You can easily see white clover in almost every corner of the garden. This weed improves nitrogen in the soil and supports grass growth as it decomposes.
Despite being beneficial to the lawn, some homeowners – probably including yourself – find it irritating. The small white flowers uncontrollably appear and invade your beautiful green yard. Besides, patches of clover also become an ideal habitat for rabbit pests.
If you wonder “why do I have so much clover in my lawn,” continue with this post on gardening101.net to find the answer. In addition, we will show you how to eliminate this stubborn weed and prevent it from coming back.
Why Do I Have So Much Clover In My Lawn?
There are several reasons why you have so much clover in your garden. Some of the most common causes are the soil, insufficient water, and cool temperature.
The Soil
The main reason that causes weeds to spring up healthily is poor soil. Characteristics you should pay attention to include pH level, nutrients, and compaction.
Inappropriate Soil pH Level
Most lawns prefer a pH level between 6.0 and 7.0. If the pH of your soil drops too low, it becomes too acidic for grass to grow. It is when clover seed begins sprouting up widely.
Therefore, it is essential to maintain your soil pH at the preferable level to prevent the weed from going out of control. You can achieve a balanced pH level by using soil amendments.
Nutrients Deficiency
As nutrients are defective, clover plants take over your lawn more aggressively. It can get nitrogen from the air and subsequently produce fertilizer. In contrast, grass relies on nitrogen available in the soil.
As a result, insufficient nitrogen levels in the soil weaken your grass while allowing the weed to thrive. What you should do is fertilize your green lawn properly.
Compacted Soil
The last factor of the soil that leads to weed invasion is compaction. Compacted soil restrains your lawn grass from getting nutrients. Thus, break up compaction by a core or spike aerator to help your grass grow.
Insufficient Water
Your lawn grass lives on nutrients from the soil, water, and sunlight. Another reason you see so much clover on your lawn is insufficient water for the grass to survive and outgrow it.
You have to ensure your lawn has sufficient water by watering it regularly. When your lawn grass is healthy, the weed will have no chance to overthrow it in your garden.
On the other hand, over-irrigation also results in weeds crowding the lawn. The excess water will wash away all nutrients in the soil, so you should remember to provide it with a reasonable amount of water.
Cool Temperature
The weather is a possible cause of invasive weeds. The air temperature in the spring is perfect for the weed to flourish. In this case, you need to supply adequate fertilizer and water to your lawn to fight against the weed since we cannot control the weather anyway.
How To Get Rid Of Clover
Now you have understood why clover appears in your garden. The following section will give you some options for removing the uninvited weed.
Manual Work
You can remove a patch of clover by simply plucking. First, gently loosen the soil around the weed with a spade, and tug it with all roots. Try not to leave any of its roots behind since they will spring back quickly.
This method works for small patches. Do this every time a white clover patch comes to your notice to keep it from spreading.
Oxygen And Sunlight
Depriving clovers of oxygen and sunlight is another natural method to get rid of this weed in your garden. You can place plastic sheeting over the patch, then secure it with rocks on the corners.
The patch will go away in a few weeks, but remember that the surrounding grass under the plastic bag also gets affected.
Vinegar Solution
A natural clover control remedy gardeners usually use is vinegar solution. To make it, you need to mix a cup of vinegar with a drop of dish soap. Then, put the mixture in a spray bottle and sprinkle it on clover patches.
The solution also impairs the grass, so you should be careful when spraying it around your lawn. You will see the effects after a few weeks with this method.
Organic Herbicides
Purchase organic weed killers from a local store to get rid of big white clover patches in your garden. The chemicals will weaken and kill the perennial weed without damaging your grass.
How To Prevent Clover In My Lawn
After removing the stubborn weed, try these measures to prevent it from coming back into your lawn.
Organic Fertilizer
The organic fertilizer supports your grass in the long run as it releases nitrogen slowly. Though traditional fertilizer is more cost-effective and delivers healthy grass quickly, the organic type offers your lawn stronger resistance to clover over time.
Corn Gluten Meal
Corn gluten helps hinder seeds from sprouting through its organic peptides. You can pick up corn gluten meal at any garden store or online. Next, spread 20 pounds of corn gluten over 1,000 square feet, and leave it dry naturally.
Mowing Height
Mowing your grass higher than 3 inches can reduce the chance you see clover in lawns. Taller grass keeps the weed from getting sunlight, thus preventing them from outgrowing. Simply raising your mower deck a few inches tall can solve all your issues with this weed.
Conclusion
This post has given you some insights into the question: why do I have so much clover in my lawn. Unwanted weeds cause headaches to homeowners, and the typical reasons are the soil quality, lack of water, and air temperature.
To eliminate these tiny white flowers and prevent them from reappearing, you should follow the above measures closely to tackle all the causes. Ultimately, your beautiful lawn will be green and healthy without a sight of the weed.