Clover is one of the most common weeds in lawns. Their growth traits are ideally adapted to grassy areas, making life difficult for garden owners. At least when a perfect playing field is desired. There are numerous different methods of getting rid of clover.

Clover in the lawn has both advantages and disadvantages

Table of Contents

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  1. the essentials in brief
  2. Properly remove clover
  3. Types of clover at a glance
  4. Clover: advantages and disadvantages
  5. frequently asked Questions

    6. the essentials in brief

    • Clover in the lawn can be poked out or fought with a scarifier
    • Clover loves acidic soil; Lime can be used to combat and prevent clover
    • Compost and lawn fertilizer strengthen the lawn and help it overgrow the clover

    Remove clover in the lawn properly and permanently

    Applying garden lime (€9.70) as a disadvantage to the clover's growing conditions is of course not enough. In the long term, other, more effective measures will have to hold their own. The clover-free lawn project should cover the following categories of measures:

    • mechanical measures
    • fertilizer measures
    • prevention

    If you want to get rid of clover in your lawn completely without chemicals, you are primarily dependent on mechanical measures. However, these are the most effective.

    mechanical measures

    Mechanical measures are probably the most effective way of tackling established clover nests in the lawn. The dense root system, especially of white clover, can be removed in the best and most sustainable way. Of course, this requires physical effort. Mechanical removal measures can be:

    Targeted, individual cutting and parting

    If clover nests have settled relatively individually in the lawn, this method is most effective, albeit a bit laborious. Arm yourself with a spade and take to the field against the clover nests. Prick the clover islands all around and wear them flat. Fortunately, you don't have to dig deep because of the shallow root system. The Klee sods can be disposed of in the compost. It is best to cut off in autumn, when the clover is out of the main vegetation phase but the ground is not yet cold.

    The resulting holes should ideally be filled with topsoil. Then you can scatter grass seed. Cover them with humus soil, keep them moist and fertilize as soon as seedlings appear.

    scarify the lawn

    Scarifying the entire lawn or areas rich in clover makes sense when the clover in the lawn has already spread to form a more or less closed carpet. Anyone who has ever worked their lawn with a hand scarifier can certainly remember the drops of sweat and aching limbs all too well. If you want to go easy on yourself, you can also use an electric scarifying machine.

    When scarifying the clover islands, it is important to drive lanes crosswise. This is how most of the clover plants are pulled out.

    Even after scarifying, the lawn must be cared for so that it promotes grass. Basically, you do this in exactly the same way as you did with the cutting holes.

    digression

    Why does clover grow in lawns?

    The main cause of clover in the lawn is a deficiency. When the lawn lacks nutrients, it becomes weak and gives way to moss and clover. Lawns often lack nitrogen; since clover itself produces nitrogen, the deficiency does not bother it. Horn clover and white clover in particular grow on nutrient-poor soil. However, clover is often an indication of soil that is too acidic. Wood sorrel, in particular, grows when the soil pH is low.

    Lime against clover in the lawn

    Clover in the lawn can be an indication of acidic soil. Lime is the best solution in this case, because lime raises the pH value and thus takes away the basis for the acid-loving clover. However, lime only helps against white clover and wood sorrel - other types of clover, such as horn clover, on the other hand, are lime-loving and therefore thrive even better with the help of lime. In order to decide whether it makes sense to use lime or not, you should first find out what type of clover grows in your lawn. Below in the text we present the most common types.

    Cover clover in the lawn with foil

    If you have fairly clearly demarcated clover islands in the lawn, you can also let the spots shrink under foil. This saves you sweaty scarifying and cutting off, but on the other hand you have to be more patient. Under a black mulch foil, which is weighed down with stones at the edges, clover can die after about 2 months due to the lack of light and possibly burns. When the time comes, remove the film and root debris, loosen the soil and sow fresh grass seed.

    Film kills weeds of all kinds and specifically prevents them

    fertilizer measures

    After the clover has been removed one way or another, the lawn needs to be strengthened. This also prevents clover from forming again.

