Problem
Clovers are weeds with three round leaflets at the top of a hairy stalk which are 2-4 inches long. They may also produce white or pink flowers ½ inch in length. These weeds often attract bees and thrive best in lawns that are low in nutrients. The seeds can live in the soil for a very long time which can allow them to choke out grass over time and cause large patches of clover.
Life Cycle
Clover is a very common perennial weeds that begin to germinate in the fall, which continues through the winter and into early spring. Weeds mainly grow in spring, and flowers bloom mainly from June to September.
Solution
The best defense against clover is a healthy lawn. If your lawn is fertilized regularly, mowed accurately and irrigated properly it will be able to withstand and choke out a weed invasion. First and foremost, watering deep but less frequent will allow the roots of your grass to deepen and in turn prevent the growth of all kinds of weeds. If we think about how seeds germinate like a newly planted lawn, the more often we water the more likely new grass seeds would germinate. So, anything we can do to avoid providing constant moisture to a weed seed bed by watering deeply enough that the existing plants have water in their root zone and even if a new weed germinated, it wouldn’t be able to source enough water long enough to survive.
Always keep your lawn around 3” long, this will give your soil some shade and will prevent any weeds from germinating, especially along the edges. All seeds regardless of type need sunlight at the soil where the seed is present to germinate, so remembering that like mulch in your gardens, if we can prevent the sunlight from reaching the seed when the conditions are favorable for germination, the seed won’t germinate.
If you do get the occasional weed on your lawn, the best solution would be pulling out the weed with its roots or by applying a selective weed control product that is available at your local retail outlet. If you feel like you’ve tried everything and need professional help, we offer a 6 visit program with additional weed control to help your lawn withstand weed invasion. If you have any questions about weeds on your lawn, don’t hesitate to give us a call and a lawn care specialist will be happy help.
