How to plant white clover for a lawn - rules, secrets, tips, video

Elite varieties of clover promise an ideal bright covering that can outshine a simple lawn in beauty. And ten times easier to create. In practice, sowing white clover for a lawn is not much different from grasses. But the vitality, lacyness of the leaves, modest care requirements, versatility and accessibility for many make white clover a dream plant. Just a couple of haircuts and waterings and a smooth, lush covering of a fabulous carpet will pay off all the efforts to find varieties. A favorite of the natural style, clover is becoming increasingly popular for a reason.

White clover as a lawn - advantages and disadvantages, sowing and care

Planting white clover in open ground

It is advisable to plant white clover separately from other plants. Trefoil is a dominant plant that can outlive its counterparts with a weaker root system; it will spread throughout the entire territory if measures are not taken to limit its spread.

White clover - pictured

It is desirable that the planting site has good natural lighting - in extreme cases, it can be partial shade. Also, you should not plant clover in excessively wet soil - it can be harmful to the plant and attract parasites. The ideal turf for trefoil will be loam and sandy loam soils; it also loves slightly acidic soils. If the soil is acidic, you can add lime to the soil, which will increase the strength of the flower before frost.

White clover can be planted not only as a lawn, but also under trees in the garden - it releases nitrogen fertilizers into the soil, increasing its fertility. White clover goes well with bright flowers - peonies, poppies, lupins. To create an original composition, you can also use flowers in pots. When forming a flower bed, clover is best planted in separate isolated groups. Remember to remove spent flower heads to prevent them from ruining the appearance of your lawn.

Unfortunately, the plant begins to bloom only in the second year of its life, but it also blooms all summer. To create a pleasant meadow lawn at your summer cottage, it is recommended to use the following mixture of grasses, taking a quarter of each type - red fescue, white clover, meadow grass, common bentgrass. This grass mixture is ideal for dry and infertile soils.

Preparing a site for a clover lawn

Unlike classic lawns, white clover can be used to create a green carpet in any sunny location with almost any soil. Such a lawn cannot tolerate shading; you need to look for open areas or places with at least diffusely bright lighting. The plant has no specific preferences; such a lawn cannot be built only on damp, too dense soils. The ideal option is loam and sandstone. If the soil is acidic, you need to correct the reaction with dolomite flour or lime.

The area for white clover is prepared in the same way as for any other lawn. Thorough cleaning of the soil, sampling of weed roots and stones, deep digging, leveling the surface and rolling with a roller for easy compaction are common measures in which there is nothing complicated. Too dense soils can be corrected with compost and sand; on poor soils, mature organic matter can be used. Sowing green manure before creating a lawn is welcome.

Advantages and disadvantages

An interesting fact, but all owners of suburban areas who already have or are just planning lawn coverings are divided into two diametrically opposed camps. Some people dream of creating a bright, rich and dense clover lawn on their property. Others consider it a weed for their lawn and are constantly fighting with clover.

Pros of a clover lawn:

The most important thing is that clover gives a decorative and very beautiful appearance to the coating. It is especially great to use it as a background for various flower pots, compositions and flower beds, peony gardens and rose gardens, fountains and ponds, alpine slides and solitary plants. A white clover lawn looks equally beautiful both in large areas and in remote tiny clearings.
The bright green mass that it forms is juicy and dense. This plant has powerful roots that can crowd out many weeds. Thanks to such a powerful root system, it often finds application on banks, wastelands and slopes (due to clover, they are strengthened and improved).
Clover does not require any special care; it does well without trimming and regular watering.
Like many legumes, clover provides nitrogen to the soil due to the beneficial bacteria living on its rhizomes. When it is part of a lawn grass mixture and grows on the site along with other cereals and flowering plants, it naturally fertilizes them and also increases resistance to diseases and infections.
It tolerates trampling well, so it is quite possible to have picnics with friends on the clover lawn.
An important advantage of this plant is that its seeds are quite inexpensive.

This type of lawn also has its disadvantages:

A lawn of white clover looks wonderful during flowering, when its ball-shaped inflorescences look like white beads scattered across an emerald carpet. But when they fade, the appearance of dried flowers immediately gives the green covering an unattractive, one might even say untidy, appearance. You will have to remove the dried inflorescences.
Clover grows strongly and quickly, so if it is part of a lawn grass mixture, then after some time it will begin to dominate among all other plants.
It has constantly wet turf, which makes the surface itself slippery, so it will be problematic for children to play active games or run around on such a lawn; they can slip and fall.

Experts even recommend using clover in the initial stages of building a country house. When construction is underway, and no one yet cares about arranging the garden, vegetable garden, flower beds and lawns, all unused territory must be leveled and planted with clover. Firstly, it will give the site an aesthetic appearance

But that's not even that important. The main thing is that clover will not allow weeds to grow and will fertilize the soil with nitrogen, so to speak, prepare it for the subsequent planting of cultivated plants

Well, if you decide to take up beekeeping at your summer cottage, then you simply need to plant a clover lawn. During the season, your bees will always have work to do. But children won’t be able to run on such a lawn, because bees might bite you.

Now you know all the positive and negative sides of this plant, think about everything thoroughly and make a decision for yourself - to plant a clover meadow in your dacha or not.

Features of white clover

White creeping clover (lat. Trifolium repens) received the popular name “White Porridge” for its decorative appearance during the flowering period. It is a low-growing, climbing plant with colorful leaves and showy white flowers. The shoots take root well, easily spread over the soil surface, cover all bald spots and create a single soft lawn cover.

White clover flower

The plant bushes heavily, so it is not recommended to use it in grass mixtures. When creating a lawn cover, it is more effective as a separately used crop, but in some cases, joint sowing with other climbing grasses is allowed.

A clover lawn is a great way to improve the environmental situation on your site. Root tubers accumulate natural nitrogen, which makes it possible to reduce the dose of applied fertilizers containing this element, or eliminate them altogether.

White clover in flowering period

The plant has a powerful root system (up to 45 cm), which makes it possible to use it to strengthen slopes and grass desert areas. Clover is light-loving, loves humidity, but does not tolerate stagnant water.

Perennial clover - main characteristics

Clover is a perennial (less often annual) plant that belongs to the legume family. In our area, clover is found in white, pink, yellow, burgundy and red. Has a middle name - trefoil. There are many legends associated with the shape and number of leaves on the stem.

