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How To Get Rid Of Clover In Lawns

Should I Leave The Clover In My Lawn

How To Get Rid Of Clover In Your Lawn

These days, as people become more aware of the environmental and health hazards of herbicides, its becoming more common to cultivate more natural, diverse, and sustainable lawns.

Keeping clover in your lawn is actually a significant step towards creating a more sustainable lawn, and could save you a lot of time and money in the long run.

Will Weed Killer Remove Clover In Lawns

If you don’t want to leave your clover to grow, and the methods above don’t seem to be making a dent in the invasion, then it may be time to call in the best weed killers.

According to the RHS, white clover is relatively susceptible to weed killer with dicamba and mecoprop-P, and may be eliminated after one or two applications.


Lesser yellow trefoil , however, is tougher to get rid of with most lawn herbicides, as is birds foot trefoil, another clover-like species. Look for products containing fluroxypyr to tackle it.

The RHS adds how applying weed killer after August can be less effective. ‘As the majority of clovers found in lawns self-seed freely, further applications the following spring will inevitably be required.’

And if you’re looking for an alternative to traditional weed killers? ‘During late spring, apply a liquid iron,’ says David. He explains how the natural product will stress the leaf blades, allowing the grass to outcompete it. These organic products can work for eradicating moss and dandelions from lawns, too, and they won’t damage the grass itself.

Whatever weed killer you go for, just be sure to follow the instructions carefully on the label, and keep them out of reach of children and pets.

Mow Your Lawn Higher Than 3 Inches

Clover is a low-growing plant with a shallow root system. Consequently, it does not grow as tall as the surrounding grass. If you set your mowers deck to three inches or higher, it will keep your grass higher than your clover, thus depriving the weed of sunlight.


While you might like the look of a close-cropped lawn, such a deep cut can harm your plants health. As a rule, cut no more than one-third off your grass during a single mowing session. Set your mowing height and your calendar accordingly.

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Lsa Fertiliser Premium Lawn Food

We recommend you use a high NPK fertiliser, specifically one with high levels of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. The LSA Fertiliser Premium Lawn Food is a good option and is going to improve the overall health and growth of your lawn while making it a nitrogen-rich environment that clover wont be able to stand.

Just remember to always read the label for the best advice on application rates and be sure to water-in well after spreading on your lawn. We guarantee that after one or more applications your lawn should be in great condition, with significantly less clover action.

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What Attracts Yellow Jackets To Your Yard

5 Easy Steps To Rid Your Lawn of Unlucky Clover

There are five primary factors that attract yellowjacket nests to your grass:

1. Strongly scented trash cans 2. The presence of food sources 3. Sweet things left outside 4. Sweet scents worn on people 5. The presence of pest prey

If any of these factors are present around your house during the spring or early summer, your risks of acquiring a yellow jacket nest go up exponentially.

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Fertilizer Rich In Nitrogen

It is often the lack of nitrogen that damages the lawn and promotes the emergence of clover. The application of such a fertilizer therefore eliminates this weed. Choose the type of fertilizer to use based on the condition of the clover in your lawn. If there are only small spaces covered by clover, choose an organic fertilizer. If not, apply a quick-release fertilizer to kill the weed immediately. Spray the fertilizer directly on the clover once a month, preferably in the spring, or according to the directions on the product label.


Quick tip: Clover is a plant that naturally produces nitrogen so you can get rid of it and use it as fertilizer for your lawn!

Organic And Pet Safe Clover Killer

If you have pets in your house, using specific methods of killing clover and other weeds can be dangerous. Spreading chemicals around the yard the family dog runs around and plays in can drastically affect their health. Fish especially are vulnerable to the dangers of herbicide, making it difficult to use weed killer near a pond or fish habitat.

To handle this, look into organic and pet-safe clover killers. In addition, consider these two excellent pet-safe choices to deal with your clover problem.

Corn Gluten Meal

Corn gluten has become highly popular as an organic way to handle weeds. Corn gluten works by stopping seeds from forming roots, making it useful as a pre-emergent weed killer that can be used to prevent weeds from germinating or emerging. If your lawn already has clover, corn gluten meal will not help.

Timing is vital when using corn gluten meal, and some conditions may make it impossible to use. For example, if its too wet after germination, the cornmeal will not stop the seeds from sprouting fully.


Because of these issues, using corn gluten meal as your only herbicide is not advisable. Instead, its best if you use it with other herbicides and weed controllers. With proper application, corn gluten meal is fantastic at stopping weeds from ever taking hold in your lawn.

