For Cool Season Grasses:
1.Ortho Weed B Gone Plus Crabgrass Control This is a great product to have on hand because of how easy it is to use. It comes with a battery operated wand so theres no need for a tank sprayer. Its the go to post emergent in my 3 product lawn care plan. It kills clover and other broad leaf weeds as well as some undesirable grasses such as crabgrass.
2.Ortho Weed B Gone Chickweed, Clover, Oxalis Kiler This is another Weed B Gone product that has different active ingredients which are more specific in targeting clover. If clover is your main problem and you dont have many other broad leaf weeds then this product is a great choice. It is sold as a concentrate so will require mixing with a tank sprayer.
3.Tenacity Tenacity is a post emergent herbicide that works a little slower than other herbicides. Rather then poisoning the plant, it works by blocking photosynthesis. With Tenacity, it might take 7-10 days before you begin to see whitening of the plant. Eventually it will look like your treated weeds are bleached.
You may also see some grass blades turning white in the treated areas. Dont be alarmed. Tenacity is a selective herbicide and in my opinion does the best job of targeting the undesirable grasses such as Poa Annua while protecting the desirable grasses.
Also note that you might see some temporary whitening of the desirable grasses but they will ultimately green back up after a couple of mows.
Check out pic below from when I treated my clover using tenacity
Dragging Or Reducing With Hands
This is also a simple and budget free process. Most people use this method in a hurry-up but without ant usage of hand gloves. Thats why after digging with handsome timed skin elegy occurs.
So in this method, you should wrap up gloves on your both hand and dragging or strains the clovers with both hands until cloves are uprooted.
You should Remember while dragging clovers on the lawn try to streched clovers to be uprooted not only the upper plant layer. If you drag or stretched only the upper clover plant layer it does not eliminate or removes permanently.
Keep The Lawn In Good Health To Keep Clover Out
Keeping Clover out of our lawns, as well as most other weeds and diseases, is overwhelmingly a case of keeping the lawn as healthy as possible, including keeping up Nitrogen levels to the lawn soil.
If you havent already, begin implementing a good quality year-round organic lawn fertilising program.
This should be enough to help keep the lawn in good health and keep Nitrogen levels high enough in the soil that Clover will not take over again.
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Identify Clover Plants Correctly
Clover comes in a wide variety of species, and the kind of clover you might find in your landscaping is mainly determined by where you live.
Perennial Clover
In the United States, most clover falls into the perennials category. Perennial clover can live for two to three years, but it does not reseed well. You can find perennials such as white clover all over the United States. Another perennial, red clover,also grows nationwide but is more common in the northern and midwestern states.
Perennial varieties flower throughout the summer and stop growing only when they run out of water. These broadleaf weeds spread by seeding and through nodes that take root as the plant grows.
Annual Clover
Other, less-common clovers, such as arrowleaf clover and subterranean clover, are annuals. These plants complete their life cycles in a single year. Arrowleaf is most commonly found in the region stretching from East Texas to Georgia, while subterranean clover thrives in the temperate climates of the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 7.
Annual clovers germinate in the fall and continue to live through winter and early spring. They make use of winter rainfall for their hydration needs.
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 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
Ensure Optimal Conditions For Herbicide Application
Weeds need to be in a stage of active growth in order to be susceptible to the effects of herbicide. For clover, this means that the herbicide should be applied when there is a daytime temperature of at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Attempting to apply the herbicide when the temperature is any cooler than this will garner little to no results, and if the temperature is hotter than this, the herbicide is likely to damage the surrounding grass in addition to killing the weeds.
Its also important that the herbicide is applied onto a dry lawn, as dew, rain, and irrigation water will dilute the product and prevent it from sticking to the clover. Lastly, you should mow the grass before applying the product.
Its usually advised not to mow the lawn before applying a weed killer, as in doing so youre reducing the size of the weed, thus reducing the size of the target for the product. However, it is recommended to do so when trying to get rid of clover, otherwise the tall grass may block the product from reaching the low-growing weed. With that said, you should avoid mowing for at least 24 hours after the application to give it time to work its way down to the clover.
