Getting rid of clover in lawns

How to Get Rid of Clover in Your Lawn Naturally

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If you don’t want clover taking over your lawn, there are several natural and organic ways to get rid of it—no harsh chemicals needed.

Reviews by This Old House Reviews Team 11/17/2022 12:00 am

Some homeowners like clover in their lawn, but many don’t. If white clover is springing up and creeping out in patches in your yard, there are several ways you can get rid of it. If you’re interested in going green, there’s good news—you don’t have to use harsh chemicals. There are a number of simple ways to get rid of clover in your lawn naturally.

This Old House has rounded up the best methods for getting rid of clover in your lawn naturally, some of which won’t even harm your grass. Once you’ve eradicated your clover problem, The This Old House Reviews Team recommends hiring a professional lawn care company to keep your lawn healthy, hardy, and robust—much less likely to attract clover. We recommend TruGreen, an industry leader that offers five annual programs and a la carte services.

How to Get Rid of Clover Naturally

Here are the top ways to eliminate clover in your lawn the natural way:

Pull It Out By Hand

For small patches, you can remove the clover manually. Gently loosen the soil with a spade and tug the clover out, roots and all. If you leave any roots behind, the clover will grow back.

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 doesn’t 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.

Spray a Vinegar Solution

Create your own non-toxic weed killer with this natural home remedy.

Mix one cup of vinegar with a cup of water and one drop of dish soap.
Shake it up and spray it onto any patches of clover. The vinegar will dry out the clover’s leaves, and the dish soap will make sure it sticks.
You may need to spray over a series of weeks to kill off the clover completely. Unfortunately, the vinegar can damage grass, so spray the solution carefully.

Apply an Organic Herbicide

You can apply A.D.I.O.S. which is a selective, organic herbicide that will kill clover but not harm surrounding grass. Simply spray it on clover, and the weed will weaken and die.

How to Prevent Clover in Your Lawn

There are a number of ways you can prevent clover from growing in your lawn in the first place.

Spread Organic Fertilizer

Using organic, slow-release, nitrogen-rich fertilizer will make your lawn less hospitable to clover. Some homeowners prefer traditional, fast-release fertilizer because it grows grass quickly and costs less. However, using organic fertilizer will lead to healthier growth in the long run. Common organic fertilizers include cow manure, guano, blood meal, bone meal, earthworm castings, and liquid kelp.

Use Corn Meal Gluten

Corn meal gluten releases organic peptides into your soil, preventing the clover’s growth. This won’t work on existing clover, but will prevent new seeds from sprouting—indiscriminately, so be careful not to use this method if you’ve recently reseeded your lawn.

Luckily, this measure won’t harm existing nearby grass. You can purchase corn gluten meal at your local garden store or online.

Mow Grass High

Clover grows best in grass less than 3 inches tall. This height stresses your grass, making it easier for clover to spread. Mowing your grass high gives it an advantage, making it easier for it to outcompete the clover.

What’s Causing Clover in My Lawn?

There are multiple reasons you could have clover sprouting up in your lawn, most of which have to do with your soil.

Wrong Soil pH: The ideal soil pH—how alkaline or acidic the soil is—for most lawns is between 6.0 and 7.0. If your lawn’s soil is too acidic, it will be harder for grass to grow, and much easier for clover. Luckily, you can use soil amendments like lime to balance out the pH.
Poor Nitrogen Levels: Clover thrives in soil with poor nitrogen levels. Grass needs nitrogen in the soil to grow well, while clover can obtain the nitrogen it needs from the air, effectively making its own fertilizer. Your soil may be low in nitrogen because you’ve used too much fast-acting fertilizer. While they promote rapid grass growth, they can ultimately lower your soil quality. Switching to organic fertilizer like manure or corn meal can help you avoid this.
Compacted soil: Compacted soil prevents your grass from getting the nutrients—including nitrogen—air, and water it needs. Luckily, you can break up compaction with a core or spike aerator.

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: Clover’s 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 that’s under 3 inches, letting clover flourish is a solid option. Clover’s leaves cast shade over the soil, making it hard for other weeds to take root and grow and compete with your grass.