Horticultural Vinegar

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Getting The Soil Ready

  • 1Test your soil pH. Start by determining whether you have the right kind of soil to allow clover to thrive. Most varieties of clover do best in soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0, although some do well in soil with a pH as high as 8.5.XResearch source Purchase a soil testing kit from your local nursery or garden center. A soil testing kit can also tell you if your soil has any nutrient or mineral deficiencies.
  • If your soil pH is too low, you can adjust it by adding lime to the soil.
  • Correct a soil pH that is too high by mixing in peat moss or sawdust.
  • You may need to allow up to 6 months for any adjustment to take full effect, so do your testing well in advance of when you want to plant.
  • Get a type of clover that works best with your soil pH. Research clover varieties online, or check with your plant nursery or garden center.
  • 2Treat the area with weed killer. Before you plant clover, you will need to get rid of any unwanted plant growth. You may use a weed killer, to eliminate any existing turf, weeds, or other unwanted plants.XResearch source
  • Some types of weed treatments, such as systemic herbicides or chemical broadleaf treatments, may require you to wait up to two weeks before planting new ground cover. Follow all label directions carefully. If animals may feed on your clover, if you may allow the clover to flower for bees to pollinate, and if the area drains into existing groundwater, avoid using chemical compounds such as Roundup.
  • Cover It With Plastic Sheeting

    How to Get Rid of Clover in Your Lawn Without Killing the Grass

    A large plastic sheet is a helpful and readily-available tool that can get rid of clover. All plants require oxygen and sunlight to grow they suffocate and die if you cut off both essential elements.

    Covering clover with plastic sheeting is suitable if clover has covered a large section of the lawn. However, ensure theres no grass-covered. If you cover the surrounding grass with plastic sheeting, it will die too.

    Place a plastic sheeting to cover the areas of the lawn infested with clover. Secure the edges of the plastic sheeting with stones to prevent wind from blowing it away.


    Uncover and reseed the area with new grass seeds. Plastic sheeting takes a few weeks to kill clover.

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    Depriving Clover Of Oxygen

    Another natural way to get rid of clover is to deprive it of oxygen and sunlight and not allowing it to grow. To do this, place a plastic sheet or garbage bag over the clover patch, securing the corners so it wont blow away. This should kill the weeds in a couple of weeks, but dont use this method long-term or the surrounding grass could be damaged as well. This is a good method for larger patches of clover.

    This method is also helpful to get rid of other types of weeds like crabgrass that may be on your lawn. Its effective if you have the time to put into it.

    Best Post Emergent Herbicides

    Post-emergent herbicides are the best way to kill clover. Just keep in mind they require a little patience since it could take a couple weeks for the clover to die back. Also, repeat applications will likely be necessary, and mixing in a little surfactant with the herbicide will help the herbicide stick to the plant. Also, notice that there are different recommendations for cool season grasses vs warm season grasses.


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    Natural Ways To Get Rid Of Clover In Your Lawn

    Does your lawn have clover? Do you just detest the sight of it? Believe me, I know how that feels. But while clover may not look so great in your all-green lawn, especially white clover, it has its benefits.

    However, if you are looking for how to get rid of clover in your lawn, I have put this guide together to offer you a solution.

    Controlling Small Patches Of Clover

    How Do I Get Rid of Clover in My Lawn Organically?

    When patches of clover are isolated and not widespread, the easiest control method is manual removal. For small amounts of clover, removing the weed by the root and discarding the entire plant will prevent initial populations of the weed from spreading further. Be sure removed clover patches aren’t tossed on your lawn, as it’s possible for roots to re-establish in particularly bare patches of lawn. If small amounts of clover are removed manually, be sure to mow your lawn at the recommended height. Mowing a lawn too short allows opportunities for clover to re-establish, while maintaining a proper height allows turf to remain healthy and crowd out weeds.

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    Use Organic Weed Killer

    Organic weed killer might sound too good to be true when it comes to controlling lawn weeds, but a new one was recently introduced for clover control. Adios, an organic weed killer, will weaken and kill the clover in your lawn without harming any of your grass.

    To use, spray Adios directly on the clover. As the clover weakens and dies, the grass will take over where the clover once was. Make sure to water your lawn correctly. If you apply Adios to a stressed lawn from lack of water or extreme heat, there is a higher risk the product will kill your grass as well as the clover.

    Ideally, water your yard twice a week. Deep watering, where the grass receives one inch of water, is recommended. The perfect time to apply Adios is the day after a deep watering.

    How To Kill Clover Without Weed Killers

    Weed killers can be toxic, and all pesticides are the bane of the Organic Lawn and Garden movement. So, in keeping our lawns weed-free, we want to avoid weed killers as our prime directive as Captain Kirk used to say.

    With this in mind, lets kill that Clover in the best way possible.

    Remember Nitrogen Clover hates it in the soil, and our lawns love it. So lets start right here.

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    Spray Corn Gluten Meal On The Clovers

    Corn gluten meal acts as a pre-emergent herbicide. It has organic peptides that dry and prevents clover seeds from germinating and sprouting on the lawn.

    For every 1000 square feet of lawn, you will need 20 pounds of corn gluten meal. Cover the yard with corn gluten meal, water in, and let the clover seeds dry.

    Dont apply corn gluten meal after overseeding with grass seeds because it will dry them. Corn gluten meal is available in garden or online stores.

