So with the many benefits of having a clover garden, why don’t most homes have them? Here’s the short answer: It was branded a weed. Photo Credit: Rhian / Flickr / CC BY 2.0 A History of Clover Lawns Because clover lawns increase aeration, they also reduce erosion. How does this help with erosion control? Compacted soil leads to run-off and erosion. These deep roots help keep the clovers, soil, and nutrients in place through weather challenges.Ĭlover roots also prevent soil compaction due to their excellent natural aeration ability. Clover Increases Erosion ControlĪs we’ve talked about, clover roots go deep. Clover seeds are way cheaper than grass seeds - about $1 per 1,000 square feet. Their deep decomposing roots also attract earthworms whose movement keeps the soil loose.Īre you thinking about checking clover out? Well, great news.

Clover roots are like a living mulch and naturally keep soil from compacting.Clover lawns will only need to be trimmed a few times during the growing season, unlike the weekly mows of a grass lawn.Clover lawns are:Ĭlover lawns need less mowing and less aeration, too. Let’s recap the time and money-saving benefits we’ve seen so far. Want an added bonus? Many pollinators are natural pest control, saving you even more hassle and money. Just be careful to avoid bee stings and wasps. Having honey bees around is good for your garden, honey production, and the environment. Especially with many pollinators losing their habitats, having a clover lawn can be a safe haven for them. Clovers are Pollinator FriendlyĬlover flowers attract pollinators like honey bees. Music to many lawn lovers’ ears: “Clover will stay green all summer long.” 6. Clover also stays greener longer in times of drought. While establishing clovers, they will need near daily waterings (like grass), but once they have taken hold, they require little watering upkeep.Ĭlover roots reach deep into the soil to draw up the water they need, which saves time and money. Says Sharapova, “White clover can withstand foot traffic, but will do so better mixed with grass.” Grasses even return some favors to clovers, especially when it comes to a lush and beautiful lawn. Says Lowenfels, “You couldn’t find a lawn seed mix without it!” Jeff Lowenfels, veteran Anchorage Daily News gardening columnist, notes that clover was considered so essential for lawns back in the day that it was a standard, even necessary, component in lawn seed mixes. Even today, you’ll see many lawns and fields where clovers and grass coexist peacefully, side-by-side. Grass and Clovers are Mutually BeneficialĬlovers are kind to grasses and considered companion plants. These quick spreaders cut down on herbicide use and costs, too. When sown in between major crop plantings, they keep weeds down on farm fields for the upcoming year. They help reduce soil splash and erosion, and keep weeds in check.” The University of Minnesota says, “Cover crops form a living mulch in gardens because they grow thickly among each other. In agriculture and gardening, clovers are common and successful cover crops. “Clover … crowds out broadleaf weeds because it quickly forms clumps that spread by secondary roots, or stolons,” says Sharapova. As a dense ground cover plant, clovers - though they are also broad-leaved - are exceptional at crowding out other broadleaf plants such as dandelions, violets, and other plants that commonly populate lawns. It turns out clover does some of the “weeding” for you, too. This could save you a pretty penny, and it also makes clover better for the environment than grass-only lawns. In effect, making friends - not enemies - with clover means you’ll need less fertilizer, herbicide, and chemicals to keep disease at bay. The grass becomes more disease resistant because of the health benefits of clover,” Sharapova notes. When clover decomposes, it makes the minerals available to the lawn grass and soil life. “Clover …draws up and accumulates trace minerals. Lawn diseases are awful, but clovers could be your answer.

A 25 years veteran in the horticultural industry, Sharapova adds that less fertilizer use “reduces nutrient runoff into local streams and aquatic habitat.” 2. There are also ecological benefits to reducing your synthetic fertilizer use. According to Melissa Sharapova, a permaculture and landscaping expert, “ Clovers are a beneficial addition to turfgrass because they fix atmospheric nitrogen into soil eliminate the need for synthetic fertilizer. If you’re tired of spending loads of cash on nitrogen for your lawn, let clover do the job for you. Here are the Eight Reasons to Plant a Clover Lawn 1. Grass and Clovers are Mutually Beneficial

Here are the Eight Reasons to Plant a Clover Lawn.