    Mineral-organic fertilizers

    Above all, what grasses need is the trio of macro plant nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. These can be found in all "NKP" universal fertilizers. However, if you do not want to use purely mineral fertilizers such as blue grain, but prefer a more gentle method out of consideration for the groundwater, you can also use mineral-organic long-term fertilizers. Preparations from Wolf, Cuxin or Compo, for example, have high-quality compositions and good experience.

    digression

    Iron fertilizer against clover?

    Many a garden owner is inclined to stimulate a weak, yellowish lawn with iron fertilizer. In itself a logical consideration, because plants need iron for the transport of nutrients and above all for the formation of chlorophyll, the substance that ensures lush green leaves. In addition, iron fertilizer is often recommended against moss because mosses are sensitive to iron. Clover, on the other hand, is not, but it could still be worth considering to strengthen the lawn after a large-scale clover removal measure:

    However, it must be clarified whether the lawn is really suffering from an iron deficiency or whether it only looks so weak and not very green due to the weakening effect of the clover.

    If you know or learn from a professional soil analysis that you have acidic soil and frequently sprinkle the lawn with calcareous tap water, you may have an iron deficiency. Because the iron molecules in the soil are then bound to soil particles by increasing the pH value and are no longer available for plants.

    If the soil is generally calcareous, iron fertilizer can have no effect at all. Because here the high pH value generally prevents the plants from absorbing iron. In this case, a soil upgrade with humus is best.

    Incidentally, some iron fertilizer preparations contain the toxic ferrous sulphate, which is why you should wear protective clothing when applying and after the measure you should not let children and pets on the lawn for a few days.

    Biological Fertilizers

    Of course, you can also proceed completely ecologically when strengthening the lawn. Effective, purely biological fertilizers for the lawn are primarily:

    • Good mature compost
    • horse or cattle manure
    • Horn shavings (32.93€) and horn meal
    • vegetable manure

    These natural nutrient suppliers should ideally be selected depending on the season and soil conditions. Because their composition is of course not weighed exactly to the milligram. Compared to cattle manure (18.80€), horse manure contains more potassium and cattle manure more nitrogen. Due to its relatively undigested nature, horse manure also carries the risk of containing seeds, which in turn encourage weeds to sprout.

    Of the macronutrients, horn shavings and horn meal only contain nitrogen, so they are particularly advisable if the lawn needs lush growth. And he always has that when he has been harassed and thinned out by Klee for a long time. After removing clover from the lawn, it is worth giving this long-term fertilizer, which is obtained from the hooves and horns of slaughtered cattle and can be purchased in specialist shops.

    Comfrey or stinging nettle manure provide primarily potassium and are generally recommended as an autumn cure before winter. Because it is cheap to remove clover in the lawn in autumn anyway, this fertilization measure is also recommended then.

    Compost is considered the best organic universal fertilizer of all - the nutrient composition, of course, varies greatly, because every compost heap is an individual with the added plant and kitchen waste. However, compost fertilization cannot damage the lawn and stench does not have to be accepted here either.

    Compost strengthens the lawn and thus also helps in the fight against clover

    tips

    Strengthening and homogenizing the lawn with grass cuttings mulch is unsuitable for strengthening the lawn immediately after removing the clover, but makes sense in the long term. To do this, mow the lawn fairly often, i.e. about once a week in the warm season, with a hand mower, an electric mower without a basket or a robotic mower and leave the clippings lying around. The short sections of stalks between the grass plants cover the turf, slowly decompose and thereby return the lost nutrients to the lawn. At the same time, you save yourself the time-consuming and sometimes expensive disposal of lawn clippings.

    prevention

    The last link in the chain of effective, long-term control of clover in lawns is prevention. Preventive measures relate on the one hand to the care of the lawn after a comprehensive removal of clover - because after the clover control is before the clover control - and on the other hand to new gardens to be laid out.

    Invest in quality lawn seed

    In both cases, both when creating a new garden and when filling in clover removal holes, the best of all preventive measures is first of all the selection of the lawn seed.

