deep, so the main difficulty in this process is cutting through the initial layer of foliage, especially if clover is growing on top of existing grass.
Pull the clover out of the ground carefully, including its roots, and place it in a bucket or wheelbarrow, to prevent clover seeds from spreading onto other areas of your lawn.
If you see any roots, leaves, or seeds left over, try to carefully remove them from the soil. If doing this would be too difficult, it might be a good idea to smother the affected area for a week or two, to ensure that any remnants of the clover have time to decompose. We have explained how to do this below.
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Use A Vinegar Solution To Kill The Clover
You can also kill clover using a vinegar solution.
To do this, mix one part vinegar with one part water, and a dash of dishwashing liquid.
Add the solution to a spray bottle, and apply it liberally to any areas of clover. Apply it once every couple of days for about two weeks, or until the clover is very brown and is nearly completely dead.
Then, dig around the dead clover and remove it from the ground, or wait a few weeks for it to decompose completely.
Remember, your vinegar solution will also kill your grass, so be careful to apply it in the right place.
How To Get Rid Of Clover Naturally
Manual removal of clover in your lawn can be very difficult. Since its roots are well spread, and the plant is mixed in with large sections of grass, it can be near impossible to segregate the clover from the grass.
If your looking for more effective natural ways to get rid of clover then check out: How to Get Rid Of Clover Naturally
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How Do I Kill The Clover In My Lawn
The best way we find to kill clover is to look at your nitrogen levels and consider a higher nitrogen fertiliser program to effectively deal with any issues in your lawn. Specifically, a thorough spray treatment will kill off the clover roots and the nitrogen will be replenished back into the soil. Put simply, lawns love nitrogen while clover hates it, so reaching for a good quality fertiliser is a must. Broadleaf weed and clover specific sprays are also highly effective at killing off this not-so-lucky charm.
A very common way people use to try and control clover is by just mowing it down. But while mowing your lawn nice and short can keep clover under control to a certain degree, it wont prevent it from growing back and cutting the grass too short could also damage your lawn. Clover has no issues with being mowed short and will likely continue to thrive, which is not what you want. Try to maintain a turf height of 3 inches when treating your lawn for clover.
If clover is growing because of an overwatered or overfed lawn, then the solution is proper lawn care and only watering the grass when it is dry.
Get Rid Of Creeping Charlie
Also known as ground ivy, creeping Charlie can wreak havoc throughout your lawn and garden, forming a dense mat and smothering other plants. Treat the invasive yard nuisance with a broadleaf herbicide, making several applications over the course of several weeks. Another solution is to properly mulch garden beds.
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Is Clover Ok In A Lawn
Clover can be OK in a lawn. It will be welcome if your aim is a wildlife garden, as it provides nectar for insects. And a lawn with flowers can be very desirable. Theres even a growing trend for clover lawns instead of grass versions. But if you want weed-free grass, then getting rid of clover from a lawn is necessary.
Deprive It Of Oxygen And Sunlight
You can kill clover by blocking it from all oxygen and sunlight. Take plastic sheeting or a garbage bag and place it over the patch, securing the corners with rocks to make sure it doesnt fly up. This should get rid of the clover in a few weeks. Be mindful that this approach will also kill any grass that gets under the plastic.
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How To Get Rid Of Clover In Lawns
Clover is great in lawns, but if its not for you, thats OK too. So, what is the best way to remove it?
My first choice for getting rid of unwanted plants in the lawn is to dig them out. Theres no chemicals, no damage to the environment and, provided there are only a few of them, its quick. Remove the clover and make a quick repair with some topsoil mixed with grass seed. Job done.
If your lawn is heavily infested with clover you might want to try a selective herbicide. Clover however, hasnt become the successful plant that it is, by succumbing to weedkillers. Its quite resistant to some herbicides, so do your homework carefully before buying any sprays or treatments. Im not going to mention any brands simply because product availability changes fast and you might be reading this blog in the future. However, a good place to ask questions is the .
A really good, environmentally friendly way to get rid of any weed from your lawn is to cover the weed with something light-proof and literally, keep it in the dark until it dies. So a piece of black plastic, thick cardboard or wood, weighted down and left for a couple of weeks should sort it. Its not a visually attractive solutions and it will kill any grass that is covered up but its a solution just the same.
A regular lawn feeding regime will help to keep clover at bay
Why You May Want To Keep Clover In Your Lawn
You may not like the look of clover, but it can actually benefit your lawn.
- Natural Fertilizer: Clovers symbiotic relationship with beneficial bacteria allows it to absorb nitrogen from the atmosphere. Ultimately, it can make your lawn greener and more lush. However, this will keep it growing and outcompeting your grass.
- Weed Prevention: Mowing your lawn high will prevent weeds from growing, including clover. But if you like short, neat grass thats under 3 inches, letting clover flourish is a solid option. Clovers leaves cast shade over the soil, making it hard for other weeds to take root and grow and compete with your grass.
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How To Get Rid Of Clover In Lawn
While some people might find clover a pretty addition to their lawn, others may wish to get rid of it. There could be several different reasons why you want to get rid of clover in lawn. Some may find it simply gets in the way of the look theyre after, while others might not like the fact that it attracts bees while where kids or pets play.
Whatever the reason, youre likely looking for an answer to the question of how do I get rid of clover in my lawn? Read on to find out some methods for removing clover weeds from your lawn.