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Spray Clover Killer For Lawns
Clover is a common enough weed that many herbicides are made specifically with them in mind. An excellent way to combat clover is to purchase a clover killer herbicide. Providing you use a selective herbicide you can use a spray clover killer to spot treat small patches of clover in your lawn.
In addition, spray clover can be used if clover has begun to grow from cracked paving, driveways, or gravel paths.
Best Time To Spray Clover In Lawns
Its best to spray clover in the early spring, as this is when the weed is emerging most. However, some types of clover will sprout at other times, such as white clover during fall. Many others will be a nuisance year-round, so do some research to see how best to handle your specific species of clover.
In terms of the time of day, you should spray clover before it gets too hot out. High temperatures can cause the herbicide to evaporate away or dry too quickly. This means that early morning near sunrise is a great time to spray the clover invading your lawn.
How Often To Apply Clover Killer
Clover killer doesnt need application too frequently. If youre lucky, you may not need to reapply the herbicide at all, with one application being enough to handle the weeds.
The chances are that youll need at least two applications, though, as clover is exceptionally persistent. Expect to spray every six weeks as long as the clover persists.
Why Some People Want Clover In Their Lawn
On a side note, it might surprise you to know that some people actually choose to add clover to their lawn. This is due to the fact that clover prevents weeds, fertilises your lawn by adding nitrogen, attracts bees, is soft to walk on, makes your lawn appear greener and shades the soil well. In fact, back in the 1950s and 60s, the optimum lawn mix was around 20% clover. For all these reasons, many people encourage the growth of clover in their lawn and even add in additional microclover to give more uniform clover coverage.
However, if you prefer the look of a smooth, velvety lawn without the distraction of clover flowers and wide leaves, youll need to thoroughly remove this prolific weed. Heres how to do it.
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Cover It With A Plastic Sheet
One way to remove clover is to limit its access to air and sunlight. You can do so by placing a dark plastic sheeting such as a garbage bag on top of the clover. Secure the corners so it wont blow away. Use this method only on large clover patches. Otherwise, surrounding grass will probably experience collateral damage.
Why Do I Have Clover In My Lawn
Clover can appear in your lawn for a few reasons, usually due to problems with your soil.
- Low nitrogen levels: Clover grows well in soil with low nitrogen levels. Grass requires nitrogen-rich soil to thrive, but clover absorbs the nitrogen it needs from the air and then uses it to make its own fertilizer. You can avoid this by using an organic fertilizer such as manure or corn meal.
- Compacted soil: Your grass cant get the nutrients, air, and water it needs if the dirt is too compressed. Use a core or spike aerator to break up the soil.
- Too acidic: Most lawns flourish with a soil pH between 6.0 and 7.0. If your lawns soil is overly acidic, grass will struggle to grow while the clover will thrive. Use soil amendments, such as lime to balance the pH levels.
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Deprive Clover Of Sunlight
If youve been wondering how to get rid of clover, weve got you covered. If youre dealing with a large clover patch and youre willing to sacrifice your grass, place plastic sheeting, or a large garbage bag, over the clover. Be sure to secure the perimeter so the plastic doesnt fly off. Keep the clover covered for a few weeks. Depriving it of sunlight and oxygen should do the trick will kill it .
To start over with new grass, first youll have to determine if you want to use seed or sod. This discussion will help.
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.
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A Useful Past And Fun Facts
- Clovers specifically Trifolium repens have for centuries been domesticated ground cover plants or livestock forage plants.
- Clover is a legume, in the same plant family as peas, beans, and peanuts.
- While it is native to the Mediterranean, it was introduced into the United States early in the colonial days.
- Today, it grows readily from Canada to Texas, from Florida to Alaska.
Why Is Clover Taking Over My Backyard
If you are experiencing a sudden invasion of clovers in your lawn then it might be because of the following reasons:
- Your lawn has low nitrogen levels: Clover is part of the legume family which means its a plant that fixes the nitrogen of the soil by producing its own nitrogen. Therefore, when the nitrogen levels of the soil are low, clover will thrive in such a lawn as it does not require nitrogen to grow while your grass does.
- The pH of your soil is unbalanced: Most turfgrass prefers a pH range of 6.0 to 7.0 to grow healthily but there are no such restrictions for some species of clovers. Strawberry clover has a wide range of pH tolerance from 5.3 to 8.2 while red clover can thrive in soils with pH higher than 7.0.