    If possible, do not choose cheap goods, because they mainly contain seeds from cheap forage grasses, which only quickly form a lot of green mass, but not a solid turf. Seed mixtures with high-quality grass varieties, on the other hand, form denser root carpets that are much more resistant to weeds and moss coming through in the long run. It is therefore worth investing a little more money here at the beginning in order to have less trouble later for years. Recommended manufacturers are about Compo or Wolf.

    Regular, meticulous grooming

    On the other hand, general, careful care of the lawn is of course effective in preventing clover growth. Always be vigilant and eliminate emerging weeds as early as possible before they have grown into a tough carpet. You can also simply pluck clovers when they are young. Regular, seasonal fertilization also encourages the lawn to the detriment of clover and other weeds. In general, long-term fertilizer application is recommended in spring and additional potassium application in autumn, e.g. in the form of plant manure. You can find more detailed information on the subject of lawn fertilization here.

    Types of clover at a glance

    The plant genus clover belongs to the legume family and includes a total of 245 species. Of course, not all of them are relevant for our local garden culture. So here is a brief overview of the species that we like to grow in our lawns:

    kind white clover Hope clover meadow clover thread clover brown clover
    alternative names white clover yellow clover, cedar clover or hop-alfalfa Rot-Kle, Red Clover Little clover Alter Alpen-Braun-Klee or simply Brauner Klee
    blossoms White spherical flowers 1.5 to 2.4 cm in diameter Yellow, small, globular grape inflorescences Large, red spherical flowers Yellow, lateral, spherical to hemispherical raceme inflorescences Globular inflorescences yellow, turning brown when withering
    leaves Three-part fingered blade, finely serrated edge, deep green with a light green-yellow arched pattern Pinnate in three parts, homogeneously medium green, side leaves lanceolate-pointed Fingered in three parts, single leaves 18-60 mm long, dark green with light arched pattern, ovate-lanceolate stipules Pinnate in three parts, single leaves obovate, upper side clearly veined, lighter green Pinnate in three parts, single leaves large (up to 2 cm long)
    growth height 5 to 20 cm 10 to 50 cm 15 to 80 cm 20 to 40 cm 10 to 20 cm

    A species that is also often found in garden lawns and is often mistaken for a species of the clover genus is wood sorrel. However, wood sorrel species form their own genus and even their own family. Typical characteristics of wood sorrel in lawns are dark, brown-reddish leaves and delicate, five-celled, usually purple-colored plate flowers.

    digression

    Clover as a pointer plant and in combination with other weeds

    If you want to keep your lawn clover-free, you usually also have to contend with other unwanted plants: clover plus dandelion, clover plus daisy and clover plus moss are all too familiar combinations. In order to effectively eradicate clover and weeds, it is also useful to know to what extent some types of clover act as indicator plants. Certain types of clover provide information about the pH value of the soil. Wood sorrel in particular indicates a lack of lime in the soil. Not least because of this, it is advisable to spread garden lime when fighting clover.

    Luck and bad luck of clover in the lawn

    The thing with the clover is such a thing: it is a thorn in the side of those who want a homogeneous lawn to walk barefoot undisturbed. Klee is also welcome to others. After all, the plants also have some advantages. Here is a brief overview of the negative, but also the positive sides of the herb:

    disadvantage

    • Golf Turf Killer: Klee breaks through the turf with its dense, carpet-like root system. Not only that the clover islands can visually disturb the lawn - they also displace the grass plants in the long run by taking away light and air from them with roots and foliage.
    • Farewell to barefoot walking: Of course, that doesn't mean you can't walk barefoot on a lawn covered in clover. However, if there is too much clover, you have to be very careful in summer during the flowering period. Because the clover blossoms attract bumblebees and bees, so that painful stings can occur in the feet when frolicking about barefoot in the garden. Carefree children are particularly at risk here.
    • Effective Survival Strategies: Unfortunately, Klee is pretty clever at surviving. For example, it is as good as resistant to cutting measures - constant mowing of the lawn cannot harm it at all. Because it crouches close to the ground between the grasses, so that the blades of electric mowers, mowing robots and the like cannot catch it at all. At the same time, it has an effective propagation system thanks to short, lateral root runners and fertilizes itself through a symbiosis with nodule bacteria.

