Kerry loves to write about gardening, nutrition, sustainability, and entertainment.

Clover requires less water, fertilizer, compost, herbicide, and weeding. Pauline Mak

Is Clover Bad for Lawns?

The short answer is no. In fact, clover might be good for your lawn, since it requires less water, fertilizer, compost, herbicide, and weeding.

Today, the current grassy monoculture is the ideal of most homeowners. But as water and energy costs rise, many are seeking alternatives to the traditional thirsty, labor-intensive American lawn.

One of the most popular lawn alternatives is white clover (Trifolium repens), also known as Dutch clover or Dutch white clover. Although many people consider it a weed, a healthy patch of it was considered a standard of excellence in lawn care until the 1950s, when people started using broadleaf herbicides to kill clover and other more harmful weeds.

In recent years, however, clover lawns have been experiencing a revival due to their many benefits and charms. There are two types: pure clover lawns, which are best for areas with low or moderate traffic, and mixed grass-clover lawns, which are best for playing fields and other high traffic areas.

Advantages of Clover

Clover lawns have many advantages over traditional bluegrass or Bermuda grass lawns.

It stays green all summer, with little or no watering, in most regions of the US. It is relatively drought-tolerant and it greens up early in spring and remains green until the first frost. In the South, it may remain green all winter.

in most regions of the US. It is relatively drought-tolerant and it greens up early in spring and remains green until the first frost. In the South, it may remain green all winter. It requires little or no mowing . White clover grows just 2-8 inches tall and requires little or no mowing to keep it looking tidy. However, some homeowners may prefer to mow in midsummer in order to deadhead old blooms, neaten the appearance of the lawn, or to prevent from blooming.

. White clover grows just 2-8 inches tall and requires little or no mowing to keep it looking tidy. However, some homeowners may prefer to mow in midsummer in order to deadhead old blooms, neaten the appearance of the lawn, or to prevent from blooming. It attracts beneficial insects (like bees) to your yard which, in turn, help pollinate your garden. It also attracts parasitoid wasps which feed on aphids, scales, and whiteflies. These wasps are tiny, harmless to humans, and will be your enthusiastic allies in controlling insect pests in your garden.

(like bees) to your yard which, in turn, help pollinate your garden. It also attracts parasitoid wasps which feed on aphids, scales, and whiteflies. These wasps are tiny, harmless to humans, and will be your enthusiastic allies in controlling insect pests in your garden. It never needs fertilizer . Cover is a nitrogen-fixing legume, a plant that essentially creates its own fertilizer... and fertilizes nearby plants, as well! Grass that is intermixed with clover will be healthier and greener and require less care than grass planted alone.

. Cover is a nitrogen-fixing legume, a plant that essentially creates its own fertilizer... and fertilizes nearby plants, as well! Grass that is intermixed with clover will be healthier and greener and require less care than grass planted alone. It never needs herbicides . In fact, most herbicides kill it. Fortunately...

. In fact, most herbicides kill it. Fortunately... It out-competes other weeds . Anyone who has struggled to eradicate clover from a grass lawn can tell you how persistent it can be. It has a dense root structure that allows it to easily out-compete most other weeds and reduce the need for weeding and expensive herbicides.

. Anyone who has struggled to eradicate clover from a grass lawn can tell you how persistent it can be. It has a dense root structure that allows it to easily out-compete most other weeds and reduce the need for weeding and expensive herbicides. Clover grows well in poor soil. It tolerates a wide variety of soil conditions, including the poor-quality subsoil common around many new homes.

It tolerates a wide variety of soil conditions, including the poor-quality subsoil common around many new homes. It feels great on bare feet . Soft, lush, and cool, walking barefoot on a clover lawn is a luxurious treat. Those leaves and blossoms also have a mild, pleasant smell.

. Soft, lush, and cool, walking barefoot on a clover lawn is a luxurious treat. Those leaves and blossoms also have a mild, pleasant smell. It is immune to "dog patches." Dog urine discolors lawn grasses, but it stays as green and lush as ever.

