Everybody wants a perfect, green lawn, meaning you’ve probably wondered how to get rid of clover in lawns before. It’s a common question that people have when they see this plant growing in large clumps on their grass, and it’s understandable.
At Earth Development, we know how to stop clovers from growing in your lawn, but we also recognize that this plant actually has several benefits for your lawn too.
Nonetheless, we understand why people prefer to have pristine, green lawns, and that’s something we specialize in.
If you want to know the best way to get rid of clover in your lawn and whether those plants in your grass really are clover, be sure to read on!
White Flowers In The Lawn – Is It Clover?
If you see white flowers in lawns in your garden, then the chances are that they’re clover. This small plant, which is technically a weed, has small flowers that are very fragrant and gather in clumps on the lawn. They are most often white, but you may also see pink, yellow, and red flowers from clover.
As we alluded to previously, there are some reasons why you might not want to kill clover in lawns, so let’s take a look at some of those advantages.
Does Clover Have Advantages?
Clover is the best weed you can have in your garden. This perennial weed typically grows in clumps in areas where there is a low amount of nitrogen, and we think there are three reasons why you might want to keep it.
Fertilizes Your Lawn
First of all, clover actually helps fertilize your lawn, which is great for keeping grass strong and healthy. The weed attracts good bacteria at its roots, which absorb nitrogen from the air and bring it back into the soil. That nitrogen is then used by your grass, making it stronger and healthier.
And not only will your lawn be stronger from the nitrogen, but the micro clover fills in gaps in the lawn and makes it appears greener and denser.
Weed Control
Ask yourself…would you rather have a good weed like clover or bad weeds that spread rapidly and cause damage?
Clover shades the soil better than blades of grass, making it harder for weeds to grow. And even if you mow your lawn short, the fact that clover grows so low to the soil means that you’ll still enjoy the protection it offers.
With micro clover in your lawn, you’re far less likely to see dandelions and various other weeds growing.
Micro Clover Has No Disadvantages
Finally, micro clover has no real disadvantages other than personal taste. Some people don’t mind the sight of clover in their lawn, while others might want a lawn completely free from other plants.
In some instances, of course, the clover might look a little overwhelming, and that’s where our tips for how to get rid of clover in grass come in. But, in terms of the general health of your lawn, it causes no damage.
Steps to Get Rid of Clover
Okay, so what kills clover but not grass? There are several steps you can take to prevent clover and gradually decrease its prominence in your lawn.
Fertilize
The first thing to do is to make sure that your lawn is well-fertilized. As we’ve mentioned, clover likes to grow in soil with low nitrogen, so if you keep your lawn fed with an organic, high-quality fertilizer in the spring and the fall, you’ll reduce the chances of clover growing.
Don’t Cut Short
This is how to get clover out of lawns if you’re not super concerned about having an extremely short lawn. By mowing your grass high, you’ll make it harder for the clover (which grows short) to compete with the longer blades of grass for sunlight.
Keep your grass at around three inches in height, and the clover will struggle to grow.
Use Organic Weed Killer
Organic weed killer is a quick and easy way to get rid of weeds, including clover, without hurting your grass. At Earth Development within our weed control services, we prefer to use organic weed killers and pesticides where possible as this does not impact the quality of your soil.
Dig It Out
If you’ve only just noticed clover spreading in your garden, you may have some success by physically removing it. Using your fingers or a trowel, loosen the soil around the clover and pull the weed out by the root. This helps prevent it from spreading.
Conclusion
We hope this is a good guide to help you know how to stop clover in your lawn.
We think it’s important that you know the benefits of clover, but we also provide excellent lawn maintenance services that can free your lawn of weeds entirely.
For a clover-free and beautiful green lawn, our Wisconsin commercial lawn team is ready to help. Call Earth Development today at (920) 406-7501 to get your free quote.