The various types of clover are often cultivated in Central Europe as fodder for cattle and other grazing animals. On certain soils, however, the clover can also replace the lawn and serve as additional bee pasture in the garden.

Klee is not long in coming after sowing

The required site conditions for growing white or red clover

If you want to plant white or red clover in your garden, you should first be clear about the necessary site conditions. As a rule, all clover varieties of the Trifolium genus need a relatively large amount of water, so that very dry soils (e.g. on dry slopes) have to be additionally irrigated when clover is cultivated. Sandy and peaty soils are unsuitable for clover cultivation, since the latter, for example, have a much too acidic soil environment. In terms of solar radiation, the clover is less demanding, but the planned cultivation area should not be completely shady either. While lawns suffer from low-nitrogen soil, clover also grows well in low-nitrogen soil. This is because the clover itself contributes to the enrichment of the soil with nitrogen via so-called nodule bacteria.

Proceed correctly when sowing clover

The fine seeds of clover are relatively difficult to sow by hand. It is therefore better to have the following things ready for sowing:

  • clover seed
  • finely crumbly seed soil
  • a wheelbarrow
  • irrigation water

Mix the clover seeds with the soil in the wheelbarrow, mixing thoroughly several times with a shovel. Dig up the planned cultivation area carefully and level the area well. Then spread the mixture of seeds and soil evenly with a shovel. Then cover this with another layer of soil, which should not be thicker than about 5 millimeters. Water the growing area well and keep the site evenly moist until germination.

Pay attention to the germination capacity of the seed

Clover seeds only have a relatively short period of germination. Therefore, it can sometimes happen that commercially purchased seed has a poor germination rate. It is therefore a good idea to carry out a so-called germination test on a small area or in a pot before actually sowing, so you can save yourself unnecessary work if the seed is too old.

tips

Since the clover is one of the comparatively short-lived plants, it does not automatically continue to grow as a bedding plant and lawn substitute. Especially when clover is kept short, mowing and the resulting lack of flowering do not result in self-seeding. Therefore, you have to overseed regularly in order to continuously rejuvenate the stock.

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Herbs