Dog urine discolors lawn grasses, but it stays as green and lush as ever. It's inexpensive. Clover seed is extremely inexpensive. The average cost is about $4 per 4000 square feet. Homeowners who have been fighting it as a weed get it for free if they decide to stop fighting and let it grow.

Photo by mwri

Disadvantages of Clover

Clover lawns do have some disadvantages:

It stains clothing more easily than grass.

It is not durable enough for playing fields or high traffic areas , unless mixed with grass.

, unless mixed with grass. It is a short-lived perennial and may require reseeding every 2-3 years to maintain an even stand in pure clover lawns. In mixed grass-clover lawns, clover will reseed itself adequately to maintain a consistent presence.

Clover vs. Grass: Which Is Better?

Why does it have to be either-or? A mixture of traditional grass and clover is a happy medium!

Or think of it like this: You're letting the grass and clover duke it out on the front lawn. Survival of the fittest: Let the strongest prevail.

Planting and Maintaining a Clover Lawn

Clover lawns can be established by encouraging already-existing clover patches in your landscape, by seeding, or a combination of both.

It is best seeded in early spring from mid-March to mid-April. It can also be seeded in fall. Tiny clover seeds are difficult to sow evenly—one way to improve your chances is to mix the seed in with some soil, sawdust, or sand. If you don't have any in your lawn or nearby, you may need to add a bacterial inoculant to promote the best growth; if you do already have it in your lawn, however, the inoculant is probably already present in the soil.

After planting, use a misting attachment to water daily until you can see the seedlings.

Existing clover patches can be encouraged by mowing with the blades set at 1.5-2 inches, which favors clover over most traditional turf grasses.

In the middle of summer, stop mowing to encourage clover from flowering and seeding.

Once established, most clovers are low-growing and require little or no mowing, unless you wish to discourage bees by mowing to prevent summer blooms.

Never apply herbicides to a clover lawn.

It is a short-lived perennial and may require reseeding approximately once every 3 years to maintain consistent coverage. It may successfully reseed naturally, however, or wild clovers may move in and take over aging stands.

How to Plant Seed Clover

Clover seed should not be planted deeply. Sprinkling it on the surface or lightly raking it into the soil should suffice.

It prefers full sun. It will grow in light shade, but less quickly. It won't grow well in full shade.

If you're planting a shadier area, you may want to double the amount of seed.

Keep newly-seeded areas moist until the new plants get a chance to establish.

Photo by tanakawho

Why Should I Grow a Clover Lawn?

To summarize, a clover lawn is a greener, healthier, easier, cheaper, and more ecological and environmentally-friendly than a traditional lawn. Some would argue that it's more beautiful, too.

Clover and Bees

Clover is one of bees' favorite flowers and it makes a delicious honey. However, many homeowners are wary of planting a clover lawn because they are afraid of bee stings..

It is possible to have a clover lawn without bees. If you are allergic to bees or have young children, you can discourage them by mowing regularly during the summer blooming season to prevent flowers.

However, if you are not allergic and have older children (or none at all), please consider letting it bloom. Bees are threatened around the world by a mysterious condition called colony collapse disorder (CCD). When a hive is struck by CCD, the worker bees spontaneously abandon the hive and disappear, leaving the queen, a few larvae, and immature workers to starve. The cause of CCD is still unknown, but it is believed to affect hives stressed from habitat loss, parasites, and pesticide use most drastically.

Honeybees are the primary pollinators for a third of all human food crops. Some, such as almonds, are 100% dependent on honeybees to produce. If honeybee populations continue their rapid decline, food prices are likely to increase dramatically. To learn more about this crisis, please visit The Pollinator Partnership or the Xerces Society .

Homeowners can help by ceasing their use of chemical pesticides and insecticides, and letting their clover bloom.

Photo by kaibara87

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2008 kerryg

Nancy in Vermont on August 25, 2020:

I've been adding Dutch White Clover to my lawns for a few years now and just love it. It doesn't overtake the creeping charlie but I've learned to love that also. Wild turkeys and White Tailed deer and their chicks and does love it too.

Thom on June 26, 2020:

Where can I buy clover seed for about $4 per 4000 square feet?

