Coated seeds are more expensive, but they are easier to apply and see in your lawn to understand the coverage youre getting when spreading your seed. Apr 23, 2019 Carly Fraser Post contains aAffiliate links Save For Later Print. As the roots grow along the surface, new clover plants will fill in any blank spots. Clover is a benefit to yards with poor soil, and it can thrive in compacted or poorly draining soil. Her goal is to meet you where you are, and help you achieve a yard youll be proud of. The seed can germinate at lower temperatures than most annuals. Other seeds recommended for blending with microclover include: Check with your local extension office to see which specific grasses are recommended in your area. Americas biodiverse meadows of days gone were slowly converted to French- and English-style monoculture lawns featuring mostly turf grass. One area with a poor track record for growing micro clover is the extreme Southern United States. Even if youre not looking to entirely convert your lawn to a clover haven, know that its perfectly fine (and even healthy) for this common plant to show up in your grass and backyard. Rake or scratch the surface of the area where you want to plant. West Coast Seeds has it (heres the link) if you want to buy directly from a company and cant find what youre looking for on Amazon. Many landscapers and gardeners suggest converting to a clover lawn gradually rather than digging up your lawn and making it happen all at once. This will cut down on your annual lawn maintenance costs, but there are other benefits to clover as well. White clover seed for lawns costs an average of about $4 per pound. A good plan would be to contact your local extension office to see if micro clover is right for your area. Should I plant a ground cover such as Creeping thyme or Snow in summer? Though widely adapted, it is best suited to soils which have good moisture-holding ability. Micro Clover is Perennial Nitrogen Fertilizer for Lawns - The Spruce Not to mention, some people also take the toxic route of spraying their lawns with herbicides to get rid of dandelions. View our Seasonal Sale, with Free Shipping over $99. Deciding between coated and non-coated seeds will depend on the condition of your soil. Are micro clover lawns better than grass? At the low seeding rates, you'd spend $450 to seed 5,000 square feet; at the higher rate, you'd pay $1,125. Perform a soil test (I use. When seeded into warm season grasses, they are normally planted near the expected date of the first killing frost. If your lawn is a mix of grass and clover, the grass will be greener and healthier and wont need fertilizing. The sowing rate for an existing lawn is 1.5 pounds for 10,000 square feet. Interestingly enough, (I wouldn't believe it if I didn't see it) I was in a pasture today where the landowner is following his cattle with chickens. If youre looking for something low-maintenance, beautiful, and drought tolerant, that would be my top recommendation (if youre open to grass I know a lot of readers on this page are specifically looking for grass lawn alternatives). If a stand of an annual clover is present in an area for more than one year without being replanted, it is due either to reseeding or delayed germination of previously planted seed. Therefore, you don't need to trim it down too often to maintain a neat lawn. The blog editor at Eartheasy.com, Shannon lives on six acres of land with her husband, daughters, and backyard poultry flock. Theyre both dogs, but youre going to pay a lot more for the cute miniature version thats been specially bred. Microclover is a variation of white clover. Nitrogen-coated seeds are necessary for sterile or otherwise unhealthy soil. Ten minutes of the sprinkler twice a day is sufficient, but water according to your needs (and your local climate). I recommend using the back of a leaf rake for this. The decision to embrace clover includes many factors that each person must consider. The most commonly used perennial clovers in the United States are white clover and red clover. The leaves of micro clover are twice as small as those of white clover, and if you mow the lawn, the leaves regrow even smaller! There are many reasons why mixing clover into your grass lawn is a great idea. In the strictest sense, all of our cultivated crops are genetically modified through selective breeding practices. Being smaller, micro clover grows lower to the ground and does not have the clumping tendency of its larger relative. I hate SPAM and promise to keep your email address safe. When mixed with the right grass seed, micro clover can fill gaps, enhance the green hue of your yard, and create unique and inviting texture in your lawn. Unfortunately, they don't eat blackberry or Tansy, only my flowers, shrubs, and vegetables! The types of clover generally used in lawns are strawberry clover, white clover or red clover. Clover is primarily used as a legume component in grazing systems and cover crops as it provides forage diversity and fixes nitrogen as well. In seeding micro clover in semi mature lawns, what is the norm for mowing? Thus, in addition to forage production situations, it is often used as a winter cover and/or green manure crop. Sunday makes it easy to transform your lawn. Generally, this was white clover (Trifolium repens). You will need to sow 25% more of these seeds compared to grass seed into an existing lawn. Most clover varieties grow to a height of 2-8 inches. As the seedlings sprout and grow, the clover will expand further and further into the grass. Although it can be quite productive, ball clover has a shorter growing season and often yields less than other commonly grown annual clovers.It is a prolific seed producer even under high stocking rates, and a high percentage of the seed are hard seed. Special thanks to Max Floyd of Earth, Water & Wood for sharing information about micro clover lawns in the home landscape. In this case, you would not need to buy seeds coated with nitrogen. My question is whether there is true a difference in Miniclover as opposed to Dutch White Clover? I recommend Sundays Lucky Lawn clover and grass seed blend. The hardy nature of micro clover also limits the growth of weeds. The drawback, however, is if you or your children tend to walk barefoot, theres a small chance you could accidentally step on a bee and get stung. Do you recommend a brand of seed that doesnt revert back to the larger version of clover? To learn more visit the following pages:Advertising Policy |Privacy Policy, Get My FREE Cheat-Sheet and Take the Guesswork Out of Lawn Care. And with the demand for Microclover outpacing the supply, prices are not expected to go down anytime soon. Its an excellent grass blend that does really well in NJ and up into New England (its what I use to overseed my lawn every other year). 