Professional Lawn Care

TruGreen does not offer natural weed control, but with its TruNatural Lawn Care Plan, it offers natural fertilization, which can keep clover from growing in the first place. The lawn care company also offers five different annual programs and a variety of a la carte services so that you can customize your lawn care for your lawn’s unique needs.

To get a free quote, call 866-817-2287 or fill out this easy form.

Frequently Asked Questions

Our Rating Methodology

To provide readers with the most objective, accurate, and detailed recommendations, the This Old House Reviews Team continually researches lawn care service companies on the market. We take the following steps to obtain up-to-date information about the industry and each company we review:

Analyze more than 100 customer reviews from third-party review sites, such as Yelp, the Better Business Bureau (BBB), and Google Reviews, for each company
Secret-shop for lawn care plans and packages to get a sense of cost, offered services, and the overall shopping experience for prospective customers
Speak with representatives on the phone to simulate the customer service experience from each provider
Update information on a regular basis to ensure the most accurate information when plans or services change with each company

We use the data from our research to build an in-depth rating system that allows us to score lawn care providers on a 100-point scale. Here are the factors in our evaluation and their designated scores:

Plan options (30): As one of the most important factors for homeowners shopping for a lawn care service, this one is weighted heavily based on each company’s lawn coverage. Companies that offer more options, such as irrigation, weed control, seeding, and aeration services in addition to a general plan, score higher than others.
Trustworthiness (30): Each company’s reputation is another significant factor for homeowners to consider before signing up for a plan. We scored providers based on their BBB score, accreditation, and offered guarantees available with each purchase.
Additional Benefits (20): We gave extra points to companies that provide a few additional services and benefits with their offered plans, such as organic treatments, pest control services, and a mobile app for digital communication and plan management.
Customer Service (10): In this rating category, we awarded points to customer-focused lawn care service providers who offer weekend availability and easy communication through phones, online chats, and online resources.
Availability (10): We also scored companies based on their overall availability, rewarding those that are nationally available over local companies only operating in select cities or ZIP codes.

To share feedback or ask a question about this article, send a note to our Reviews Team at [email protected].

How to Get Rid of Clover Without Killing Your Grass - Lawn Care Blog

Is clover taking over your backyard? While there are plenty of benefits of having clover in your yard, it can be frustrating for homeowners who are striving for an even, grassy lawn.

Clover can be challenging to get rid of, but you shouldn’t have to destroy your lawn to win the war on clover. There are 7 ways to get your clover problem under control without risking the health of your beautiful green grass.

In this article you will find:

How to get rid of clover

1. Rip it out

If your yard has a few small patches of clover, your best bet might be to simply pull it out of the ground manually. Grab a spade and use it to loosen the soil. Then, pull the clover out, making sure to remove all of the roots. The clover will quickly return if any roots remain. This is an easy DIY and natural way to kill clover without killing your grass.

2. Vinegar mixture

Arria Belli | Flickr | CC BY-SA 2.0

For a natural remedy, make a vinegar-based mixture to kill off the clover. This method can take a couple of weeks of frequent spraying but is a more environmentally friendly option compared to chemical-based sprays or broadleaf weed herbicides.

How to make the mixture:

Ingredients

One cup of vinegar
One cup of water
One drop of dish soap
Spray bottle

Directions

Combine the vinegar, water, and dish soap in the spray bottle. Shake.
Locate the clover and spray the patches, being careful not to spray the surrounding grass.
Spray regularly for a couple of weeks. In time, the vinegar will dry out the clover leaves and kill the plant. The dish soap helps the mixture stick to the clover.
Wait a couple of weeks and reseed with grass seed.

3. Nitrogen boost

Clover thrives in soil with low levels of nitrogen. A simple strategy to get rid of it would be to apply a nitrogen-rich fertilizer to the clover patches. This will deter it from growing and spreading.

A quick and affordable option is to use a fast-release fertilizer, which is especially recommended if you have a lot of clover to get rid of. Or, you can use an organic fertilizer such as:

Cow manure
Bone meal
Liquid kelp
Blood meal
Guano
Earthworm castings

Organic fertilizer is better for the environment but is slower to kill the clover. Fast-release fertilizer will decrease soil quality over time. You don’t need to cover your entire yard, you could just apply it to the problem clover areas. Fast-release fertilizer and organic fertilizer can both be found at most garden and home-improvement stores.

