Untamed clover will rove all over

One of the best ways to spend summer is outside in the garden pulling weeds and keeping the lawn mowed. However, I woke the other morning and thought it had snowed because the entire back yard was white.

After further inspection, I realized the untimely color was caused by the blooms of white clover. And as I drive around town I see that many gardeners are battling the same plant. Here are some hints and tips to help turn your white lawn green again.

White clover or Dutch clover has long been a perennial weed in rural and urban landscapes. Originally brought to this country by some of the first settlers, it has become a favorite food for many wild game animals.

Clover grows from 2 to 6 inches tall and has the very showy white flower this time of year. However, not all is bad with the plant. Because it is a legume, it fixes nitrogen in the soil as it grows. Therefore, many people plant it with their turf grasses, especially when they are establishing large areas.

A close relative that also is blooming at this time is yellow sweetclover. First reported in North America in 1739, it is responsible for the bright yellow blooms lining the highways and rural farm roads around town.

Unlike the Dutch clover, yellow sweetclover is a biennial, meaning it takes two years to complete its life cycle. This year, it is putting on a spectacular display.

Both types of clover can overpower the lawn and become annoying weeds. Now is the time to begin your control program. In both cases, these plants spread by seeds. Therefore, keeping them mowed to prevent the seeds from maturing will help stop the spread.

In the case of the smaller Dutch clover, because it is a perennial weed that also spreads by undergrown rhizomes, the plants that are there this year will be there next and will be joined by others. To help slow the spread, fertilize the lawn in May, September and November because clover does not compete well in high nitrogen soils.

When it comes to killing the weeds, there are few options. The best chemical to use is Triclopyr, found in the product Turflon Ester. But now is not the best time to use it. You will have better luck in the fall when the plant is moving food to the roots, because it moves the chemical there as well. If you decide to spray, make sure the soil is well watered, temperatures are below 90 degrees and the wind is not blowing hard.

And as always, be sure to read and follow all label directions.


Bruce Chladny is horticulture agent at K-State Research and Extension-Douglas County. For more information, call him at 843-7058 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.