You can find out here why clover in the lawn can be an enrichment for the environment and how to regulate it anyway. The clover flowers not only look good, but also offer many ecological benefits. If you are one of those hobby gardeners who prefer a uniform lawn without clover, we still have four environmentally friendly tips for you.
How do I remove clover from the lawn and why is it actually useful?
There are four environmentally friendly approaches to regulating clover: 1. Manual removal with a weed cutter or spade, 2. Light shielding by covering with foil, 3. Mechanical regulation by scarifying, 4. Strengthening lawn growth and soil tests for prevention. Keep in mind that removing clover can impact your garden ecosystem. Clover is an essential food source for bees and other insects.
Tip 1: Remove manually with persistence
A natural and insect-friendly garden thrives on its diversity. White clover plays an important role in this. While for many it is a sign of he althy soil, it can sometimes become overwhelming in the lawn. Hobby gardeners can choose manual removal, although persistence is crucial here. Because white clover tends to be less dominant than some of its relatives, there is a good chance of success. For young sorrel or horn clover, the following methods can also be used to reliably remove unwanted plants:
- Use the weed cutter (€8.00 on Amazon) to capture the clover along with the taproot, shake it slightly and remove it from the lawn
- Pick larger areas out of the ground with a spade
- Repair the resulting gaps using reseeding or pieces of turf
Plucking the clover out of the lawn by hand only works sporadically. All types of clover have a deep taproot that helps them anchor themselves in the ground. As long as only a tiny remnant of this root remains in the soil, clover will continue to sprout.
How to correctly identify clover in the lawn
The different types of clover that can appear in your lawn sometimes show clear differences in their appearance and their ecological role. Knowledge about the respective type of clover is crucial in order to choose the most appropriate care measure. The table below lists the special characteristics of each type of clover for reliable identification:
| Identifying the 3 most important types of clover | White Clover | Sorrel | horn trefoil |
|---|---|---|---|
| Growth height | 5-20 cm | 5-15 cm | 10-30 cm |
| Flowering time | May to October | April to June | June to August |
| Flower color | white | white with purple veins | yellow |
| Flower shape | spherical | cup shape | doldig |
| Indicator plant for soil quality | poor in nutrients, calcareous | low lime, sour | low nitrogen |
Tip 2: Take the light out of the clover with foil
Since plants need light to grow, you can use this natural property to curb the growth of clover in the lawn. With a dark film you can effectively prevent the clover's photosynthesis. Here are the steps you should follow:
- Cover the lawn area covered with clover with a dark film
- Weigh down the edges of the film with sand and stones or fix them in the ground using plastic anchors
- Leave the opaque film in place for 4 to 6 weeks
When you remove the film, both the clover and the turf have retreated. Unlike clover, grass will bounce back with a little care and fertilizer. Please note that this method is particularly suitable for smaller patches of lawn.
Tip 3: Regulate clover mechanically
When clover spreads across the entire lawn, manual approaches can often reach their limits. This is where the scarifier comes into play, a useful device that will help you regulate the clover effectively. This is best done in April and September. How to do it right:
- Mow the lawn as short as possible on a dry, overcast day
- Work the grass area in a checkerboard pattern with the scarifier
- Fertilize the greenery and water it repeatedly within the following 7-14 days
Verticutters are special devices that scrape the soil to a depth of 3-5 millimeters and comb out the clover and moss. What remains are the blades of the lawn, which quickly close the resulting gaps with subsequent care. If you have removed a large amount of clover, you can support bare areas with reseeding.
Tip
Before making decisions about your lawn, always weigh environmental benefits versus aesthetic preferences. Your garden can be a home to many beneficial creatures, and a little clover can make a big difference!
Tip 4: Preventive measures to strengthen the lawn
A dense and strong lawn makes it difficult for clover and other plants to invade. Although clover can be a sign of he althy soil, good lawn care can strengthen the lawn so that it plays the starring role in the garden. The following steps can help you:
- Complete a pH value test or a soil analysis every 2-3 years
- According to the result, lime the lawn in spring and fertilize it with horn meal
- Strengthen the lawn in autumn with potassium-rich fertilizer
- Do not mow deeper than 4-5 centimeters so that no sunlight reaches the unwanted plant seeds and they germinate
- Water the grass area regularly when it is dry
- Avoid flowering clover to prevent seed spread
- Use nettle manure and horn shavings, both of which stimulate lawn growth with their high nitrogen content.
Lime carefully, as lime is helpful in the case of white clover and wood sorrel, but can promote the growth of lime-loving horn clover.
Tips & Tricks
Don't feel like mowing the lawn every week in summer? Then create a flower lawn as the happy medium between a uniform ornamental lawn and a knee-high wildflower meadow. This stroke of genius succeeds thanks to a combination of slow-growing lawn varieties and small, hardy flower species. Mowing is only done 2 to 3 times per season.