4. Say A.D.I.O.S. with an herbicide

Shutterstock

If you really don’t want to risk damaging any of the grass surrounding the clover patches, it might be a good idea to use an herbicide. A.D.I.O.S. (Advanced Development In Organic Solutions) is an organic herbicide that gets rid of clover and provides weed control without the risk of damaging any surrounding grass growth.

A.D.I.O.S. is non-toxic and safe to use even if you have pets and children who play in the yard. It’s also safe to use on properties near livestock farms and bodies of water. This organic weed killer also works to get rid of dandelion, yellow mustard, ground ivy, and other pesky weeds. It also might help you fight back against or even kill weeds such as ragweed, poison ivy, buckthorn, and similar invasive weeds.

A.D.I.O.S. can be ordered online or bought in-person at your local garden center or home-improvement store.

5. Adjust your mowing height

Clover prefers to grow in areas where the grass is less than 3 inches high. Set your mower to 3 inches or higher and let your grass grow out a bit to deter clover from growing and spreading. If you mow it at a higher setting, your grass will have a better chance of outcompeting the clover.

6. Corn gluten

Marco Verch Professional Photographer | Flickr | CC BY 2.0

Corn gluten can prevent clover from growing and spreading. It releases organic peptides, which deter clover seeds from sprouting. Don’t apply this if you recently seeded your grass, because it will prevent the grass seeds from sprouting as well. It won’t harm any living grass or affect grass growth.

To get rid of clover with corn gluten, spread 20 pounds of corn gluten meal for every 1,000 square feet of clover-infested lawn. Water after applying, and allow to dry.

Corn gluten can be ordered online or bought at any nearby garden centers.

7. Smother it

Clover can’t survive without air and sunlight. If you have large patches of clover, you can get rid of it manually by smothering it. Locate the clover and place a garbage bag or plastic sheet over the patch, making sure to cover all of the clover plants and not too much of the surrounding grass. Use bricks or large rocks to keep the edges of the covering secured to the ground. In a few weeks, remove the plastic sheeting and reseed the area with grass seeds.

This is not recommended for small or irregular patches of clover, because you will risk killing the healthy grass surrounding the clover.

What is clover?

Clover is a member of the pea family and is classified as a legume. It originated in Europe and it made its way to the U.S. in the late 1600s. Today, clover can be grown to use as forage or hay for wildlife or in food plots to attract turkey, deer, rabbits, and other wildlife. There are more than 300 species to choose from.

Clover has a deep root system, which makes it hard to get rid of. It is ideal as a grass alternative in clover-based yards because the deep roots help the clover stay green year-round in northern climates. Clover often has three leaves and can have pink or white flowers.

FAQ

1. How do I identify clover?

The three most common types of clover you’d find in your yard are white clover, red clover, and strawberry clover.

—White clover (Trifolium repens): White clover is a low-growing, hardy clover species, and is the most common type of clover found in lawns. White clover grows quickly and spreads fast. Its florets range in color from white to pink.
—Red clover (Trifolium pratense): Red clover is taller and bushier than white clover. Its florets range from rose to magenta.
—Strawberry clover (Trifolium fragiferum): Strawberry clover is similar to white clover but has white or pink flowers that are smaller than the white clover florets.

2. Why is clover taking over my backyard?

Clover growth could be a sign that your lawn needs some extra TLC.

Make sure you’re watering your lawn properly. Thirsty grass invites broadleaf weeds and stresses out your lawn.

If you are suddenly having problems with clover plants growing in your yard, check to see if your lawn is suffering from one of the following:
—Low nitrogen levels: Clover thrives in nitrogen-poor soil, while grass needs nitrogen-rich soil to survive. Use cornmeal or organic fertilizer to help boost nitrogen levels without sacrificing the quality of your soil.
—Compacted soil: Similarly, compacted soil does not make for ideal grass-growing conditions, but clover can tolerate the lack of nutrients. If you think your soil is compacted, you can loosen it by aerating.
—Unbalanced soil pH: Most lawns prefer a soil pH between 6.0 and 7.0. Red clover can grow in soil with a pH higher than 7, and strawberry clover can grow in a range of pH levels, from 5.3 – 8.2. Get your soil tested and make the necessary adjustments to give your grass a fighting chance.