Ron on June 12, 2020:

Judy, I don't know if what you're saying is true, but I wouldn't doubt it. That sounds spot on, actually.

Judy Janas on May 29, 2020:

I don't know if this true or not but it sounds like it might be: For many years clover was a treasured addition to the lawn. In about 1973 one of the companies that produces herbicide developed a new very effective herbicide. The only problem was that this new herbicide killed clover. No matter how the company changed the formula it still was lethal to clover. Rather than give up on the pesticide they undertook a massive ad campaign saying that clover is a weed and should be eliminated. The ad campaign was very successful and people began ridding clover from their lawns and the company made a lot of money with their new herbicide.

Carolyn Farrell on May 29, 2020:

Will a clover lawn choke out Creeping Charlie weed?

Michelle on May 15, 2020:

Does it hurt my geraniums to have clover Growing wild in the same pot?

Andrei Datsiouk on May 10, 2020:

please let me know if I can plant clover over moss

David Drummond on May 02, 2020:

Could NOT get grass to grow for the shade in our yard. Tried seeding, sod, you name it. Tried some clover for grins and giggles and BOOM! Loving it green GALORE!. Was wond'ring about life span until I read this. Cheers!

Leigh on April 10, 2020:

Thanks for this info. I had just heard about clover lawns a few days ago and am excited to implement this idea in our own yard. It just makes so much sense to move in this direction

Cheryl on March 13, 2020:

Shungite powder stops colony collapse. Bees love it, even roll around in it.

whitney on March 01, 2020:

WE have a large amount of clover in our lawns that my grand dad planted in the 50's. How ever it has spread to our horse pastures across the street and is bad for the ponies. It is high is carbs and also makes them drool a lot and become dehydrated if it is hot even if they drink a lot. We don't want our pastures to become too rich as it causes metabolic disease in equines and has to be limited carefully. Please keep the clover out of our pastures!!!!!

cpakstas on February 21, 2020:

I am coming up on my 4th year of having a mixed clover and grass lawn.

Pros:

- so beautiful and lush in the summer

- doesn't require watering

- attracts so many bees and predatory wasps

- flowers!

- has re-seeded itself just fine so far

- really it's like hanging out in a magical fairy land in the summer

- easy to rip out if it spreads where you don't want it

- excellent pollination of adjacent vegetable gardens

Cons:

- mostly dies off in the winter (still present but muddy)

- doesn't win the spring race against all weeds - there are some that come up earlier and need to be managed

- the clover and grass are indeed "duking it out" but the clover mostly wins. I find the grass and clover don't really mix but more find their own patches of yard that they like, so I have a few grass-only patches and the rest clover.

- it's very moist under the little clover umbrellas and slugs like it a lot

- if you let it get super tall, wildlife loves it for all the hiding spots... which could be a good thing unless the wildlife is invasive Norway rats

- definitely does require mowing occasionally

I'll keep it for the bees but I find it a bit more complicated than a grass lawn.

Virginia on November 16, 2019:

Deer are grazing daily for a long time in my newly established clover and grass lawn. Are the deer likely to kill or harm the clover lawn? Or will the clover (white clover) bounce back from all the grazing? Thanks

Gary on August 22, 2019:

Does it attract deer to my lawn (and garden)?

Kim Lemen on August 16, 2019:

Does it die out in the winter, leaving the ground vulnerable to washing away? Here in North Georgia, no one has a flat yard.

Dennis on August 15, 2019:

Excellent advice! Our Va. Green Lawn service always blames ANYTHING that looks bad on not having irrigation which they KNOW is impossible in rural areas using wells. It's their Fall back answer to everything. I'm going to put a clover mix in this FALL!!!!!

Mari Wittenbreer on June 19, 2019:

Just discovered this site. I appreciate how thorough this s piece on white clover is. it answers all my questions. This kind of horticulture writing is very hard to find these days. There is a lot of short, perky info that never seems to be either complete enough or well informed enough to be trustworthy. Thank you.