This plant is quite unpretentious in choosing soil. Trefoil can grow both on black soil and on sand. Definitely a sun-loving plant, but does not require frequent watering. It calmly tolerates frosty winters and easily restores areas that still could not cope with the cold.

Clover lawn

Color selection

If you are wondering what color to choose, then clover for the lawn looks better with white blooms. Although there are also white-red mixtures. The clover carpet looks very delicate and beautiful, but I would like to immediately warn you that it will bloom only a year after planting. But don't be upset. Such a dwarf hairy butterfly is worth waiting for, especially since next and all subsequent years the clover will bloom twice a year: from late spring to late summer, and from late summer to mid-autumn.

Both white and pink clover look good

There are many types of clover (only about seventy species grow in the CIS): African clover, Egyptian clover, excellent clover, creeping clover, and many others. But for planting a lawn, low-growing trefoil is used, which blooms white. Why didn’t you like the rest of your relatives? And it’s very simple: after you cut the white shamrock, there will be no unsightly stems left on the lawn.

The name “short” speaks for itself, so it is not surprising that some owners of lawn areas prefer not to cut them at all. Although there are still a couple of recommendations in this regard: cut your hair no lower than 4 cm and no higher than 12 cm.

If it is assumed that the lawn will not only be admired, but also actively used, then trefoil seeds are sometimes added to the traditional lawn seed mixture. Therefore, it becomes much softer to fall from children's swings and slides.

Microclover

I would like to say a few more words about decorative microclover. This is a revolution in the scientific world of biology, because microclover is the same color in winter and summer - yes, it does not change its green coat even in cold weather. It is also not afraid of low mowing and drought. Decorative microclover has dense enough roots that bald spots, even if they form, quickly heal.

Microclover

These are perhaps the main features of clover. Let's see how to arrange a clover lawn according to all the rules.

Which lawns are white clover suitable for?

White clover is widely used to create Moorish lawns. Thanks to its low flower stalks, clover allows you to create a relatively even flowering meadow. Many other plants that are sown to create a Moorish lawn are distinguished by long flower stalks. As a result, the gardener gets a not very pleasant picture - the green part of the lawn grows more or less densely and evenly, and the flowers stick out, disturbing the feeling of the density of the lawn. Clover does not have this problem - the flowers bloom not much higher than the main green mass.

However, the vitality and rapid spread of clover makes it a bad neighbor: firstly, it cannot be sown in a mixture with other “Moorish” plants. Secondly, the clover lawn should always be fenced off from the rest of the garden with concrete or stone borders so that the plant does not take over new lands. If clover is allowed to grow freely, it will quickly choke out more fussy crop plants.

White clover not only looks good, but it also smells good—a light, sweet aroma will waft across your lawn once the flowers bloom. Clover flowers attract bees and butterflies, so on a nice day you can admire the beautiful insects.

Pros and cons of clover as green manure

Clover is a plant from the legume family. In green manure, its ability to fix nitrogen in the upper arable layer is valued. Growing, mowing and incorporating clover into the soil is an alternative to adding organic matter: humus, compost, manure. Clover is often included in crop rotation; its crops are alternated with plantings of crops that love fertile soil: potatoes, cabbage and pumpkins.

Bacteria living in the nodules help legumes accumulate nitrogen.

In addition, clover absorbs phosphorus compounds from the soil that are difficult for other plants to reach and contains a lot of potassium. As a result of plowing it or using it as mulch, beneficial macroelements enter the soil in an easily digestible form and serve as food for cultural plantings.

Another positive effect is the ability to structure the soil. Clover's fibrous roots grow in breadth, penetrating the top layer of soil like capillaries. Air and moisture easily penetrate into the ground through the formed channels. This, in turn, improves the living conditions of earthworms and beneficial bacteria that compete with pathogens. Cultivated plants suffer less from diseases and their productivity increases.

Moreover, clover retains nutrients well at the surface and prevents them from being washed into the deeper layers of the soil. This is one of the few green manures that grows well in the shade, for example, in the rows of the garden.

Cons of clover:

Ineffective in annual crops. Red clover can be mowed within 2-3 weeks after germination. However, a noticeable effect regarding the structuring and improvement of the soil occurs after at least 4 months of cultivation, maximum in the second year.
Requires regular irrigation. In arid regions, without irrigation, it takes away moisture from trees, shrubs, flowers, and vegetables growing nearby.
Needs soil fertility, will require fertilizing.
It can become overgrown with weeds in the first 2 years, and in subsequent years, as it grows, it turns into a weed.
Clover thickets are always damp, which attracts slugs and snails.

Features of meadow (red or pink) clover

Meadow clover, along with lupine and more than all other green manure legumes (vetch, peas, beans), accumulates nitrogen in the ground. However, it is preferable to lupine because it produces not woody, but soft and juicy stems 40–50 cm high, which quickly rot into humus. If you plan to use clover as an annual green manure, then choose meadow clover. He gains a lot of mass in his first summer. During the season it is mowed twice, and with good watering - 4 times.

Meadow clover produces fairly tall and succulent stems

In a perennial crop, cut the clover for the first time in the budding phase, leaving stumps 12–15 cm high. Make the last cutting in August-September. Before the onset of cold weather, plants must restore the aboveground part.

Red clover can grow in one place for up to 6 years; it prefers humus-rich, moist, but not soggy, soils with low acidity. Green manure grows well on slightly acidic loams and poorly on sandy, acidic and saline soils.

Features of creeping (white) clover

This species spreads along the ground; there is no need to cut or mow anything. Accordingly, white clover produces 4 times less organic matter than red clover and is rarely used for green manure. However, this is one of the best cover plants for protecting against blowing out and washing away the top fertile layer of soil, and protects it well from erosion.

The stems of white (creeping) clover spread along the ground, so the flowers and leaves are located at the very surface

White clover is used to stabilize slopes and sod gardens, like lawn grass. It is superior to red in winter hardiness and can withstand prolonged flooding by melt water. The plant grows quickly due to the rooting of stems at branching points.

In one place, white clover can be grown for up to 19 years. This species is less demanding on soil fertility and grows well in moist, clayey, but drained soil. In the first year it needs weeding, as it is easily suppressed by weeds. You can sow under the cover of cereals, which are cut high when the clover begins to actively develop.

Description of the plant

Representing the creeping legume family, or white clover, white clover (Trifolium repens) is a low, creeping perennial up to 10 cm high. Powerful creeping roots make the plant not only hardy, but also contribute to the effective consolidation of the soil.