    benefits

    • Valuable food plant: Clover is well known as a fodder plant in animal husbandry. Its high protein content makes it extremely nutritious for many types of livestock. But clover is not only edible for animals, but also for us humans and is also very healthy: red meadow clover contains secondary plant substances such as isoflavones, as well as essential oils, tannins and proteins. Its young leaves and decorative blossoms can be eaten raw in wild salads.
    • bee pasture: The fact that clover blossoms attract bees and bumblebees is bad for walking barefoot, but good for biodiversity and promoting pollination in the garden. If you want to promote the useful buzzing insects in the garden, you should perhaps not declare war on the clover, at least in the bee pasture bed.
    • green mantle: Because of its ability to fix nitrogen from the air, clover is also an excellent foundation plant. If you cultivate a little vegetable in your garden, you can rely on clover for the catch crop of your cultivated areas. In this respect, too, the red meadow clover is the best candidate.

    frequently asked Questions

    Why is Klee Removal Necessary?

    Clover removal is a necessity for anyone wishing to keep a lawn that consists primarily of grass plants for the long term. After all, if a lawn is left to its own devices, clover and other weeds will take over in the long run. Clover thins out the turf with its dense, runner-forming root system and takes away the light from the grass plants with its leaves. In addition, clover can form nitrogen from the air and thus practically fertilizes itself. The grass has no strength to oppose this if it is not fertilized separately.

    An early and continuous action against the clover in the lawn is the be-all and end-all.If the clover has established itself in the lawn over the years, it is much more difficult to remove it and the lawn is very weak. Not only will you have to deal with more effort to remove it, you will also have to invest more time, money and effort in restoring the lawn.

    How can clover be biologically removed from the lawn?

    Containing clover in the lawn without poisons such as chemical pesticides or herbicides is only recommended. Firstly, we do not recommend the use of chemical agents in the garden to maintain the biological balance, secondly, herbicides are not particularly effective against clover. From a biological point of view, the clover can best be dealt with mechanically by cutting it off, scarifying the areas or allowing it to shrink under mulch film. A subsequent strengthening of the lawn with organic fertilizers such as compost, nitrogen and potassium-containing comfrey or nettle manure, horse manure or horn meal completes the measure.

    Nettle manure is an excellent fertilizer

    Are weed killers suitable for clover control?

    Conventional herbicides are not recommended for clover control. While there are herbicides specifically designed for lawns that will attack weeds but leave grasses unharmed. However, they cannot get to the root of the clover problem in the truest sense of the word unless the causes are eliminated, i.e. the soil is not cultivated in a more grass-friendly manner. If the lawn is well fertilized at the same time, preferably in coordination with the individual soil conditions on site (soil analysis is advisable), lawn herbicides can be used.

    Are there home remedies for clover in the lawn?

    It feels like there is a herb - um, a home remedy - for almost all everyday problems. And in the age of the Internet, such things are also diligently propagated and spread, so that one can lose track of helpful things and rumours. For clover and other weeds, it is sometimes recommended to apply boiling water, vinegar or salt. Boiling water is perhaps still the most recommendable method here, because at least it does not interfere with the material balance of the soil. The effect is extremely limited, white clover is not really affected by it.

    You should refrain from bringing vinegar or even salt into the soil. Regular applications in particular can severely damage soil life. Salt extracts water from the plants through osmosis and allows them to perish over time. Even if this is desired with clover - it needs such a high dose of salt that the surrounding plants also dry out.

    It's the same with vinegar. To really have an effect, a concentrated solution of acetic acid must be applied several times. As a result, the soil becomes acidic in the long term, damaging plants and microorganisms.

    The following also applies to all of these home remedies: They are not approved as pesticides and should not actually be applied. There have even been court cases over the use of vinegar and saline solutions against weeds.

Category:

Herbs