Jerry on April 27, 2019:

I planted clover last year on my lower bulk head at the beach after many years of unsuccessful grass growing I dug up crab grass put sand n soil then leveled area n planted micro grass seed organic it made it thru ruff winter in pacific north west . It’s lovely green but I need to mow . When is best time to mow it please ?

Tonya Briggs on April 03, 2019:

How does it look in winter?? Like with grass, the dead grass remains & prevents big muddy patches in the yard. Do cloves do the same??

RE: Jay on April 02, 2019:

It does spread aggressively. I use a weed wacker to edge it once in a while. As a lawn alternative it's a great choice... very low maintenance.

But keep in mind, depending on where you live, certain homeowners associations (HOA) may not allow a pure clover lawn, because *technically* clover is classified as a weed.

Jay on April 01, 2019:

Does anyone know how invasive clover is? I like the sounds of a more environmentally friendly option to grass but am curious about how this alternative may spread.

louise on October 19, 2018:

I would like to use some of the information from your article in my paper for my Master Gardeners class but need a name , and credentials for each source for my bibliography . Could you please give me that info so I can properly credit you?

Sir Kevin Parr, Bart on February 13, 2018:

I reside in Northern Europe as ex pat British. I have an estate with many lawns .In summers very hot days in winters mostly snow and cold winds. I keep a flock of Pekin bantam show stock . They love clover but I do not seen ever to have enough. I am the stripy lawn brigade type. I am looking for the area around my hen housing to be seeded with red clover only cut in mid to late summer.It is around 100 feet x 60 lawn in front of hen housing .Where is seed available for me?

Tim McKernan on January 18, 2018:

I wish to plant micro clover on my poorly draining, full sun side lawn, but...there are resident deer across the street-will they consume what I wish to replace with?

tdgrassick@gmail.com on July 17, 2017:

Is clover ground cover deer resitant?

Francis D on July 12, 2017:

When it comes to planting clover, we are the "Bickersons," but watching our acreage dry up and become a weed bed the last few years convinced me that clover could be the answer. Under the cover of darkness I hand tossed a bag of White clover and much to my surprise this years lawn is somewhat improved, the clover is muscling out the weeds and bring the grass back. I bagged the clover seed tops and I'm now spreading them. Ya.

Heather Coale from NEW PRAGUE on July 02, 2017:

I love this article. It just reinforces what I already knew instinctively (not scientifically). We rent, but I let my landlord know I didn't want chemicals. He did spray for creeping charlie last year, but I don't see any residual weed or damage from the chemicals.

Cheryl on May 29, 2017:

I have bare dirt right now. Can I directly seed clover?

Myrna on April 26, 2017:

I have a shady mossy back yard, with remnants of grass, but a lot of moss and weeds...would clover grow in these conditions?

ccjohnston on April 07, 2017:

I have a Fleur de Lawn ( Hobbs and Hopkins)established in 2012. I love the english daisies in the lawn but dislike the tall white and strawberry clover and most of all the grass which grows so much taller than my clovers and flowers. So, I have been adding micro clover as well as english daisies and JJup to bare spots in my lawn. as well as pulling to grass if I can. Problem this year, Invasion of chickweeds! There is o chemical that can control the chickweeds without killing the micro clover. I tried pulling manually in early march , tiny tiny 1 inch chickweeds, but now, with 2 heavy rainfalls in April, the whole place has been invaded by chickweeds which I thought I had eradicated manually. They are taller than my micro clover and shading all my bells perennis and JJup. WHAT CAN I DO? I do not like chemical because of 2 pomeranians that love to roll in the clover lawn but will use it if I have to .

anyone there knowledgeable as to what I should do?

ev on June 15, 2014:

can i reprint your article on a facebook page supporting your ideas? Please let me know if that's any problem for you! thanks!

marcie on April 04, 2014:

how do you kill moss but not the clover have a micro clover lawn

Carole on September 27, 2012:

I bought Ladino clover at a feed store and the stuff is giant! I asked the guy for white clover! Need a breakdown of different types of clover. I live in Seattle.

Nettlemere from Burnley, Lancashire, UK on June 22, 2012:

I'd never heard of people purposely cultivating clover lawns before, but what a great idea. I've been enjoying watching the bees on a local patch of clover recently and they certainly love it and it smells so sweet on a warm day too.