White clover bushes better than other types of clover and spreads well and evenly. In the first months it develops reluctantly, but then quickly gains vegetative mass. The shoots take root in the soil, allowing the plant to quickly fill the free area. Bright green, with white spots, trifoliate leaves with ovate lobes merge into a thick and uniform carpet.

The flowering of clover lawns, which are properly cared for, stretches from May until the arrival of cold weather and lasts in several waves. But in order for the lawn to bloom, you will have to wait a little: white clover blooms only from the second year. The inflorescence heads are almost perfectly round in shape, consist of almost a hundred tubular flowers and look very decorative.

Today, white clover is often included in mixtures with grains. The presence of 5-7% of these seeds in the composition does not make the lawn clover. Mixed carpets need to be cared for in the same way as regular lawns. And if you find rolled-up lawns with white clover on sale, we are talking about just such “inclusions”: due to the powerful roots, it is impossible to grow a clover lawn in rolled form.

Creeping or white clover, white porridge (Trifolium repens). © Takashi Hoshide

Planting clover

To create a beautiful and neat shamrock lawn, we recommend following some rules:

Clover can be planted starting in mid-spring, at a time when the air temperature reaches +13-15°C.
For 1 m² of lawn area there should be approximately 20 g of seeds.
Before sowing, the soil should be dug well, cleared of weeds and debris, leveled and slightly compacted.
Remember that shamrock saturates the soil with nitrogen, so do not overdo it with fertilizers. If you add too much of them, excessive weed growth may occur.
It is best to buy clover seeds for the lawn at a gardening store, where they are presented in a large assortment.
Grass should be sown along and across the lawn - this way the green carpet will look more uniform. After planting, the seeds should be sprinkled with a 1 cm thick layer of soil and the soil should be compacted slightly. If sowing occurs in the hot season, enrich the soil with peat, which will retain moisture for a long time.
A variety called “Rivendell” is perfect for a decorative lawn. It does not grow higher than 10 cm, has bright leaves and a large number of inflorescences.
If desired, clover seeds can be combined with other plants, for example, with cereals. In this case, the remaining crops will require additional feeding, otherwise the trefoil will choke them.
Clover blooms in the second year after planting; this period lasts from May to July. The lawn is then mowed and the clover goes through another flowering phase from August to October.
If this crop is not provided with the necessary care, the trefoil begins to fall out in places, forming bald spots. Over time, empty spaces on the lawn become overgrown with weeds and all its decorative properties are lost.
It is better to trim clover using a garden trimmer. In this case, it resumes faster and produces a large number of inflorescences.

You can see the white clover lawn in the photo:

Growing

In natural conditions, trefoil grows without care; no one weeds it, loosens it, or feeds it. But it is impossible to grow a beautiful green lawn without human participation. Separate rules for planting clover will still have to be taken into account.

Soil preparation

First choose a place: sunny or shaded. Depending on the plant variety: some like a lot of sun, others like shade. They dig up the ground deeply, remove weeds, and level the area for planting.

Sowing time

Clover is planted in both spring and autumn. To sow 1 m2 of area, you will need a little more than three hundred seeds. You can buy them in the store. You can prepare seed material yourself, manually.

in spring

The plant is sown at the end of April, beginning of May. It depends on the region and the average daily air temperature. The main thing is to wait until the soil warms up. If you sow seeds in cold soil, they will not sprout, lie in the ground for a long time and rot. And if shoots appear, they will be rare.

in autumn

When sowing in autumn, seeds take longer to germinate than in spring. It is necessary to calculate the sowing time so that the young seedlings grow at least 10 cm before the onset of frost.

Before winter

To improve the soil on the site, it is better to plant clover before winter. It will enrich the earth with nitrogen. Long roots go deep into the ground, making access to air and moisture easier. To fertilize, the grass is mowed until the stems become coarse.

How to plant

To ensure uniform planting, the seeds are mixed with sand in a large container (for example, a garden cart):

Scattered on the site.
Sprinkle the top with a thin (no more than 1 cm) layer of earth and turf.
The plantings need to be watered. But not from a hose with strong pressure, but with a fine spray nozzle.
During the first 10 days after sowing, the area should be moist. After 2 weeks, young shoots will appear.

Weeding and loosening

If the area sown with trefoil is small, then you can weed the plant manually when there are a lot of weeds. In large areas, the seeds of the plant are mixed with cereals. They will crowd out all weeds. During the growth period of clover, the cereals are cut down.

Watering

For trefoil growth and lush flowering, watering is necessary. Water it no more than once a week to keep the lawn looking fresh.

The plant does not like waterlogged soil, although it also does not like long droughts, with the exception of certain varieties.

If the spaces between trees and lawns are planted with shamrocks, the plant is not irrigated at all; rain is enough for it. It is convenient to equip drip irrigation, especially for a well-groomed lawn.

Top dressing

The grass does not need fertilizing. But it won't be harmful. When digging up the soil, you can add organic matter (manure, peat, humus). If you don’t like the way the trefoil blooms, you want more lush, long-lasting flowering, the plant is fed with minerals: phosphorus, potassium. Ash is suitable as a folk remedy.

Diseases and pests

Many shamrock varieties require pruning. Otherwise, the grass will thicken and there will be snails and slugs in it due to the high humidity. Thickening can lead to rotting and fungal infections. Preventive grass cutting will help you avoid trouble.

Neighbours

Timothy grass will be a good neighbor of the shamrock. It does not oppress clover, so it will keep it in good company. Meadow fescue will also coexist peacefully with trefoil.

Aeration

Owners of lawns with trefoil need to aerate 1-2 times per season to keep the lawn looking well-groomed, neat and fresh. An aerator loosens the soil, providing better access of air and moisture to the roots. He combs the lawn grass, pulling out moss and weeds.

Lawn mowing

Some gardeners believe that autumn pruning is not necessary, since fallen leaves will warm the shamrock in frosty weather and prevent it from freezing. Experienced gardeners say that the leaves must be removed and the lawn mowed:

If you do not trim, the dead stems under the snow will attract rodents and harmful insects.
The new roots of young plants will not have time to prepare for the cold.

Cut the grass at least 15 days before frost. Before cutting, foliage and debris are removed.