3. Should you get rid of clover?

Clover isn’t always a problem. There are many benefits of keeping or even planting clover in your yard. Clover helps reduce erosion, fixes nitrogen levels in the soil, is low-maintenance, helps the environment, attracts pollinators, and more. With clover, you can have a green lawn year-round. If you don’t mind having more bees buzzing around, it might be worth keeping the clover and mixing it in with your regular grass seed.

Need a hand saying A.D.I.O.S. to your clover? Contact a local lawn care professional to help you get back to your luscious green lawn.

Main Photo Credit: Couleur | Pixabay

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Sav Maive

Sav Maive is a writer and director based in San Antonio. Sav is a recent graduate from the University of Virginia and is a loving cat and plant mom.

Posts by Sav Maive

How to get rid of clover on the lawn? We remove the clover from the lawn.

Clover is a creeping plant that quickly spreads through the soil, gaining more and more space from other plants every year. Therefore, if clover appears on your lawn, you should immediately start fighting it.

Clover reproduces very well and in a season can destroy all your efforts. But if you've always dreamed of a blooming lawn with clover, which does not require special care, then the appearance of clover should not confuse you. In other cases, the fight against clover on the lawn should be carried out in a timely manner. nine0003

Of particular danger is clover on ornamental lawns. Tender green grass is literally oppressed by clover, which leads to the formation of large bald spots and yellowing of the grass. The lawn becomes unsightly and completely loses its attractiveness. It takes a lot of effort, money and time to remove the clover from the site and bring the lawn back to normal. It is much easier to get rid of the problem as soon as it arises and save yourself the hassle! How to get rid of clover on the lawn, and what emergency measures should be taken if you suddenly find this weed - read below. nine0003

Why and how to remove clover from the lawn

Before you begin to destroy the weed and decide how to deal with clover on the lawn, you need to understand the reasons for the active reproduction of clover and the characteristics of its growth. Why does clover appear:

The weed actively breeds on dry lawns. Therefore, if you left the care of the green lawn for a while, then be prepared for the fact that clover will soon appear on the site.
Bald spots are also a fertile environment for the growth of clover. nine0016
Clover grows thriving on poor soils with low nitrogen content.
If you keep livestock, clover may grow due to the fact that animals carry its seeds from pastures to you. Clover is loved by both rabbits and cattle, such as cows.
Clover seeds are very hardy. Once in the soil once, they can survive the winter and be ready to germinate within 10 years. Therefore, if you recently planted a lawn, then after fertilizing the soil, all weeds can begin active growth, including clover. nine0016

Clover looks unaesthetic, so we will tell you how to remove clover from the lawn as efficiently as possible so that there is no trace of the weed!

There are only two main ways to deal with any weeds on the lawn - mechanical and chemical. Both of them have their advantages and will be discussed in detail in the article.

How to deal with clover on the lawn with fertilizer

One of the reasons for the activation of clover growth is the insufficient amount of nitrogenous fertilizers. Therefore, experienced gardeners have found a simple way out: replenish the supply of nitrogen and the clover will gradually begin to die off. nine0003

This method is only suitable if you are sure that there is not enough fertilizer in the soil. This can be easily checked with special tests that are sold in gardening stores. Do a test before removing weed clover from your lawn. It will show the level of nitrogen in the soil and will not allow you to make a fatal mistake. Excess fertilizer can lead to disastrous consequences - lawn grass can completely die or turn yellow. nine0003

But how do you get clover out of your lawn if you fertilize the soil regularly? Sometimes the simple compound fertilizer you apply every year contains enough nitrogen to keep the clover from growing, but the weed still grows. The main and most effective methods for the destruction of clover are mechanical and chemical - read below!