Winifred on June 05, 2012:

Will over seeding work on top of thatch? I am constantly raking thatch out of my lawn.

Virginia on February 18, 2012:

Years ago, my husband put down Bermuda grass, and I've always hated it. Is it possible to sow enough clover to eventually take over, or am I stuck with that awful Bermuda?

Kimberly Schimmel from North Carolina, USA on December 24, 2011:

Would clover be an option for a shady, muddy backyard? I'm desperate, since no grass has succeeded there. I want something I can do from seed.

arusho on November 30, 2011:

Good hub, very informative. I like clover but my daughter isn't so fond of the bees.

virginia on October 02, 2011:

I am also curios to know if there is an effective weed way to control weeds in clover.

SARAH on September 17, 2011:

Hi

I live in singapore and am looking for clover seeds, if anyone can help me please email me at venkatos@yahoo.com

Thanks a million

Shelly on September 16, 2011:

I planted Dutch White Clover as an edging between my garden path and planting beds. It is working great. I plan to take a little out here and there as time goes by and replace w/ thing like strawberries or flowers I like. It will most likely get in my lawn (Yeah). My husband takes care of the sod and isn't as happy about it as I am. We spend too much on fertilizer, weed killer, water, ect. Clover was very cost effective as a boarder also.

Al Banyan on August 14, 2011:

I would love to build an all clover lawn. If I constantly seed it, will it replace / compete with my current grass and eventually dominate or do I have to kill grass first? Mainly fescue? Tx a million

PaulieWalnuts from Chicago on August 09, 2011:

I'M SOLD! Where do I sign up? I'm allergic to grass! I hate grass, the lawn grass industry has manipulated and scammed us for decades. Awesome Hub, may you have many 4-leafs in your clover yard and than harvest and brew clover leaf tea from your own backyard.

Luna on April 09, 2011:

Is clover toxic to children or dogs? Both my son and my dog think it's tasty. :(

Mandy Cee on March 28, 2011:

I just bught a 10 lb bag of Dutch White Clover and am super excited to get in in the ground...it may snow once more here..can I still try and plant it? low 40s-50?

Crissy on March 20, 2011:

We live in Lincoln, California and we have a very small patio yard with an area about 6' x 10". We attempted a sod lawn but we were unsuccessful we believe because we have very poor and compacted soil. It is my understanding that clover can thrive in this type soil, is this correct? Also, is clover at all toxic to pets?

Thank you!!

Travis on March 19, 2011:

You say that clover is good for reducing dog spots from female dog urine - however, every source I have read says that clover is toxic to dogs.

Paul Viverito- paulvive@cfl.rr.com on February 26, 2011:

Ilive in east central florida and have about 8000 feet of "lawn". The lawn is a mixture of weeds and grass and bare spots and god only knows what else. I plan on seeding with Dutch White clover, but at 79 yrs old I don't plan on doing much more than just spreading the seed over what already exists. What kind of results should I expect?

Sandi on October 29, 2010:

I didn't see an answer to Afo's question and I have the same exact question. I spent most of the summer and fall pulling weeds from my clover. Is there ANYTHING I can use like weed&feed to klii hte weeds and keep the clover looking beautiful???

erthfrend from Florida on September 28, 2010:

Excellent article with great info! Ive always loved clover lawns. I live in Florida and would frequently see them when visiting states north of us on vacation. They smell so good and i love the way they look. I would love to have one too! Thanks for the tips!

Afo on August 13, 2010:

How can I get rid of all other weeds AND keep clovers ?Is there a weed killer which doesn't kill clovers ? (I have all kinds of weeds and clovers and I just want to keep the clovers and get rid of other weeds).Thanks

kerryg (author) from USA on July 24, 2010:

Joseph, white clover is a fantastic choice for bees and also produces a very delicious honey.

I would definitely encourage a mix of many different types of blossoms on your garden or farm, though. It is very important for beekeepers to provide a steady source of forage throughout the active season of the bees, and the more variety of flowers, the easier this is to ensure.