Lawn cover

Whether or not to cover a lawn depends on the climate in the region. If winters are harsh and frosts are severe, then it is advisable to cover them.

If the lawn is properly prepared for winter, it will not be afraid of the cold. Experienced gardeners share their experiences:

The snow is not removed, the paths are cleared.
It is advisable not to walk on the lawn.
Due to thaws, an ice crust sometimes forms. It is broken to provide air access.

If you follow the advice of gardeners, the shamrock will not freeze.

Lawn

Creeping white clover perfectly diversifies the design of the territory and is a good replacement for ordinary lawn grass. A spectacular decorative appearance is achieved thanks to rounded leaves and high cover density. Small buds will be a bright addition.

It is worth considering the disadvantages of such a lawn:

dense foliage does not dry out for a long time after watering or rain, which is why the cover can be slippery;
after cutting for several days, brown remains of stems and leaves are visible, which is unaesthetic;
powerful growth makes it difficult to quickly replace the lawn and get rid of clover.

The grass grows in width, not height. This property allows you to cut vegetation only a couple of times a season. At the same time, the greens are soft and have thin stems; you can walk on them barefoot without fear of pricking yourself. Resistance to trampling and drought, ease of care and rapid growth make white clover optimal for a lawn in the country.

Systematic lawn care

An important aspect of a stylish area is not only the proper planting of white creeping clover, but also its care. Since only succulent greenery appears in the first season, it needs regular spot weeding. Weeds are removed by hand, especially after watering or rain.

Don't worry if there are voids in the area. They will completely disappear within a season.

Next year the culture will strengthen its position. Its powerful rhizome will penetrate deep into the soil, and the plant will bloom with lush buds. Once it grows to about 10cm, you need to know how to mow a clover lawn to keep it looking nice. Often the procedure is performed mechanically. This will result in a level surface.

Setting up a white clover lawn

There are more than 300 species of this plant. In the Russian Federation, creeping clover has become the most popular plant for private use by gardeners. It also grows wild in pastures and meadows. It has good vitality - it easily tolerates frost and trampling.

When choosing seeds, you should give preference to trusted supply companies. Sowing is carried out from April to June. For best results, you need to wait for a stable air temperature of 10-12 degrees Celsius.

If you decide to create a lawn on your property using white clover for the lawn: how to plant this crop and care for its seedlings is the first question that arises. The algorithm for soil preparation and sowing is as follows:

digging the area to the depth of a spade and leveling the soil with a rake;
sowing seeds after 7 days in two passes in a cross direction;
leveling and rolling the soil with rollers;
upon completion of the procedure, water the area;
mulching with a thin layer of peat.

Before planting clover in dry weather, the area should be moistened abundantly the day before. You cannot deepen the seeds more than 2 cm - this can greatly reduce germination.

The first flowering should be expected only in the second year after planting, around May-June. When the flowers begin to fade and lose their decorative qualities, be sure to trim the lawn. This will allow the plant to save energy and bloom again during the season.

When to sow clover?

There are two ways to sow clover in the spring; you can use either of them.

Clover can be sown on a prepared surface “piece by piece” - in the early spring morning, when the snow has not yet completely melted and freezes into a thin crust at night. Seeds are sown without planting directly on a crust of ice. As the temperature rises during the day, the crust melts and small seeds, along with water, are drawn into the soil.
In April, when the average air temperature is around +10+13 degrees, you can sow clover in the usual way with shallow seeding into the ground. In this case, it is necessary to monitor soil moisture.

Clover care

The most important condition for the development of trefoil, regardless of the type, will be watering. Prolonged drought will certainly affect the decorative appearance of the lawn. Overmoistening can also be disastrous for meadow clover; white clover is more stable in this regard, and pink clover grows even in areas where groundwater is quite close. In any case, watering should be regular, about once a week, but moderate. Clover itself releases nitrogen, so there is no need to get carried away with fertilizers.

Seeds are collected from large brown heads. They are dried for about a week, but not in direct sunlight, and then stored in a box until planting.

A lawn covered with emerald perennials will provide a wonderful backdrop for brighter shrubs and trees. The plant can withstand trampling without any problems, there is no need to worry about this and limit the kids - let them run around. The shamrock will remain just as beautiful even in conditions of temperature changes.

Clover will have to be trimmed as it grows so that the area looks well-groomed and neat. A trimmer will come in handy; after this treatment, the plant will quickly recover and even bloom more profusely. In addition, it is advisable to ensure that the lawn does not grow too large. If the shamrock “settles” in nearby beds and neighboring flower beds, it will not be easy to remove it.

Clover, popularly called trefoil, belongs to perennial plants of the legume family. The plant is presented in the form of three leaves of emerald color with a small spherical flower. If you adhere to the correct technology for planting it, and also care for it afterwards, then a blooming lawn will delight you every year with an even and soft carpet. To do everything correctly, consider the detailed instructions: how to plant white clover for a lawn? Simple tips and some nuances from experts will allow you to get a green carpet as a result of the work done.

Diseases and pests

When overmoistened, clover suffers from the development of fungus; the most common diseases are:

fusarium (fungi from the genus Fusarium Link);
rust (caused by the fungus Uromyces trifolii-repentis Liro);
anthracnose (fungus Aureobasidium pullulans);
ascochyta blight (fungus Ascochyta trifolii Bond);
brown spot of clover (marsupial fungus Pseudopeziza trifolii Fckl).

The fight against fungal diseases consists of treatment with a 1% solution of colloidal sulfur. Spray twice: when the first signs of the disease appear and then after 8-10 days.

Pollination with ground sulfur or fluff lime is also used. Clover can also suffer from a parasitic flowering plant, dodder. It is devoid of leaves and roots and exists only at the expense of the host plant.

If clover is used for livestock feed, active measures must be taken to eliminate dodder, as it is poisonous and can even cause death to animals.

Dodder

Hay with the presence of such grass quickly becomes moldy, so after mowing the clover is cleaned of the parasite. And even in this case, they are given to animals with caution - with a break of 10-15 days.

If dodder is detected, it is important to mow the clover before the parasite begins to bloom. Mowing is carried out on an area exceeding the size of the fire by 1.5 m in each direction. The cut grass is burned outside the lawn. Another pest is the cyst nematode.

Varieties and types of clover

About 70 varieties of clover (shamrock) with pink, white, yellow and red flowers grow in the CIS countries, but there are at least 300 species in total.