How to get rid of clover on the lawn by hand

The most effective and commonly used method is mechanical weed removal. This is an ordinary weeding, which, however, should also be done correctly. How to get rid of clover on the lawn: nine0003

Pick up the clover bush and inspect the roots. Often clover has one main root and several small side ones.
Gently pull the bush with your hand around it. If the root does not give in, moisten the ground.
Gently pry off the root with a narrow spatula or root extractor to remove it completely.
Level the area, lightly tamp down with your hand.

These elementary rules help to effectively remove the weed along with the root, preventing it from re-propagating. How to remove clover from your lawn so that it does not return? It is enough to follow the elementary rules that will help to destroy the weed: nine0003

Never mow the lawn if you find clover on it! Beveling only encourages weed growth.
Remove all weeds along with the root.
Pull out all shoots, even small clover shoots.
After removing weeds, cover the entire area with fertilizer and a thin layer of soil.

These simple tips will help you get closer to the perfect lawn and completely eradicate the weed.

How to remove clover from the lawn with chemicals

Chemicals are the key to excellent weed-free turf. Modern herbicides work only on weeds, without damaging the delicate grass of the lawn. This makes the fight against clover on your lawn more effective and reliable - the weed is destroyed within 1-2 weeks and the lawn will again delight you with its fresh green look.

In our online store you will find the best and proven herbicides that are absolutely safe for humans and animals - these are Lontrel and Tornado. Below is a guide explaining how to control clover in your lawn with modern herbicides. nine0003

Dilute the herbicide with water according to the proportion indicated (see package instructions).
Spray your lawn. It is better to do this in the evening in dry calm weather. For greater efficiency, you need to go through the site in two perpendicular directions - along and across.
After a couple of days, water the lawn liberally (if it hasn't rained). The herbicide will soak into the soil and penetrate the roots of the weed.
During the week, the weed may continue to grow actively, however, after a while you will notice how the clover begins to dry out and die. nine0016
After the time specified in the instructions, remove the weed and level the soil.

By following these simple rules, you can easily deal with clover on your lawn!

Back to the list

How to get rid of "intruders"

Weed control is an important part of lawn care. Dandelions and clover are especially annoying, both of these plants spread rapidly, conquering new territories. nine0003

Enemy No. 1 - dandelion

Dandelion is a small plant with a large root that goes a quarter of a meter deep. Seeds are formed on a flower, they are a kind of "parachutes" carried by the wind over long distances. As soon as the "saboteur" manages to get on the ground, he clings to the soil and over time a dandelion will grow out of him.

If the turf is dense and there are no "bald" areas, dandelion seeds are blown away by the wind or simply rot. Therefore, well-groomed lawns are not threatened by the invasion of dandelions. If these plants managed to settle on the site, they must be fought. First you need to pull out the flowers with the root. It is best to do this after heavy rain or watering, then it will be easier to pull the root out of the soil entirely. This method helps to reduce the number of dandelions, but not get rid of them completely. nine0003

A more efficient method is herbicide treatment. The best time is autumn. It is during this period that the roots receive nourishment from the leaves. The control scheme is simple: a herbicide solution is sprayed on the leaves and stems of the dandelion, which then enters the root system of the dandelion. The "enemy" has no chance of survival.

If you do not want to use chemicals, you can prevent dandelions from blooming, carefully monitor the integrity of the green grass cover. Grass is recommended to be left after mowing with a height of 6-8 cm, so that it prevents weed seeds from entering the soil. nine0003

Clover control

Clover is often specially planted on lawns, it creates an excellent cover, with dense turf, blooms beautifully, pleasant to the touch. Clover breeds well, quite often it begins to grow where it was not planned. It is especially unpleasant if this plant appears on parterre lawns and spoils the overall impression. And if the clover gets on the sports lawn, it can result in injury, as the grass surface becomes slippery with it. nine0003

There are two methods of countering clover: mechanical and chemical. At first, it is necessary to pull out the plant along with the root system, and often cut the lawn, preventing the seeds from dispersing. The method is quite effective if it is necessary to destroy small pockets of clover in the middle of the lawn. However, it is difficult to treat large areas in this way.

If the clover has managed to "conquer" a significant area, you will have to use selective herbicides.