For a list of more great plants for bees, and links to other resources, check out my article on bee gardening: https://hubpages.com/living/beegarden

Joseph Astle on July 24, 2010:

We grow Bees. We are looking for something to plant on about 3 Acres that the bees can feed on. Would the White Clover be the best for that? Or should we use a mix?

frbock on July 05, 2010:

1 week ago, I overseeded my front lawn with something called microclover. I've got some popping up already. I didn't inoculate as I already have Dutch white in parts of the lawn. We'll see how it goes, this stuff has leaves about 1/3 the size of the Dutch White, and is supposed to only grow a couple of inches tall, and not bloom too much.

TheListLady from New York City on July 01, 2010:

This is a super informative hub! In fact I have a clover front lawn. But I had no idea of all the information you provided - it was already there when I moved here 17 years ago. I'll bookmark this and keep in mind when I move to the country.

Super hub! Thanks again and rated up and more!

LovesBees on June 29, 2010:

The mixed lawns work really well i got a part of my yard that's covered in clover but has plently of grass between. Best part of my lawn.

Beatriz Moisset on June 29, 2010:

We always must remember that native plants have co-evolved with native species; they are always better suited to the habitat in question and more beneficial to wildlife, including pollinators and birds.

Unfortunately white clover (Trifolium repens) is not native; neither are most other clovers such as sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis) and species of Medicago. However the advantages (pollination, soil enrichment) probably outweigh the disadvantages; after all most grasses used as lawn are also non native.

It would be infinitely preferable to plant native clovers such as running buffalo clover (Trifolium stoloniferum) (http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=TRST4). It may be rather impractical to do this considering that it is an endangered species; on the other hand it would be well worth a try precisely for this reason.

Yuyuba on June 29, 2010:

I am planning on dividing my garden into two parts, one a grass lawn and another as a clover lawn. What can I do to make sure that the clover doesn't start spreding to the grass lawn? Do I have to put something in the middle to separate them?

Thanks,

Charlie on June 03, 2010:

I have a lot of clover clumps or clonals. The blooms are starting to turn brown. Can't I just mow to spread the seed?

Monique on June 01, 2010:

Not sure where you live Kristen, but there are fescue mixes that you can use to over-seed your current lawn. These fescues with clover can be used to create a drought resistant, dog friendly, low mow lawn that will stand up to your dogs. All that is required is overseeding for a few seasons in spring & fall so that you don't have to go through the hassle of ripping out the lawn you have in place. I know there is a Canadian Company called Green Earth that sells both clover and a fescue mix they call EcoTurf. I have never been let down by their products yet and that says a lot considering I live in Calgary where the Chinooks wreak havoc on our gardens.

Good luck & enjoy.

kirsten on May 20, 2010:

I like the idea of a clover lawn but i need something that can withstand not just the urine burns but the traffic of my three dogs!! any ideas? maybe a mixture....

LewisSummer on April 02, 2010:

I love the fact that this information is getting out there. It's such a stigma to have clover in a lawn, and when I tell others about my plan to have a clover lawn I get a lot of raised eyebrows. THANKS!

Marmar on March 30, 2010:

I was wondering if you had any helpful links on creating a clover lawn with other landscaping items, such as rocks. I live in Memphis--it is hot and humid. My lawn gets direct sunlight--very little shade.

Priscilla Chan from Normal, Illinois on March 14, 2010:

Glad that you share the info with us. We have a big lot and all kinds of stuff growing. I don't mind anything except the dandelions and Poison Ivy and Posion Oaks. Thanks for the hub.

Jen M on February 24, 2010:

Hi! We have a small grassy area in our backyard that has always been difficult to keep healthy grass in. It gets way too much shade from the trees and it is generally pretty wet. And now that we've put in a trampoline for the kids, the grass underneath has been eliminated completely.

I've been looking for an alternative, something that would grow even underneath a trampoline, as the yard is a bit of a mudbowl without the grass and we have a dog who brings it all inside. :)

I was thinking that possibly clover was the answer, but I'm worried about the bees. The kids don't really run around on the grass much around the trampoline, but they are on the trampoline a lot, of course. And I don't want them stung.

