Last Updated on November 22, 2023 by admin
What is a Clover?
Clover is the most widely recognized perennial weed worldwide, growing strongly on lawns and gardens. A persistent ground cover grows in its place without growing tall. This plant looks like a lot of other common weeds, however.
What does a clover plant look like?
A clover flower can be easily recognized; chances are you have seen one before without knowing what it was.
A clover flower consists of spikes of flowers borne in a flower head. Their shape is roughly spherical, and their colors range from red to purple and white to yellow.
With their lovely nectar, these very fragrant flowers attract many different pollinators and humans! It is best to avoid this since ground dwellers are susceptible to sullying from various species and urban pollution.
Fruit is produced in flower in the form of seed pods enclosed in the calyx. A seed pod contains one or two seeds that fall to the ground and grow into a new plant!
What causes Clover to grow?
Your lawn doesn’t grow clovers randomly. Several factors determine Clover’s growth, and here are the most common ones:
- An excessively high or low soil pH.
- Nitrogen deficiency in the soil.
- Mowed the grass too short.
- The lack of moisture in the ground.
- It is a compacted garden (there is not enough organic matter).
How to get rid of Clover in Lawn (without Chemicals)?
If you want to eliminate Clover naturally from your lawn, you have several choices. The natural clover killer tactics below may be suitable for your yard, depending on its particular situation.
1. Use of Natural Fertilizer
Clover thrives in a low-nitrogen environment. Use a slow-release, high-nitrogen fertilizer to discourage clover growth and encourage grass to grow. Clover will die off, and your grass will reclaim areas of your yard that had been lost to Clover. On the market today are several organic fertilizers containing high nitrogen content. You can find many of these products at your local hardware, home, and garden store, as well as online. Choosing a fertilizer that provides eight weeks of fertilization is crucial, which is better for your lawn long-term.
In addition to feather meal, aged poultry manure is excellent for fighting Clover and promoting healthy grass growth. To boost the nitrogen content of your compost and compost tea, you can add horse manure or alfalfa pellets to your compost pile. When attempting to remove Clover from lawns, avoid using quick-release fertilizer. They end up damaging the soil, reducing soil nitrogen levels over time and encouraging clover growth.
Block airflow and sunlight
Clovers need exposure to light and air to survive. Depriving Clover of these needs is one way to remove it from your lawn naturally. Smother the Clover by covering it with dark plastic sheeting or trash bags and weighing it down with rocks. The Clover will die off in 2–3 weeks. The bare soil left behind will require you to reseed it or keep it weed-free until grass reclaims this portion of your lawn. You may need a long time to reclaim bare spots depending on the growing season or your climate.
3. Employ weeding tools
Hand removal of the Clover is, of course, possible. The entire clover plant and the root system can be removed by digging with a trowel or other tool to loosen the soil. In contrast to other invasive plants, clover plants have relatively shallow roots, making them easier to remove and prevent regrowth.
Use corn gluten meal
Clover removal is less of a goal with corn gluten meal as it is to prevent clover growth. The natural product corn gluten meal is available in most hardware and home improvement stores. A lawn treated with corn gluten meal will dry out seedlings and prevent them from growing. In this way, Clover will not be able to take root in your yard. Despite this, corn gluten meal is not discriminatory. Furthermore, it prevents grass seeds from germinating, so avoid using it on freshly seeded lawns.
It is possible to prevent Clover from retaking a lawn that has recently been freed from it using corn gluten meal. When you have removed all the weeds from your yard, you can use cornmeal gluten to prevent Clover from returning.
5. Use of Vinegar
By combining vinegar with dish soap, you can make a natural clover killer. (Combine a dime’s worth of dish soap for every cup of vinegar.) Spray this solution on the leaves and stems of clover plants using a spray bottle. Clover leaves will cling to the dish soap, allowing the vinegar to penetrate the leaf cuticle, killing it. You may continue to see clover problems with vinegar-based herbicides as the weed does not die at the root.
How to Get Rid of Clover in Lawn (with Chemicals)
Chemical treatment is the preferred option if time is a concern. Clover and other weeds can also be controlled with these two chemicals.
1. Use of Herbicides
Weed control is accomplished by herbicides such as 4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid. Killing and preventing clover growth is quick and effective. There is no discrimination in its use; however, you must be cautious when applying it to avoid killing beneficial plants.
2. Use of Ammonia
Clovers can also be removed with ammonia sulfate, another top choice among gardeners. Using ammonia when the grass is moist is the best way to achieve the desired results. This means that, before you apply this chemical to patches of clovers, you should water the grass.
Final Thoughts
Even though Clover is a weed, it is not entirely wrong. It is even used as fertilizer by some gardeners. Despite this, other plants and grass still suffer from its presence. If you want to protect your turf grasses, you can use the above methods to kill clovers once and for all.
FAQs
Identifying Clover is relatively straightforward, unlike other weeds. Glowing green, the Clover is a beautiful plant. It has three white crescents on each half-inch leaf with three small petals.
The plants in your garden will not be affected by the weed even though it is a weed. However, it doesn’t cause direct harm to your plants despite their aggressive growth. Usually, its roots do not entangle themselves with your plants’ roots due to their shallowness.
If your cats and dogs consume Clover in large quantities, they can potentially become poisoned. It sounds strange because dogs and cats are not livestock, but Clover is grown for forage crops for livestock.
Proper lawn care practices and preventative maintenance are the best ways to deal with Clover in your yard. The best way to prevent problems with your lawn is to take care of them before they arise.
Keep ensuring your soil’s pH and fertility level. Mow your lawn correctly and waters it. This is the best way to handle Clover and keep your lawn healthy.
Typically, the best herbicide is a selective post-emergent broadleaf herbicide. The herbicides which contain Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, Mecoprop, and Dicamba are best. Moreover, Bonide’s Clover Killer, which prevents Mecoprop, works quite well.