Trefoils are usually planted on lawns, used to decorate alpine hills and create picturesque rockeries. Many decorative varieties have appeared thanks to meadow clover. To decorate lawns, they mainly use perennials with white flowers, often called creeping. It is low-growing, undemanding in care and quite lush; after mowing, the appearance of the lawn will not be spoiled by bare stems.

Landscape designers also fell in love with white clover varieties. For example, Atropurpurea with gorgeous purple leaves. It is better to plant this variety in the sun - in the shade the foliage loses color. Purpurascens quickly fills free space in flower beds and flower beds. The Good Luck variety is different from other shamrocks - its representatives have four leaves, so you can make wishes.

No less beautiful is the pink (hybrid or Swedish) type of perennial. This plant with pinkish, ovoid leaves is found in the Caucasus and the Crimean Peninsula. It is undemanding to soil acidity and blooms from June to September.

Reddish clover is an amazing plant that does not even look very similar to a shamrock and is listed in the Red Book. This is a perennial lush bush, reaching a height of 60 centimeters. Its inflorescences are large, crimson-red and elongated like a candle.

The flowering periods of different types and varieties of clover differ, but in most cases the shamrock will delight you with fluffy balls of inflorescences twice during the season.

Bedstraw – honey herb of hot summer

It’s not uncommon in the summer to see this golden flower with a honey aroma in meadows and forest edges. Bedstraw is a magnificent perennial honey plant. Blooms from mid-June to the end of August. Bedstraw has a bitter, astringent taste. Among the people, Bedstraw is a medicinal plant.

What does Bedstraw look like?

Bedstraw is a perennial plant reaching a height of 15-80 cm, has straight, short-dropping, weak stems rising from a branched rhizome.

The leaves of Bedstraw are grayish-velvety-pubescent below, dark green, shiny, narrow-linear, and pointed above.

Bedstraw flowers are in a long, thick, pyramidal panicle, bright yellow, small, and smell of honey.

Bedstraw flowering time

Bedstraw blooms from late June to August, filling the meadows with a honey aroma. It dapples in the grass like rays of the sun.

For medicinal purposes, the rhizomes, grass and flowers of Bedstraw are used. The grass is collected when the plant is flowering, cutting off only the upper flowering parts. Dry Bedstraw in well-ventilated warm rooms or outdoors under canopies, laying out a 2-3 cm layer on fabric or paper.

Medicinal properties of Bedstraw

As a rule, not only flowers and herbs, but also the rhizomes of Bedstraw are widely used for medicinal purposes.

Bedstraw has an antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, choleretic, analgesic, diaphoretic, laxative, restorative, estrogenic, sedative and hemostatic effect on the human body.

Bedstraw produces a powerful wound-healing effect.

Bedstraw is indicated as a sedative and analgesic. It is prescribed for kidney ailments, stomach pain, diarrhea, jaundice, various bleeding, for the treatment of skin rashes, wounds and abscesses, as well as for hysteria and epilepsy. In addition, the plant has been proven effective in treating skin cancer.

Use of bedstraw

The miraculous rhizomes of Bedstraw have long been used to treat pneumonia, endometritis and kidney diseases. This excellent antipyretic is also effective for various problems of the cardiovascular system.

Bedstraw is part of many herbal preparations that are indicated for infectious diseases. A healing decoction from such a plant significantly enhances potency, and in the absence of female discharge, restores the menstrual cycle.

Externally, various decoctions and infusions of Bedstraw are prescribed for bruises, purulent wounds and cuts, as well as for the treatment of extensive burns.

A decoction from the aerial part is often prescribed by gynecologists for douching for uterine cancer and cervical erosion. In case of infiltration of the mammary gland, it is recommended to apply pounded gruel from the herb of the plant to the chest area.

For dysentery, taking the herb powder orally is indicated.

The healing juice of Bedstraw is prescribed for diabetes mellitus.

To prepare the infusion, take 400 grams of boiling water for 4 tablespoons of herbs, infuse the mixture for about 4–5 hours, after which the infusion must be strained well - and you can use it for taking baths and lotions for various wounds, ulcers and other skin injuries.

Bedstraw – Contraindications

With long-term use of Bedstraw, it is necessary to monitor blood pressure - jumps in blood pressure may be observed in hypertensive patients. Bedstraw can help thicken the blood.

Interesting Facts

Depending on the mordant, Bedstraw rhizomes dye cotton red and purple, wool red, wool and silk bright pink, purple and orange.

The aerial part of Bedstraw is a substitute for tea; it is added to beer to give it strength.

The flowers and leaves of Bedstraw contain an enzyme that causes milk to curdle, which is why they are used in cheese making.

Bedstraw flowers produce yellow dye.

Advantages and disadvantages of such a lawn

Like anything else, a clover lawn has its own distinct advantages and disadvantages. It is not without reason that they say that summer residents are divided into those who dream of having clover on their plot and those who dream of removing it from there.

pros

So, let's talk about the positive:

Unpretentiousness
. Creeping white clover is an almost ideal choice for novice summer residents and gardeners; its simple planting and simple care make it the best option for the first attempts to create a beautiful lawn. Even if you forget about watering and fertilizing your lawn for the whole summer, nothing bad will happen.
Decorativeness
. Simple trefoils create a very soft and delicate coating. It will delight you with delicate greenery from May to the end of autumn. The gaps between trees, near fences and buildings, as well as other bald spots on the site can be made more aesthetically pleasing with its help.
Wear resistance
. You get a thick, long-lasting lawn that quickly recovers from mowing and other “stresses.” Active games of children, running, playing with a ball, dog pranks, temperature changes and direct sunlight will not damage this grass; crushed leaves quickly return to their original appearance.
Availability.
Since a number of varieties are used in agriculture as feed or green manure, seeds can be purchased much cheaper by contacting the appropriate stores. And if you collect the seeds yourself, it will be completely free. In addition, you can save on feeding and fertilizers.
Ability to improve soil
. Since clover enriches the soil with nitrogen, it is recommended to use it as a precursor before planting vegetables. In addition, thanks to its powerful root system, it perfectly survives weeds from the site.
Honey production
. With its fragrant blooms, clover will attract bees, which will also pollinate other plants on the site. This fragrant carpet is especially suitable for people who keep an apiary.
Pet food
. Clover is an excellent food for chickens, goats or cows; hamsters and guinea pigs will also be grateful for such a treat. This herb is not only tasty, but also healthy.