Is there a type of clover that doesn't flower? Or could you suggest another type of ground cover?

Thanks so much!

Jim B on February 10, 2010:

What would be a good grass to mix with clover. I have 5 acres that I would like to plant with a clover and grass mix

on February 07, 2010:

We tried a clover lawn once upon a time. We were not very happy with it. Seems to me to be a lot of work for busy folks so I'm not sure we'll try it again but you have me thinking. I've been thinking about a chamomile lawn but need to do some research to see how such a lawn would fair in the hot summers of South Carolina.

Stephanie_H from NC on February 04, 2010:

I've done a little research and found that my vine is actually common greenbrier and not kudzu! (Thank God) It's actually native to where I live, so maybe there's a small chance that clover can keep it under control.

Stephanie_H from NC on February 04, 2010:

I'm not quite sure if it's kudzu. It's a non-flowering vine that loves to stick it to trees. Their root systems are like a clump of brown, stubby fingers. I know it when I leave just one in the ground because it'll come back after a few weeks, just not as big.

I haven't thought about getting goats. I'm afraid they'd eat everything I didn't want them to eat.

kerryg (author) from USA on February 03, 2010:

Kudzu is a killer, and I think it would probably be too aggressive for clover to choke out. There are a number of grasses that fit your description, and some are more aggressive than others. I do know that we've had good luck with crowding out crab grass with clover.

Have you considered buying or renting goats to help you keep the kudzu under control? I've heard weed control goats have produced good results against the stuff.

Stephanie_H from NC on February 03, 2010:

What kinds of weeds does clover typically choke out? We have kudzu in a particular area of my yard that I've either (mostly) dug up or I'm keeping it under control by mowing. We also have some kind of grass (not sure what it's called; I just know it spreads by putting out runners) that I hope clover will get rid of.

How much shade is too much?

Tim on November 24, 2009:

I am growing it without even knowing it. It sucks...I spent 400 bucks on bermuda, and all that grows is this.

Next summer Clover! Its OVER!

sgtpepper on September 28, 2009:

We have overseed with a grass/clover mix called Earth Turf, which has a new type of really small clover that blends in better than red or dutch white clovers - http://www.earthturfco.com

Stays green thru summer without water!

oldwolves on August 30, 2009:

Im all in. This fall I'm going to make the attempt to do half my lawn in clover. My only concern is the best way to spread the seeds. It seems they are to small for conventional spreaders.

annualcreditreport on August 07, 2009:

I think planting small areas of clover or areas in less visible areas is a great idea... where I live we always have water shortages and if it can save water and still look good I'm all for it... thanks for the tip

LisaR on July 27, 2009:

Nice article, but I guess I'm in the minority here. I have two little ones, ages 4 and 1, and the clover is ALL over our lawn. My 4-year-old was stung in the foot last week by a bee. There are bees ALL over our lawn all day now. He won't go on the lawn at all, and my 1-year-old, who prefers to run around w/o shoes, cannot do so any more for the WHOLE summer. It's ridiculous that there's apparently no way to get rid of this. We tried mowing the grass shorter, but can't lower the mower enough to do the job w/o ripping up chunks of grass and earth. I think it's great that many of you want to help out the bee population, and I would, too, if it didn't interfere with my babies being able to enjoy their own yard.

MJCook on July 21, 2009:

When does clover seed mature? I have hundreds of blooms in a patch of clover in my lawn and the blooming has been happening for at least 4 weeks. Bees have been pollinating the blossoms. Some blossoms are now drooping and are turning brown but I cannot seem to find any seeds in the blossoms, only dried petals. I want to use the seeds to estabish another couple of patches in my back yard. Thanks for your help.

MJC

Devon eco lodges on July 05, 2009:

Really interesting - our lawn has turned to clover this year and we and the bees love it. Nobody has been stung yet, not even the kids. We're in the UK, in Devon. I've posted a link to your article on our blog. Thanks for some good information.

kerryg (author) from USA on July 05, 2009:

Clover spreads by runners or stolons across the ground, so if the lawns are seperated by a driveway, the clover is unlikely to spread across it.

