Desire a vibrant, green lawn without wanting to dedicate your evenings and weekends to meticulously watering, fertilizing, and maintaining your yard?
A clover lawn is the gardening fad you should keep an eye on.
This environmentally friendly substitute for grass is gaining popularity among gardeners, mainly due to its low maintenance, attractive appearance, and the fact that achieving a lush green backyard doesn’t require specialized knowledge.
"Clover is an excellent option for people who want a pollinator-friendly, sustainable, and easy-to-care-for lawn without sacrificing looks," says Matthew Koch, Ph.D., Director of Biotechnology and Genetics. Scotts .
This low-lying leguminous plant (indeed, it’s a type of legume!) has a soft, lush texture and appears so compact from a distance that one might not even realize it’s not Grass. Additionally, it offers numerous advantages ranging from supporting pollinators to improving your soil quality. If you're considering incorporating clover into your lawn, here are five key points to keep in mind regarding this fortunate foliage.
Clover lawns are the ultimate easy-care lawn.
Clover, frequently blended with grass in lawns, requires minimal upkeep. Its growth is straightforward, making it easy for novice gardeners to cultivate successfully. According to Koch, one should distribute clover seed across the area using a spreader followed by raking gently to guarantee uniform coverage of seeds over the lawn. For the first fourteen days, water the seeded region twice each day.
“After the clover becomes well-established, upkeep is quite simple. Once it grows to the preferred height, homeowners may choose to mow the clover; however, it generally needs less mowing Compared to grass lawns," states Koch. The only thing needed to nourish the clover lawn is to put the clippings back.
Clover Lawns Are Drought-Tolerant
Even with minimal rainfall, drought-resistant clover remains vibrant and green. Should your area receive consistent precipitation, irrigation becomes unnecessary. According to Koch, "Clovers feature extensive root systems which allow them to maintain their lush appearance through brief dry spells. In case of several weeks lacking rain, watering just once weekly ought to suffice."
Clover lawns enhance your soil quality
Your entire yard will benefit from your clover lawn, including any shrubs, trees, or flowers you have planted in your garden. Koch explains, “Clover acts as a natural fertilizer for soil, by absorbing nitrogen from the atmosphere and transforming it into nitrogen usable by other plants.”
And, if you live in an area prone to heavy summer rains, Koch says that your clover lawn can help protect your yard by preventing rainwater run-off because it aerates compacted soil.
Clover Lawns Attract Pollinators
For those who love pollinator gardens , clover lawns are a welcome addition. Koch says, “Clover flowers can enhance a backyard’s biodiversity by attracting beneficial insects, including bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.” Pair that with the lack of excessive watering and the benefits for the soil, and you have an incredibly eco-friendly lawn choice.
Of course, bees are both a blessing and a curse, particularly if you have kids and pets playing in the yard. Luckily, you can easily manage the bee population by mowing the lawn regularly. “Keeping your clover lawn trimmed reduces the number of flowers available, making it less appealing to bees,” says Koch, though he notes that you shouldn’t cut it too short or you’ll stress the clover.
Koch recommends mowing just before you plan to use your yard, which will eliminate all blooms for a short period. Additionally, consider establishing a pollinator area in your yard where clover is permitted to bloom openly, possibly alongside local pollinator-friendly plants.
Clover lawns can adapt to most regions across the U.S.
Clovers thrive in a mild temperature and average precipitation, which means that gardeners across much of the United States stand a good chance at successfully cultivating a clover lawn. According to Koch, "In areas with cooler climates, particularly in the northern parts of the country, clover tends to flourish more readily during the growing season due to the naturally occurring rainfall and relatively cool summers."
If you reside in the Southern part of the country and appreciate gentle winters, you could have vivid, dense green clover throughout the entire year.
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