10. It produces a high percentage of hard seed, which favors reseeding. Science Learning Hub. It has smaller leaves and fewer flowers than white clover, and it grows lower to the ground (4-6 inches tall). Having a mowed clover lawn in place 4 to 6 weeks before the first frost can help winterize your lawn, but theres no need to spend every weekend mowing as you would with turf. It acts as its own natural fertilizer! Required fields are marked *. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. She currently lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba, with a determined life mission to help inspire and motivate individuals to critically think about what they put in their bodies and to find balance through nutrition and lifestyle. 15 Reasons Why a Clover Lawn is Better Than a Grass Lawn This clover does not reseed well due to a low level of hard seed production. Additionally, moles have an extensive tunnel network, despite repeated trappings. A single 5 pound bag will overseed 2,500 square feet! These cookies do not store any personal information. Mini Clover or microclover - Ask Extension Subterranean Clover Subterranean clover is a dense, low-growing annual best suited to areas having mild winters. While the shady parts will grow at a slower rate than the rest of the lawn, it wont do as poorly as grass does when not given enough light. Adding seeds a little bit at a time is a convenient way to get your clover lawn started. Prepare about 5 of topsoil by tilling and adding screened, organic compost. Can I mow full size Dutch White and have the same results as Miniclover would offer? Heres my privacy policy. 1. The white clover permanently fertilizes the sward, thus increasing its wear tolerance. Subterranean clover does not yield as well as arrowleaf clover, berseem clover, or crimson clover,but can produce seed under heavy grazing pressure. Its tiny leaves are about one third the size of traditional clover, and it doesnt clump together, making it look less like a weed and more like the even green lawns people love. Sow clover seed at roughly 6 to 8 ounces per 1,000 square feet. The showy crimson-colored blooms can provide a spectacular show in early to mid-spring. White clover is best suited to soils which have good moisture holding ability. Clover will begin to grow in 5-7 days. Not only do clover lawns require less mowing, but they also need less watering than most grasses. Related: How to Reduce the Size of Your Lawn. Small test plantings are inexpensive and can provide much insight that can help with species selection decisions in future years. Why has no one been doing this besides me? While manicured monocultural lawns may look nice, they have drawbacks, such as depriving pollinators of food and habitat and requiring greater water consumption, maintenance, and chemical treatment than a clover lawn requires. This means it keeps your lawn looking greener and lusher throughout the spring and summer. Arrowleaf clover requires well-drained soil. Join other savvy homeowners who have already started to transform their lawn and, Why You Should Consider a Micro Clover Lawn. Micro Clover. In general, it is considered a perennial crop, although some of its longevity may be attributed to its own reseeding capability. This is particularly true with so many droughts happening nowadays I wouldnt be surprised if everyone switched to micro clover as a result. That would also leave me hesitantabout its staying power as the primary stabilization tool without some grasses to help round things out. Yes, definitely. If the seeds are broadcast over an existing lawn, germination will be greatly reduced (hence why raking deep into the grass to open up spots of soil is recommended). Copyright 2012 - 2023 Live Love FruitPrivacy Policy | Terms of Service | Full Disclaimer | Affiliate Disclosure. In that situation, they dont do as well during droughts. These are all perennial clovers, as opposed to annual clover types that complete their life cycles in a single year. Thus, it is an excellent reseeder. Meanwhile, some turfgrasses scorch in the summer sun, while others become spindly in partial shade. It can be the result Get instant access to all of our premium pasture seed products by entering your zip code into our exclusive Seed Selector! Water regularly to ensure your soil doesnt dry out. It improves forage quality above a pure grass stand and supplies nitrogen for grass growth. Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional. I think factors like soil type (heavy clay vs sandy), and the light conditions of your yard play a very significant role as well, so its tough to generalize. That makes me wonder if they are the same except the mini clover is trained to stay lower by mowing. Sowing a micro clover lawn blend helps control weeds and reduce fertilizing. While most plants appreciate some shade in the heat of summer, too much shade will cause microclover lawns to struggle. In areas where it is well adapted, it is the best-yielding clover species. lol, I have been doing this for years. . Micro clover (sometimes spelled as microclover) is a small variety of white clover well worth consideration for spring lawn renovation. One of the easier options for getting started is to add seeds to your existing space a little at a time. Micro clover is an extra-small version of white clover (Trifolium repens) that has been around for decades in Europe. Lawns and Microclover | University of Maryland Extension - UMD It has tiny leaves and fewer white flowers. Turner, Dr. Thomas. Mowing the hills is no longer a physical reality, so want the top 20 feet of the hill closest to the house to have vegetation than needs mowing only occasionally. Getting rid of your current lawn to plant clover instead isnt a process that happens over night. My next-door neighbor seeded micro-clover in his front lawn this spring with great results, and across the street from him I have a neighbor that laid bluegrass sod a few years ago. Microclover is one such variety developed by the DLF seed company. Try it out with Sundays help. I believe that claim I tested some out in a 5 gallon bucket once and when I turned the bucket over you wouldnt believe the root mass! This one has smaller leaves and far fewer blooms, but it is a lot more tolerant to foot traffic and mowing. Do you still have to treat for grubs with a clover lawn? A clover yard only needs to be mowed a few times a year, as opposed to the weekly mowing required by most grass lawns. Unlike most commonly grown annual clovers, berseem clover is quite tolerant of wet soils and also alkaline soils. Clover lawns are visually stunning, give nutrients back to the soil, and are a nectar source for bees. Red Clover wherever grown attracts beneficial creatures, especially bees, whilst at the same time adding nutrients to the soil via its roots.