![]() ![]() Checkout Simplemost for additional stories. ![]() This story originally appeared on Simplemost. The beauty is that if you’re a homeowner, you get to decide. It’s not that clovers are bad, people just used to want a lawn consisting of 100% grass and now they are coming around to lawns that are either 100% clover or a mix. When you think about it, a weed is simply a plant you don’t want growing in a particular spot. The good news is that clover seed is highly affordable on average, although prices have reportedly risen in recent years. But the Old Farmer’s Almanac says you can significantly strengthen clover by combining it with grass, rather than relying on it alone.Ĭlover is a short-lived perennial, so you may need to reseed every two to three years, which could be viewed as a negative. Even though staining is a frequent issue with grass lawns, it is significantly worse when you have a clover lawn. If you are constantly having teenagers play soccer in the backyard, a clover yard may not be a good fit. The biggest issue is that clover doesn’t handle heavy foot traffic as well as grass, where extensive wear and tear occurs. It’s also known to be bee-friendly, as it encourages pollinators to visit, which could be a major negative if you have a family member with a bee allergy.Īside from their bad-weed reputation, there honestly are not a lot of cons to clover lawns. If you have a dog, you likely know how quickly urine spots can turn your green grass into a yellow mess. They also tolerate both cold and hot weather, making clover lawns unfussy choices. The more you reduce the amount of synthetic herbicide used on your lawn, the more you can increase its biodiversity. This gas benefits plants and soil within proximity. These eco-friendly yards grow in low-fertility soil and eliminate the need for fertilizer, saving you some money and hassle.ĭid we mention that a yard full of clover is pretty to look at? They are more textured than traditional grass landscapes, which may bother some traditionalists, but they offer a sense of unorganized natural beauty that is hard to resist.Ĭlovers are in the legume family and take nitrogen from the air and transfer it to the ground. Perhaps the biggest immediate benefit to clover lawns: rather than weekly mowing, they only need to be mowed a few times per year. If you are interested in planting clover, The Old Farmer’s Almanac recommends adding it to existing grass for maximum strength but says it’s easy to plant on its own if you mix the seed with enough sand to make for simple spreading. If you’re unsure if your soil is right for clover, check in with your local nursery before introducing them. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 10 and will spread faster in shady places. In short, simply let these weeds do their thing if you see clover popping up.Ĭlover does well in U.S. Rather than fighting with the clover and trying to control it, they’re simply letting it take over. For starters, those who already have a few areas where clover has sprouted are changing course. People are leaning into this trend in a few different ways. Keep reading for some ways to put this plant to work in your lawn or just to satisfy your curiosity about this new lawn care trend. Some varieties of clover even flower, like Dutch clover, which is also known as white clover. While clovers were once thought of as pesky weeds, they are now being looked at as a hassle-free alternative to grass.Ĭlovers are easily identified by their shamrock leaves and they are able to densely cover ground space in a hurry. It’s called clover lawns, and the name pretty much explains it all. Should you be growing one By Alaine Connolly DecemI was raised to believe that clover is an undesirable weed that needs to be removed. Since it is nitrogen fixating, it can supply its own nutrients.There’s a new trend sweeping the country and it’s geared toward people who want to cut back on lawn maintenance but still enjoy a soft green landscape. A clover lawn has many benefits that you may not know about. ![]() In fact, clover in a lawn is often a sign of low nitrogen levels in soil because it does so much better than grasses. Grows In Bad SoilĬlover can thrive in low fertility soils. Unlike grass, clover is highly resistant to this and helps maintain a uniformly green lawn. Resists Pet Urineĭog owners usually have brown spots in their lawn from their pet’s urine. Clover spread throughout a lawn can make it appear green year round. If you see clover patches in lawns in the summer, it is usually green, while the rest of the lawn is brown and dormant. Drought TolerantĬlover grows deep roots and needs less water to stay green than grasses. In lawns, it provides a constant trickle of fertilizer to itself and surrounding grasses – making the whole lawn more lush, green, and healthy. ![]() Clover, like all legumes, takes nitrogen from the air and through a chemical reaction, deposits it in the ground as an absorbable fertilizer. ![]()
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