Did you know? The name of clover Trifolium is translated from Latin as “shamrock”. The occasional quatrefoil is considered a symbol of good luck. However, there are varieties, such as Good Luck, which have all quadruple leaves.

Minuses

Often, the disadvantages of clover are a continuation of its advantages:

Aggressiveness
. It is not for nothing that this plant is called creeping. Not only does it quickly capture new territories, but, thanks to its powerful roots, it is also difficult to get rid of. If you do not take care to limit the area where clover is planted, it can take over the entire planting or garden.
Inconsistent aesthetics
. Immediately after mowing, such a lawn does not look very attractive. Although this grass grows quickly, you will have to look at the “underside” of the lawn for some time. In addition, fading flower heads also look untidy.
Honey production
. Bees on the site are both an advantage and a disadvantage, especially for those who like to walk barefoot on the grass.
Hygroscopicity.
Under the leaf cover of clover, moisture is retained well and the lawn dries out for a long time after rain. Therefore, in wet weather it is susceptible to various fungal diseases. Various slugs, especially grape slugs, and other insects often gather under its leaves. After mowing, they all become visible, which does not add attractiveness to the lawn.
Slippery
. Such plants have a very slippery texture, so it is easy to slip and fall on such a surface, especially on wet slopes.
Attractive to pests
. The root tubers of the plant attract wireworms - these are the worm-like larvae of click beetles that cause great harm to vegetable gardens.
Frequent haircut
. Many of the above disadvantages can be solved by frequent mowing of the lawn, so you will have to do it many times.

Important! It is better to cut clover with a trimmer, since with its help it is easier to select the required mowing height, it clogs less and is easier to clean during the process.

Which clover to choose for your lawn?

For the lawn, choose white clover, which is distinguished by its rapid growth and is capable of creating a fluffy carpet in a short time. It must satisfy a number of conditions:

be resistant to drought;
be loyal to haircuts;
grow quickly without bald spots;
have strong and branched roots;
respond to fertilizing and watering.

These are the qualities that microclover has, which is gaining popularity among gardeners. Mixtures with lawn grasses give a good external effect. The combination looks more impressive and bright.

When, where and how to plant green manure

Where to plant Clover

Clover as green manure is planted in beds that are to be prepared for planting garden crops. There are no plans to plant anything other than clover in this area for a year or two. Red clover tolerates shade well, so it is often planted near trees to increase the supply of nitrogen to them.

White Clover is planted on slopes prone to erosion to stabilize them. It is also great for lawns.

When to sow Clover as green manure

Before planting, clover seeds are soaked in a pink solution of potassium permanganate or plain water for 12 hours. Then they dry it. Seeds should not merge with each other. Then they are mixed in half with dried humus or sand and planted.

Red Clover is sown in early spring as it enjoys cool weather. The soil should be moistened before sowing, and the seed planting depth is 2 cm. Usually on the fifth day the first shoots appear.

White varieties are often planted as seedlings. If seeds are used, they are mixed with sand to evenly sow the soil.

Remove all weeds before planting.

In autumn, Clover is planted at temperatures below +15 degrees. Otherwise, it will rise early and die during frost.

After planting, be sure to apply fertilizer. A solution of mullein or fertilizers containing phosphorus and potassium is suitable.

They promote rapid growth of green mass and accelerate root growth, which is especially important immediately after planting the seeds. Phosphorus improves plant frost resistance

Acidic soil is fertilized with limestone.

How to use green manure

To obtain green manure, the green mass is cut at the budding stage before the flowers open. Clover reaches a height of 10-15 cm. At this time, the plant is most saturated with nitrogen. This stage occurs in mid to late summer.

In order for Clover to be beneficial, it must be grown in one area for at least 4 months. If green manure is sown in autumn or late summer, there is no point in mowing it. It is left for the winter. And in spring or early summer they cut it at the root.

After 20 days, cultivated plants are planted in this area. The roots remaining in the ground will not interfere with garden plants.

Before burying Clover, it is dried so as not to increase the acidity of the soil. And the already withered stems are buried.

You can make compost from them by mixing them with other crops, you can leave them alone, or you can mulch your crops. Mulching keeps the soil moist, and the plants themselves, when rotting, provide good nitrogen fertilizer.

Clover is also used to make green water, similar to nettle water; it is used to water plants at the roots.

When planting seeds before winter, the ground is first dug up and then fertilized with ash.

Before frost, the soil is fertilized. And at the beginning of summer, the grown stems are mowed down.

Clover needs feeding because it draws useful minerals from the soil, leaving it empty. And also so that he himself is saturated with nitrogen.

When to bury green manure

Clover as green manure is buried in the ground 2-3 weeks before planting garden crops. The depth to which greens are planted in the ground is from 8 to 15 cm, depending on the soil.

If it is planned to plant cultivated plants in the garden bed in the spring, then before winter the bed with green manure is dug up. Over the winter, Clover will rot in the ground and become an excellent fertilizer.

But it is better to make compost from Clover or mulch the plantings with them.

Landing technology

As already mentioned, a tenacious plant does not require weeding or fertilizing. But, if you want to get an even and beautiful thick carpet, you should consider several recommendations. So, among the preparatory work, the location should be correctly determined. The best option is a sunny lawn or partial shade. Seeds are purchased at a specialized store for gardeners and gardeners: about 300 grains are needed per 1 m2. It is recommended to plant in spring or early summer.

Next, follows a simple step-by-step algorithm:

As in the case of a regular lawn, in order for the seeds to take root well and quickly, you should remove the top layer of soil (up to 5 cm) and level the area.
Fast germination will be ensured by simple soaking for 1 hour before direct sowing. You can also mix the seeds with a small part of the soil and then scatter them evenly over the area.
To prevent birds from pecking the grains, a thin layer of soil (about 1 cm) is poured on top.
For watering, it is recommended to use a sprinkler nozzle, as strong pressure will wash away the white clover seeds or drown them. Soil moisture should be maintained for 7-10 days. The possibility of walking on the lawn is excluded. After 15 days, shoots should appear.

White creeping clover lawn: how to plant and care?

Among the huge variety of plants, only a few are recognized as suitable for creating a lawn - a bright green, delicate grass carpet with dense, mechanically resistant turf. These include white clover, also known as “curly honey plant” or “white clover”.

The following article is devoted to the characteristics of this plant, the topic of which is creeping white clover: planting and care.

