By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article parts. Tips and Warnings. Related Articles. Article Summary. Part 1. Test your soil pH. Start by determining whether you have the right kind of soil to allow clover to thrive. Most varieties of clover do best in soil with a pH between 6. A soil testing kit can also tell you if your soil has any nutrient or mineral deficiencies. If your soil pH is too low, you can adjust it by adding lime to the soil.
Correct a soil pH that is too high by mixing in peat moss or sawdust. You may need to allow up to 6 months for any adjustment to take full effect, so do your testing well in advance of when you want to plant.
Get a type of clover that works best with your soil pH. Research clover varieties online, or check with your plant nursery or garden center. Treat the area with weed killer. Before you plant clover, you will need to get rid of any unwanted plant growth.
You may use a weed killer, to eliminate any existing turf, weeds, or other unwanted plants. Follow all label directions carefully. If animals may feed on your clover, if you may allow the clover to flower for bees to pollinate, and if the area drains into existing groundwater, avoid using chemical compounds such as Roundup.
Till the soil a month before planting. Clover seeds will do best if they don't have to compete with weeds while they're getting established. To remove all vegetation, rocks, and debris from the area, till or rake the soil to a depth of about eight inches 20 cm. Tilling now will also make it easier to change the soil if the pH needs to be adjusted. Water the area daily. To encourage latent weeds and vegetation to grow, provide the tilled area with a light misting of water every day. This process will help you eliminate weeds in a couple weeks, right before planting the clover seeds.
You don't have to worry about watering if you're getting sufficient rain during this time. Remove weeds. A couple days before planting, use a spade or small shovel to dig up any weeds that have sprouted up since you tilled the land.
This will kill competition and give the clover the best possible chance of thriving. You can also use a scythe to cut them out. Part 2. Mix the seed with sand. Clover seeds are very small and lightweight. To ensure they spread evenly, it's best to mix them with another medium that will make them easier to distribute on the ground. You will need about 2 oz. Before planting, mix your seeds with one of the following: [5] X Research source Soil preferably unfertilized, to discourage the growth of weeds Sand Sawdust.
Spread the seed. Use your hand to spread the seed evenly over the lawn. If you have a large lawn, you can use a broadcast spreader, which you can buy at local garden stores and home improvement stores. You can also spread seed over large areas by smoothing the seed and sand mixture over the ground with a leaf rake turned so that the tines face up. Rake the area. Clover seeds will not grow if they are buried in the ground, but covering them with a thin layer of soil will help to keep them in place and prevent wind or predators from disturbing them.
Go over the area you've seeded with a rake that is turned so that the tines face up, and gently mix the seeds into the top layer of soil. Do not rake more than a quarter-inch 6 mm deep, otherwise the seeds won't grow. Keep the seeds moist until the clover is established. Water the seeds immediately after spreading them. This process will help the seeds stick in the ground and encourage germination.
Provide the seeds with a light misting of water every day that it doesn't rain until the seedlings grow leaves. During the spring, summer, and warmer fall months, make sure the clover gets about 1. When planted during the warmer spring or summer months, clover seeds will germinate in one to two weeks. Make sure that the seeds do not have a chance to dry out during the day, or the sprouts will not survive. Skip the fertilizer. Clover can produce nitrogen all on its own, as long as it forms the proper relationship with the soil which you encourage by adding a clover inoculant when planting.
Adding in fertilizer will usually encourage grasses and weeds to grow instead of the clover. Test your soil occasionally after your lawn is planted. This will help in seed germination and establishment. If you are planting a small area, kill off all living vegetation and simply rake the ground and remove any debris and large obstacles, such as big rocks. Scatter the seed mixture lightly on top of the loosened soil at the recommended seeding rate per package directions.
Water lightly, but not so heavily that the seeds are washed away. Keep the planting area moist until the seeds germinate and the clover is established. Sun: Clover will grow in light shade, but not very fast. You may want to double your seeding rates if planting in light shade.
Clover will not fair well at all in dense shade and is not recommended. If possible, cut back brush, trees, etc. Water: At time of seeding it is critical that new seeds are kept moist as much as possible.
In optimum growing conditions, the seed never dries out in between waterings. After clover establishment, it generally needs approximately 30 inches of rain a year to be productive and 45 inches or more is optimum.
Most clovers will tolerate poorly drained soils, but no clover will grow where water stands for weeks at a time. If you are establishing a new lawn, prepare your soil several weeks in advance by removing weeds, stones, and other debris. Rake or till the top layer of soil to loosen the substrate and then water the area to encourage any remaining weeds to sprout.
A day or two before planting your lawn, remove any newly sprouted weeds and rake to a smooth, even texture. Mix your clover seed with sand, sawdust, or fine soil to make spreading easier. Use a broadcast spreader if you can find one that accommodates clover for large areas to ensure even distribution. Do not fertilize. Follow with grass seed if using.
Rake the planted area to lightly cover the seeds. Compress with a roller or by walking over the area. Water regularly until established. This will also favor the clover over the grass, and help the clover plants establish their roots.
Leave the clippings on the lawn they are a valuable mulch. You can always overseed with clover if the grass starts taking over. Adding clover to your existing lawn or planting a new lawn with clover in the mix will help reduce the impacts of your little patch of green. With fewer requirements and care, and more time for enjoyment, a clover lawn is a natural choice for your overall sustainability solution. Shannon Cowan Shannon Cowan is the blog editor at Eartheasy.
She lives on six acres of land with her husband, daughters, and backyard poultry flock. Read Article Shop Products. Ah, the backyard lawn, that controversial patch of greenery adored by some and shunned by others. Restricted to the aristocracy before mechanical mowers made them possible for humbler folk, lawns have become the norm of boulevards and subdivisions alike. Lawn alternatives How to Grow Microclover However you feel about lawns, one thing is certain: you can make yours more sustainable by considering clover.
Benefits of a Clover Lawn Clover is affordable and easy to grow. A nitrogen-fixing plant, clover brings nutrients to your soil and requires no fertilization.
When mixed with other grasses, clover can reduce or eliminate the need for regular fertilizing. Clover is drought tolerant and grows despite lack of water once established. This contrasts starkly with traditional lawn grasses, which usually need watering all season long.
0コメント