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How To Grow Clover | Blog | Naturescape, LLC | Andover, CT

how to grow clover

Why you should Grow Clover in Your Lawn

Are you growing clover in your lawn? It’s o.k., don’t panic. Clover is actually good for your lawn and excellent for the environment, honeybees and butterflies.

A little clover background: Clover (trefoil) is a member of the legume family, with about 300 species in the family. Being part of the legume family means clovers produces nitrogen. Clovers are also edible and because it is so durable and comes back, even after it is mowed it is an excellent source of nutrients for livestock. This means that the presence of clover is actually good for lawns because it provides its own fertilizer!  How cool is that?

You may see more clover than ever at the beginning of spring; they will be popping up in your lawn and in your gardens. If you don’t see any, or want to see more, there is an easy way to fix that…. Plant Some. Planting clover is also a fun activity to do with your kids, and a great gift idea to give your mom- a perennial for her to think of you every spring as she looks out at her lawn. Also, adding clover to your existing lawn or planting a new lawn with clover in the mix will help reduce the impacts of grassless patches.

Growing Clover: You can plant clover from seed, both inside or outside. If you plant outside, the best time is when nighttime temperatures remain above 40 degrees. Remember, clover is a great way to feed the bee population.

Instructions:

  • –  Mix the seed with sand. Clover seeds are very small and lightweight.
  • –  Spread the seed. Use your hand to spread the seed evenly over the lawn.
  • –  Rake the area.
  • –  Keep the seeds moist until the clover is established.
    (remember- no need to fertilize- they will do that themselves)
  • –  Test your soil occasionally after your clover is planted to make sure it stays moist – just like growing grass.

And just like growing new grass: Don’t’ forget- if you had your lawn seeded -remember to water! This rain is great but it will not last forever. Keep it moist for at least a few weeks.