Watering

If the weather is not dry, clover gets by with rain moisture. Therefore, watering is usually required relatively rarely - once every 7 days or generally from time to time. During droughts, water is supplied more often.

Clover, especially red, does not like stagnant water - in such conditions it is affected by a fungus, therefore it is required:

choose places for planting clover where there is no flooding;
Before planting the seeds, level the area: if it is hilly, water accumulates in the lowlands;
on heavy clay soil: place a drainage cushion of crushed stone and sand under the fertile layer.

Water should be supplied in sufficient, but not excessive quantities.

Weeding and removing dried flowers

Allowed only by hand: clover does not tolerate chemical treatment

It is important to pull out perennial weeds by the roots, otherwise they will soon sprout again. It is better to do this after rain, when the ground is soft. https://www.youtube.com/embed/AXbGEO_Bpc4

They remain on the stem and make the lawn unattractive because they look unsightly and are brown in color.

Clover is a perennial plant; therefore, it begins to bloom from the second year of life.

A haircut

It is recommended not to grow a clover lawn: as already mentioned, high thickets are actively populated by snails and slugs, which bring death to all cultivated plants in the neighborhood

It is important to trim the lawn after the first flowering (early summer), thereby removing dead wood. This will give the lawn a neat look and make flowering more intense. Mowing destroys the color of weeds, thus preventing them from multiplying.

For clover, which does not allow chemical treatment with herbicides, this is especially true.

Mowing destroys the color of weeds, thus preventing them from reproducing. For clover, which does not allow chemical treatment with herbicides, this is especially true.

A clover lawn allows for very minimal maintenance - it will still look quite decent. Grass that is crushed during walking or outdoor play will still be restored. It is necessary to renew the lawn by sowing new grains every 4-5 years.

Fertilizer and feeding

Clover also manages without this. Humus is added only before planting the seeds - when digging the soil. It is also useful to add a potassium-phosphorus complex. If the plants are clearly not in the best shape, resort to spraying with boron fertilizers.

Soil with high acidity is deacidified with slaked lime or chalk before planting clover. Without this, the plant risks freezing in winter.

on this topic

About the pros and cons of a white clover lawn in the video:

Creeping white clover is a wonderful ornamental plant that also has forage properties. The main drawback of the plant - the active attraction of bees - is easy to combat: it is enough to remove the flowers in a timely manner by mowing. Therefore, it can be argued that the advantages of clover outweigh its disadvantages.

White clover for the lawn - how to plant to get a green carpet?

If you don’t know how to plant white clover for a lawn, it’s better to first figure it out and study the technology. Sowing dates, both autumn and spring, have their pros and cons; also keep in mind that the seeding rate should vary within the permissible value. Watering and care will not require unnecessary effort from you, the main thing is to sow correctly...

How to plant white clover for your lawn

If you are planning to plant white clover as a lawn on your summer cottage or garden plot, you will first have to buy planting material, namely seeds.

Seeds for planting can be purchased at specialized gardening stores. On average, it takes about three hundred seeds to plant one square meter.

If you have planted clover before and decide to use the seeds you collected yourself, then collect them from plants older than two years.

It is important to choose the right place to plant clover in your summer cottage. The optimal solution would be a place well lit by the sun or partial shade.

Planting in areas with a slope is acceptable - the powerful root system is capable of holding the soil. Trefoil grows especially actively in soil where cereal crops were previously grown.

There is a technology for sowing white clover. To sow white clover for a lawn, you first need to loosen the turf, get rid of weeds, remove the top layer of soil a few centimeters and level the planting site. The soil must be moist; if it is dry, the seeds will not germinate for a long time and may die.

It is recommended to soak the seeds for one hour before planting to ensure quick germination. It is acceptable to mix seeds with sand to control the frequency of coverage. The planting rate is 20 grams/square meter. It is recommended to use a seeder for sowing, but you can also sow clover by hand.

white clover lawn - pictured When the seeds are sown, they need to be covered with a small layer of turf so as not to damage future tender shoots. It is best to water with a sprayer, as a strong stream of water can wash out the seeds.

On average, white clover seeds germinate in ten days, but in some cases the first shoots may appear after five to six days. The plant is unpretentious and tenacious; weeding and fertilizing are practically not needed.

Two weeks before planting, you can add phosphorus-potassium fertilizers to the soil. The only requirement is regular watering. Mowing is done twice a month.

By following all these simple tricks, you will soon have a thick and durable lawn that is pleasing to the eye!

When to sow white clover for your lawn

If you don't know when to sow white clover, remember that the best time to plant is late spring and early summer. Planting white clover at this time of year will ensure the shamrock grows vigorously. But, if you missed this moment, do not despair - the plant can be planted until the third ten days of August.

Summer is the best time for sowing white clover - the warmer the soil, the faster the sprouts will sprout. The main thing is to have time to do this before the onset of frost - otherwise the clover, which has not yet had time to strengthen, will die.

It is also possible to sow clover in the fall, when the air temperature is not lower than 10 degrees Celsius. It is advisable to sow before the rains, otherwise you will have to water the plant abundantly yourself.

Advantages of planting clover in open ground

Due to its pronounced decorative qualities, it creates an attractive and neat appearance for the lawn. Handsome. Suitable for planting under trees and shrubs. Slow growth eliminates frequent haircuts
Unpretentious, tenacious, winter-hardy. Does not require special care or fertilizer. Self-regenerating. Resistant to trampling.
A powerful root system can suppress the growth of weeds for several years. It will also be an excellent solution for growing on slopes - the rhizome will hold the soil
It has soil-improving qualities - it saturates the soil with nitrogen fertilizers. In cases where clover is part of the grass mixture, the lawn does not need additional fertilizer
If you keep an apiary, then clover, being a honey plant, will become an indispensable assistant for you
Can be used as food for pets - chickens, goats, cows, even hamsters and guinea pigs. But, if you grow it only for this purpose, it is recommended to take a closer look at other varieties - for example, red or pink clover
Cheap. The seeds of this plant are much cheaper than other plant crops, and if you collect them by hand, you won’t have to spend any money at all!

Now, it’s no problem to create a beautiful green carpet on your site! White clover is ideal for a lawn, and you already know when to plant it and how to do it correctly!

What kind of trouble can clover cause?

