+ 9 Powerful Removal Tactics for a Weed-Free Backyard
Trying to decide how to get rid of clover in lawns brings up a wealth of questions. Especially as clover looks pretty and benefits bees and butterflies. You feel guilty for wanting to kill off something that is essentially a plant growing in the wrong place. And, you want to do your best to keep your yard free of clover. But how?
If you are looking for a smooth, uniform lawn, then clover has no place in your plans. And knowing how to get rid of clover safely and effectively without killing your grass is a must. Read on to discover 9 powerful removal tactics to get rid of clover in lawn.
What is Clover and Why Eliminate Clover in your Backyard?
Clover is a small plant immediately identified by its 3 leaves – unless you are lucky enough to find an elusive four-leaved clover! Distinctive pink or white ball-shaped flower heads top the leaves, attracting pollinators and is similar to plants in the pea family. Clover is low growing and fast spreading, earning itself the title of a weed, rather than a thing of beauty for most people.
For some, however, clover’s redeeming features help to save it from banishment. Here are a few reasons you may wish to consider keeping clover in your lawn, rather than getting rid of it:
- Stays green all year round
- Needs little in the way of either water or feed
- Provides nutrients to your soil
- Happy whether you mow your lawn often, or occasionally
- Keeps other weeds at bay
- Attracts pollinators
Of course, it’s personal preference, but for some clover is a nuisance and spoils the overall look of your lawn. If you are searching for bowling green quality, then clover in lawn is not the right plant for you.
Why is My Lawn full of Clover?
Remarkably, clover worms its way into your lawn to fix a nutrient deficiency in your soil. Under nourished land will attract clover, providing nitrogen in return for a home in your grass.
Therefore, keeping your lawn well fertilized and healthy is one way to deter clover from establishing itself.
Another way of discouraging clover from seeding is to keep your soil aerated. Compacted lawn weakens your grass making it easy for clover to take hold. Regularly spiking the grass opens up drainage, lets air reach the roots and helps uptake of nutrients. Why not check out our lawn care tips and maintenance guide for year round healthy grass?
How do You Keep Clover from Spreading?
Following on from why your lawn is full of clover, keeping it weed-free is about growing healthy grass on well fed soil. It is so much easier to tend your lawn on a regular basis, than having to carry out remedial work once weeds become established.
Does Clover Come Back Every Year?
As a perennial weed, clover will continue to come back each year. Clover also has a creeping root system and will colonize any areas of your lawn not in tip-top condition. Maintaining a good feed and weed program will encourage clover to look elsewhere.
Should I Kill the Clover in My Lawn?
As mentioned before, clover in your lawn is something of a personal choice. If you don’t manage it, you could well end up with a lawn full of clover, and no grass. If you mow your lawn regularly to a short height, you will be adding stress to the lawn, encouraging clover to take its place.
Clover is, well … very much ‘in clover’ when competing grass is kept low, as it’s a tough opponent. It will effectively hoover up available nutrients and water leaving your lawn literally worn down by the battle to thrive.
How to Get Rid of Clover in Lawn: 9 Powerful Removal Tactics
The art of geting rid of clover in lawn is choosing a method that kills clover and not the grass. Obviously, you don’t want to kill the grass needlessly, but you also don’t want to endanger wildlife, children or animals in the process.
Here then, are 9 powerful, proven removal tactics you may want to consider:
- Pull out by Hand – This is a good tactic if you only have a small amount of clover to remove. First loosen the soil around the roots of the weed and pull. Be sure to clear away all roots, as if left, the clover will return.
Corn Gluten – You may well be surprised to see corn gluten listed here as a way to get rid of clover in lawn. And, no, it’s not the corn meal you’ll find in grocery stores! Corn gluten is a by-product of the wet milling process used to produce corn starch and corn syrup from corn.
As you can see, it’s a natural product and contains around 10 percent nitrogen. It is the large amount of nitrogen clover dislikes and will turn up it’s toes as a consequence. However, a note of caution. You do need to make certain you are buying the right product, otherwise you could simply be feeding the local wildlife population in a way you didn’t anticipate!
Spray with a Vinegar Mix – If you’re looking for a remedy straight off your kitchen shelves, look no further than vinegar. As an environmentally friendly solution it ticks many boxes, along with being a cheap way to get rid of clover in your lawn.
Mix vinegar with a small amount of dish soap, fill a spray bottle and administer. Be careful when applying to only spray on still days and only treat the clover, otherwise you will kill healthy grass.
Adjust Mowing Height – Leaving your grass to grow about 3 inches above the surface of the lawn will help to crowd out the clover. As a low growing plant clover is not able to grow upwards to compete, so lack of light causes it to die back.
Increase Hydration – There’s no doubt that lack of water to your lawn encourages the growth of clover. Therefore, watering your grass frequently will keep your lawn healthy and growing thickly. As with many things horticultural, it’s a balancing act. But finding the sweetspot will certainly help.
Smother Your Weeds – Without light and oxygen clover will not survive. Secure plastic sheeting across the clover and leave for a few weeks. This is not a tactic to use unless you have a large patch of clover to get rid of, as surrounding grass will also die if covered over.
Reseed Your Patches – Don’t let bare earth become the victim of rampant clover! There is nothing clover loves more than abandoned soil, as it sees the perfect spot to regenerate. Follow our guide on how to plant grass seed for thriving lawns for best practices.
Give Your Lawn a Nitrogen Boost – Treating your lawn to a nitrogen boost is the horticultural equivalent of a spa session. Your grass will love you! A nitrogen-rich weed and feed knocks clover on the head and will green up your lawn in no time.
Say Goodbye to Clover with Herbicide – When you have a particularly stubborn patch of clover you may want to try something hard-hitting. Choose a systemic herbicide which disrupts normal growth killing the weed.
This type of weedkiller targets broadleafed weeds, leaving your grass to continue growing. However, it’s always better to be cautious when using chemicals and spot-spraying the offending weeds is best.
How to Get Rid of Clover in Lawn For Bowling Green Perfection
How to get rid of clover in lawn is not a one-and-done type of process. It may take you several attempts, perhaps trying different methods. You’ll soon find the method that works best for you and be creating a thick, healthy, clover-free lawn.
Why not take a look at our library of useful articles filled with great tips and guides on how to create beautiful backyard surroundings? Cresco Spreaders are dedicated to helping you with your home and estate needs, whether for summer fertilizer spreaders, seed planters or winter salt spreading.