J. Allison on July 04, 2009:

My neighbor who pays someone to keep her lawn immaculate is concerned that the clover in my lawn will spread to her lawn and that is unacceptable to her. The lawns are seperated by a driveway. I love my clover and my flowers love the bees. Will my clover spread to her yard? How does clover spread?

kerryg (author) from USA on June 19, 2009:

Unfortunately, clover does prefer to sprout and establish itself under cooler conditions, so in general I would say waiting until fall is preferable, but talk to your local extension agent to get a second opinion from someone more familiar with your local growing conditions.

White clover is shade tolerent, but in full shade it might be preferable to develop a real shade garden: https://hubpages.com/education/Tips-For-a-Beautifu...

Either wild white clover generally is escaped dutch clover, so either should be fine.

Deer should not be a serious problem.

W. Alexander on June 19, 2009:

We live in Virginia, and have scraped out all of our grass in preparation for a clover lawn. Can we seed now in late June, or early July or do we need to wait? Some of our yard is almost completely shaded, is that a problem? We want it to be as tough, and low as possible; is wild white clover preferable to dutch white clover. We do have plenty of deer nearby, but we are planting it for us. Would the deer be a problem with a lower variety? Thank you!

kerryg (author) from USA on June 18, 2009:

Are you talking about air temperature or windchill? I live in an area that occasionally gets a windchill that low (air temperature rarely below -15 Fahrenheit) and our clover is very healthy and greens up beautifully in spring. In general, clover is hardy to very low temperatures, but may not fight off weeds as aggressively in areas with very cold winters and cool springs.

MrCold on June 18, 2009:

Does clover survive in cold areas like Calgary? Where it can be as low as -44. Does it comes back to life in summer?

kerryg (author) from USA on June 15, 2009:

tirsalope, sorry for the slow reply. I've been out of town.

Dutch Whiter Clover does indeed grow in Arizona, but prefers moister areas there, so unless you have a naturally moist lawn, you may not see as many of the benefits in terms of water conservation as those of us from wetter climates. There are several clover species that are native to Arizona, however. I would encourage you to contact the Arizona Native Plant Society for advice: http://aznps.com/

I also recommend researching a form of landscaping called xeriscaping. When many people think of xeriscaping, or dry gardening, they think it means your yard is covered in bare dirt and cacti, but the truth is that xeriscapes can actually be quite lush and beautiful:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xeriscaping

tirsalope on June 09, 2009:

How does clover fair in Arizona. We bought a home with a patchy lawn and would love to convert to clover.

kerryg (author) from USA on May 02, 2009:

Guhpraset, that is a very interesting question. As far as I know, clover is native primarily to temperate climates such as Europe and North America. My understanding is that there are a few species from Africa and South America that may tolerate more tropical climates, but I am not aware of any from Southeast Asia.

Clover does best in full or partial sun, so a rubber plantation would probably not be the best place for it. However, I'm sure there are many alternative native groundcovers you could use instead.

This database might be helpful in your search: http://www.pfaf.org/

I also recommend you try contacting the IDEP, an Indonesian environmental and development organization that deals with permaculture and organic cultivation techniques, among other issues. Their website is here: http://www.idepfoundation.org/

guhpraset on May 01, 2009:

1. Will it grow in tropical area like Indonesia?

2. Are they have to be under direct sunlight? Will they grow under the shade of bigger tree, like rubber tree. I'm thinking to plant them in the rubber farm.

Peggy Woods from Houston, Texas on March 29, 2009:

I remember the fun we used to have as children trying to find the 4 leafed clovers! Another excellent hub.

kerryg (author) from USA on September 17, 2008:

hot dorkage, thanks for reading!

Basically, it's because the pure clover might not reseed evenly, and if clover is all you have, you don't want it to be patchy. In a mixed grass-clover lawn, the grass will cover any areas the clover doesn't, and vice versa.

hot dorkage from Oregon, USA on September 17, 2008:

why does the mixed lawn self reseed where the pure clover lawn needs help from people?