Having a lawn requires consistent maintenance for a healthy and beautiful-looking turf. Sometimes, a low-growing plant, clover, can crop up among the grass. If you don’t like the idea of small whitish flowers scattered throughout the grass, it may be frustrating to see clover. The good news is this plant isn’t harmful and there is a way to remove it without harmful chemicals that can contaminate the soil, water, or wildlife.
We spoke to a horticulturist on what clover is, how to remove and prevent it, and the surprising benefits of having clover grow in the grass.
What Is Clover?
Clover is a perennial that grows in cooler weather and easily grows in pastures, meadows, near the roadside, and in the lawn. A part of the legume family, clover can ‘fix’ nitrogen, an essential nutrient for plant health, into the soil. “Nitrogen is the mineral nutrient that plants, and especially turfgrasses, need in the highest abundance,” says Cory Tanner, Horticulture Program Team Director for Clemson University Cooperative Extension. “A lack of nitrogen is often a limiting factor for lawn growth.”
Clover is low-growing and produces small white flowers sometimes with a hint of pink in the warmer months. It tends to grow well in areas where fertilizer isn’t used, so it can indicate areas that aren’t as fertile. Clover is often considered a weed, but a better way to think of a weed is a ‘plant out of place,’ because clover is used to improve soil quality, assists with erosion control and was previously added to lawn mixes, per the Clemson Cooperative Extension Home and Garden Information Center.
How To Remove Clover
Once clover has sprouted and the flowers are blooming, you’ll easily spot this perennial. The best way to remove clover and not rely on any chemicals is to pull it out by hand. “Hand digging and hand pulling of clover is the main way to remove it without herbicides,” says Tanner…