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    Removing The Clover By Hand

    How To Get Rid Of Clover In Your Lawn

    In some cases, you can actually dig the clover out of the ground, to remove it from your lawn without the need for weedkillers or other chemicals.

    You may remove some areas of grass in the process, but its easy enough to overseed these bare patches, as we have discussed a bit below.

    To remove clover, dig around it using a small gardening fork or hand trowel. Clover roots do not go very deep, so the main difficulty in this process is cutting through the initial layer of foliage, especially if clover is growing on top of existing grass.

    Pull the clover out of the ground carefully, including its roots, and place it in a bucket or wheelbarrow, to prevent clover seeds from spreading onto other areas of your lawn.

    If you see any roots, leaves, or seeds left over, try to carefully remove them from the soil. If doing this would be too difficult, it might be a good idea to smother the affected area for a week or two, to ensure that any remnants of the clover have time to decompose. We have explained how to do this below.

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    Use Nitrogen On Clover

    Because clover thrives in environments void of nitrogen, you can control it with a nitrogen-rich weed-and-feed formula. One well-reviewed product to try is GreenView Weed and Feed. It killed most of the clover and dandelion within two weeks and the lawn is already starting to get that deep, dark green hue, says an Amazon reviewer.

    Treat Your Lawn To Help It Fight Off The Clover

    When we use the word treat, we mean to spoil your lawn, as well as treat it in the literal sense.

    • Apply organic fertiliser, to help feed your lawn, and help it grow stronger. Using organic fertiliser is also important in helping to increase nitrogen levels, which prevents clover growth. Other types of fertilisers dont always provide the same level of nitrogen as the organic stuff.
    • Aerate your lawn, to help moisture and air reach the roots.
    • Consider scarifying your grass, if you havent done so in a long time, especially if there is a thatch buildup.
    • Keep the lawn a bit taller than you would regularly. Clover grows best when the grass is very short.
    • When you do mow your lawn, mow it more regularly at a higher cutting height, rather than letting it grow tall, and chopping it down a lot. This helps to encourage healthier growth. Also, ensure to collect your clippings, to prevent spreading clover seeds.

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    How To Get Rid Of Clover Around The Yard

    Keep a lookout for any clover sprouting and pull it up as soon as it does. Stay especially vigilant during springtime to stop clover before it can spread around your yard. You can prevent roots creeping into your yard by putting barriers, such as a thick layer of mulch, to frame your yard or a nitrate-heavy border of grass.

    How Do I Kill The Clover In My Lawn

    How to Get Rid of Burr Clover

    The best way we find to kill clover is to look at your nitrogen levels and consider a higher nitrogen fertiliser program to effectively deal with any issues in your lawn. Specifically, a thorough spray treatment will kill off the clover roots and the nitrogen will be replenished back into the soil. Put simply, lawns love nitrogen while clover hates it, so reaching for a good quality fertiliser is a must. Broadleaf weed and clover specific sprays are also highly effective at killing off this not-so-lucky charm.

    A very common way people use to try and control clover is by just mowing it down. But while mowing your lawn nice and short can keep clover under control to a certain degree, it wont prevent it from growing back and cutting the grass too short could also damage your lawn. Clover has no issues with being mowed short and will likely continue to thrive, which is not what you want. Try to maintain a turf height of 3 inches when treating your lawn for clover.

    If clover is growing because of an overwatered or overfed lawn, then the solution is proper lawn care and only watering the grass when it is dry.

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    What Is A Clover

    When we say Clover we are not talking about a single species, but about an entire genus called Trifolium. It includes about 300 annual and perennial species.

    In the broader classification, the genus Trifolium belongs to the pea family . As we will discover shortly, that gives clover some superpowers.

    Side note: Wood sorrels are often mistaken for clovers hence they are also known by the common name false shamrock. Although they look alike, they belong to a completely different plant family and are more commonly garden weeds than lawn weeds.

    Still, all of that doesnt say much about the purpose of clover in our lawns, right?

    Is Clover The Enemy Of Lawn Maintenance

    Clover was a standard component of all lawns until relatively recently. In fact, due to its beneficial properties, clover was deliberately included lawn seed mixes.

    Homeowners and green keepers didnt consider clover a problem until the 1950s. So what changed?

    After World War II, the same companies that had been developing chemical weapons, turned their attention to pesticides. The formulation of herbicides made it possible to cultivate monocultures.

    Suddenly, clover was marketed as the enemy, along with dandelions, bindweed, and other broad-leaved flowering plants.

    However, it was precisely the companies that created and sold pesticides and herbicides, that were on the front lines of the new war against clover. The trend for unsustainable monocultures in gardens and agriculture was created through clever marketing by agrochemical corporations.

    So, to wrap up that slightly depressing spiel, clover is not an enemy of a healthy lawn. But there are some pros and cons to weigh up when deciding how much of it to include in your yard. Lets look at them in more detail.

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