- Your soil is compacted: Compacted soil can suffocate your grass as proper air, nutrients and water are not available for it. But clover does not require a lot of nutrients therefore it can grow even in compacted soil.
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Mow Longer Grass On Lawn
Clover is a short weed that stays close to the ground. That makes it great in yards that have shorter grass as well. If the grass is short, the clover can grow taller than the grass itself and effectively choke it out.
To counteract clovers strangling tendencies, do your best to keep your grass high. Never mow your grass less than three inches tall to help stop clover from getting a foothold. By maintaining high grass, your lawn stays healthy while clover isnt able to overtake it.
How To Get Rid Of Yellow Clover
After dandelion, yellow clover is the most common type of weed that you may find on your lawn. It grows very aggressively and hampers the growth of grass and plants in the yard. If not controlled in time, it starts flowering and produces seeds that keep it regrowing.
You also need to identify if youre dealing with yellow clover or yellow woodsorrel. One way you can tell the difference is by looking at the leaves and foliage of the plant. Yellow Clover has much darker leaves that are a bit smaller than yellow woodsorrel.
Yellow Clover has interconnected roots that have several plants growing from a single source. To get started, you use a weed removal tool to uproot it from its root. While pulling, make sure you dig deeper into the ground and avoid breaking off the roots.
It may be possible to physically remove the yellow clover with its root if you have a small lawn, but in a large yard, this approach may not be practical.
In that case, you can use a herbicide such as Bonide Ready to use clover and other weed killers that kill the yellow clover without damaging the grass or other plants.
You can also apply high nitrogen into the soil during the spring and fall. As yellow clover-like to grow in a low nitrogen environment, the high nitrogen level in the soil prevents the growth of yellow clover.
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What Damage Does Clover Do To My Lawn
As Ive explained, clover isnt particularly damaging, per se, but it can overtake your lawn if left to nature. In fact, clover naturally fertilises your grass because it draws nitrogen into the soil, which helps boost the green colour of your lawn.
And clover takes up the space that other, more damaging, weeds might take root.
However, getting rid of clover in your lawn is an aesthetic choice. And ultimately, the best way to avoid clover is to ensure that your grass plants are as healthy as possible.
Clovers Are Pollinator Friendly
Clover flowers attract pollinators like honey bees. Especially with many pollinators losing their habitats, having a clover lawn can be a safe haven for them. Having honey bees around is good for your garden, honey production, and the environment. Just be careful to avoid bee stings and wasps.
Want an added bonus? Many pollinators are natural pest control, saving you even more hassle and money.
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Fertilize Your Lawn With Ammonium Sulfate
Ammonium sulfate might sound like a harmful chemical, but it is actually an inorganic salt containing 21% nitrogen and 24% sulfur. Widely used as fertilizer for alkaline soils, ammonium sulfate releases nitrogen into the soil while lowering its acidity.
This nitrogen-rich fertilizer not only helps grass grow but also controls clover. The bacteria in clovers roots engage in a process called nitrogen fixation, which is directly related to plant growth. By permeating the soil with nitrogen in ammonium sulfate, you increase its nitrogen levels, limiting the roots ability to fixate and grow.
You can purchase ammonium sulfate at a hardware or garden store and follow the directions on the container. Alternatively, you can contract with a lawn fertilizer service.
Water The Lawn Once Or Twice Weekly
Overwatering waterlogs the soil and encourages clover to grow on the lawn.
To ensure your grass gets only enough moisture, water the lawn once or twice per week, depending on the type of soil and grass in your yard. Check if the grass blades leave dry footmarks when walking to know when to water your lawn.
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Dish Soap Is What Kills Clover But Not Grass
If you are looking for a natural weed killer to kill off your clover problem, you can create a home made weed killer. Many gardeners have reported excellent results when used as a spot treatment.
To make this simple DIY weed killer spray, fill the spray bottle just shy of full with vinegar and add a few drops of dish soap. Shake the bottle to mix the ingredients.
Spray generously on clover as a spot treatment for clumps or use it as a spray for dandelions or other ugly weeds that sprout where you dont want them to. When spraying, do so with caution, as this weed killer may kill surrounding plants.