It is imperative to consider the disadvantages of trefoil carpets:

fading brown heads must be removed periodically;
after rain, the lawn takes a long time to dry out due to its dense structure;
high air humidity makes the surface slippery; especially dangerous on slopes;
the plant crawls to other flower beds and new territories; it is difficult to get rid of it;
due to the tight closure of the leaves, the layer at the roots is constantly wet; fungal infections spread quickly;
nitrogen-containing nodules attract harmful insects, click beetles;
fragrant flowers delight not only people, but also bees; there are always enough of them above the flowering carpet; It is advisable to plant the crop in the garden, then there will be enough insects for pollination;
if you cut with a lawn mower, you will have to clean it often; it is filled with juicy greens.

A lawn of blooming, lush grass is just what you need for those who like to enjoy greenery without getting overtired. Little effort. The result is long-lasting, bright and impressive.

Pest Control

It is extremely rare for pests and diseases to appear on a decorative clover lawn. Timely prevention is the best way to combat them. Under unfavorable weather conditions, plants can be attacked by insects:

aphids - suck the juice from the foliage, leaving oily traces on the surface; regular watering must be ensured;
wireworms – they damage seeds and seedlings; you need to promptly remove the grass cut from the lawn;
Swedish flies - they eat the heart of the shoot and young foliage; it is recommended to apply fertilizer during sowing;
sand slowworm - the beetle hides under plant debris, destroys young shoots and leaves; to prevent damage, autumn sowing and deep plowing are used.

Clover seed sowing rate. Red and white clover seed consumption

Plant density is of great importance for yield. Its optimal performance can be achieved by knowing how many seeds should be sown. The rate is calculated depending on germination rate, field cleanliness, soil fertility and sowing method. High-quality sealing is also considered mandatory. All these factors affect the germination of clover.

The consumption of clover seeds (for animal feed), despite the fact that they are fresh and suitable for sowing, is as follows:

red - 16-20 kg per hectare;
white - 10-12 kg/ha.

To sow crops using the alternate-row method, sowing is done at the following rate:

red - 8-10 kg/ha;
white - 5-6 kg/ha.

To sow white clover using the wide-row method, take an amount of 3-4 kg/ha.

If the economic suitability of the seeds is less, then the sowing rate should be adjusted.

It is not easy to sow small amounts of clover with a seeder for grain seeds, and to facilitate this process, the seeds are mixed with bulk components. This can be peat chips or millet husks. Prepare the mixture one to one. Then it is put into the mechanism, it is adjusted and sown.

To have good seedlings of red and white clover, you need to adhere to the following standards:

on heavy clays - depth 1 cm and 0.5 cm, respectively;
on loams, sowing is done at 1.5 cm and 1 cm.

When forming pastures, coverless seeding is desirable. To the grasses from cereals (their sowing rate is 20-25 kg/ha), clover seeds of 3-4 kg/ha are mixed. Winter crops are planted under the cover of winter wheat and barley at the appropriate sowing times.

When clover is sown as a cover plant, 100-120 kg/ha is used. The sowing depth is 5-6 cm, then cereal grasses (20-25 kg/ha) are sown to a depth of 2-3 cm.

What is the consumption of clover seeds per 1 hectare (how many kg)

To find out how many kg of clover seeds per hundred square meters you need to recalculate the data per hectare:

Germination of clover seeds

In order to sow this crop correctly, the following recommendations should be followed: the soil must be moist and the seeding must be shallow. At temperatures from 18 to 20°C, you won’t have to wait long for the disappearances - they will make themselves known after 5-6 days, and if the temperature is lower - 14-15°C, then after 6-8 days. With sudden temperature changes, the seed will take a long time to germinate, and eventually some may even die.

In order to meet such an important condition as sufficient soil moisture for clover seeds, they should be sown in early spring. If sowing is delayed, it can be suppressed by cover crops. This is due to the faster development of their root system than clover. Therefore, you should hurry up with sowing this plant: with spring crops - at the same time as sowing them, and for winter crops, sow them during harrowing.

Clover capabilities and areas of application

Clover can be considered one of the best honey plants; thanks to the rich chemical composition of the flower heads, the product has excellent medicinal properties. Its honey has a delicate aroma and delicate taste; upon crystallization, a very dense white mass is formed, which retains its healing properties for a long time. As a source for collecting pollen, clover is best sown in early spring so that bees have time to collect nectar this season.

To use clover as an alternative to a lawn crop that does not require special care and grows in one place for up to 8-10 years, the seeds are also best sown in the spring:

As a lawn crop, clover is absolutely unpretentious; it is enough to periodically water and trim it so that pests do not breed in a humid environment (for example). There is no need to seed or fertilize the lawn for the first few years. A significant disadvantage of such a lawn is that clover is not resistant to trampling; to preserve the aesthetic appearance of the lawn, paths must be laid along it.

Effect on clover yield: seeds of good varieties

In addition to all the above conditions, the key to a good harvest is the choice of high-quality seed. You should purchase it only from trusted sellers, otherwise disappointment is inevitable.

This plant simply needs organomineral fertilizers and products. Dosage: N60-90, K60, P60-90. Liquid nitrogen fertilizers - 2-3 times after the second and third harvesting, and liquid phosphorus fertilizers - 1 time, and they are applied before the growing season.

Two types of clover seeds are most often used for sowing: red and white, and pink - less often. When irrigated, this valuable crop can produce up to 270-400 centners of green mass per hectare.

If there is a need for seeds of any type of clover, or other crop, then you can purchase high-quality seeds on the website. Contact us!

Autumn sowing of clover

After harvesting, clover is mainly sown in the garden. The beds cleared of vegetables are dug up, but supporters of ecological farming just level them with a rake and sow the seeds.

To speed up the process of sowing clover in beds as green manure, after scattering the seeds, I just level the soil again with a rake, so the seeds are embedded in the soil.

You can sow clover throughout the fall, but no later than three weeks before the start of daytime subzero temperatures.

If the choice fell on clover to improve the soil, you need to take into account the fact that the plant is a perennial. It will bring the greatest benefit to the soil three months from the start of germination. However, you shouldn’t keep the clover in the garden too long, otherwise it will be difficult to dig up.

They sow clover in the fall between the rows of the beds and do this immediately after harvesting. The clover sprouts will have time to get stronger and will be able to withstand trampling in the new season.

Sowing clover between the beds in the spring is problematic; during the hot garden season it will only get in the way and will not be able to grow due to trampling.