micro clover vs white clover
The Teeny-Tiny Clover Trend: Does Microclover Live Up to the Hype? If you have white clover ground cover, it can appear patchy and bare in heavily traveled areas. The florets range in color from white to pink. Clover's deep roots help your lawn stay greener, longer during short-term drought conditions and requires less frequent watering than some traditional grasses. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Before adding the seed, mow your lawn extra close to the soil surface. Pipolina as it should stay 3 tall or shorter. Because clover is considered a living mulch, it provides nutrients to the soil and helps it resist compaction. It spreads out to fill holes in your turfgrass and creates a dense canopy which prevents weeds from germinating. We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Sow seed at the recommended rate and water well to establish quickly. Trees in the area have Wet Wood, Verticillium Wilt, and a few lost to fire blight. This Red Clover Blossom Smoothie Improves Bone Health and Manages Hot Flashes, Studies Find Canine Cancers Linked to Lawn Care Chemicals, BPA In Canned Food and Why You Need To Avoid It, This Is Why Oversleeping Is As Bad As Undersleeping, 10 Foods That Cause Chronic Inflammation and Trigger Pain, Fatigue, Bloating + More, How to Eliminate Toxins From Fat Cells That Are Making You Fatigued and Swollen, This One Stretch Relieves Plantar Fasciitis, Shin Splints, Achilles Pain, and Heel Pain, Latest Sunscreen Recall Raises Concern Over Chemicals, How to Plant Lemongrass to Repel Mosquitoes. Sarahs blog, Lawn Chick, is read by over 2 million homeowners each year and she is regularly cited as an expert source of lawn care knowledge by major publications. I recently expanded a vegetable garden and turning over my grass with a shovel was made much more difficult with the long roots, but I figured thats the price you pay for a good lawn. All clover is considered a legume capable of turning atmospheric nitrogen gas into an organic form of nitrogen. But be sure to give your new micro clover a four-week grace period before exposing it to traffic to help it develop a solid root system. Apr 23, 2019 Carly Fraser Post contains aAffiliate links Save For Later Print. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. When used in a lawn mix, it not only supplies continuous nitrogen but helps suppress weeds. Please check your inbox to confirm your subscription! I agree it can be tricky to know exactly what youre getting, Sanford. The leaves of micro clover are twice as small as those of white clover, and if you mow the lawn, the leaves regrow even smaller! Microclover doesnt grow well in shade, so it is only suitable for areas receiving direct sunlight. University of Maryland Extension on Facebook, University of Maryland Extension on Instagram, University of Maryland Extension on Twitter, University of Maryland Extension on Youtube, 2018-2023 College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Respect, instructions for how to enable JavaScript in your web browser, (PDF) Microclover - Tall Fescue Lawns in the Mid-Atlantic Region. However, in many areas in the South, perennial clovers will not survive the heat and drought of summer, and first-year growth of a perennial clover is normally less than that of annual clovers. Think a clover lawn is right for you? And by keeping your lawn covered with this versatile, low-maintenance plant, you're actually doing a small part to protect the environment. Pirouette the same as micro clover? This type of clover is used by many vineyards and orchards. A full-blown stand of micro clover will require at least two pounds of seed per 1000 square feet. Water regularly to ensure your soil doesnt dry out. Mowing (especially early on once it reaches its mature height) will actually help thicken up your stand of clover. This means it keeps your lawn looking greener and lusher throughout the spring and summer. Less Fertilizer: because of its nitrogen-fixing abilities, clover does not have to be fertilized. Getting your microclover lawn established isnt a difficult process, but it does take some careful planning. Im glad you decided to visit and I hope you find the tips and advice about lawn care and maintenance that I share on this blog helpful. Although it can be quite productive, ball clover has a shorter growing season and often yields less than other commonly grown annual clovers.It is a prolific seed producer even under high stocking rates, and a high percentage of the seed are hard seed. The white microclover lawn is very dense, very lush, and very beautiful. Besides wasting a precious natural resourcewaterregular and heavy watering can result in runoff of pesticides and other chemicals, which pollute our waterways and poison wildlife. https://www.naturesseed.com/media/wysiwyg/footer-logo.png, mixing clover into your grass lawn is a great idea. Your email address will not be published. Keep reading to learn more about clover lawns and whether or not its a viable option for your outdoor space. In many cases, these bacteria are already present in the soil and coated seed isnt necessary, but if your soil is sterile, has never grown nitrogen-fixing plants before, or you just want to give your clover a jumpstart, consider using seed coated with the bacteria known as Rhizobium leguminosarum biovar. In some zones, the lush green foliage goes dormant and turns brown in the winter. According to West Coast Seeds, the plants respond to mowing by hugging the ground more, with smaller leaves and shorter flower stems. Over time, they take on a compact, snug appearance. This will cut down on your annual lawn maintenance costs, but there are other benefits to clover as well. Small test plantings are inexpensive and can provide much insight that can help with species selection decisions in future years. Pennsylvania State Universitys Department of Plant Science: Questions about Microclover, The Old Farmers Almanac: Clover Comeback, Scotts: Benefits of Planting a Clover Lawn, University of California: Clover Management Guidelines, McKay Grass Seeds: A Quick Guide to Strawberry Clover, Beautiful houseplants that also repel mosquitoes, cockroaches and other pests. To learn more visit the following pages:Advertising Policy |Privacy Policy, Get My FREE Cheat-Sheet and Take the Guesswork Out of Lawn Care. While the white clover is the most popular and easiest to find on the market, other varieties may better suit your lawn conditions. Get Free Access Thats anecdotal, but its a very specific observation I had looking at three different cool-season options in my neighborhood (though its worth pointing out that the micro-clover wasnt fully established yet, and was in its first year still performed very well). Crimson clover makes more growth during cool weather than most clovers and is the earliest-maturing commonly grown clover species. Ground Cover: clover makes a great filler for spots of the lawn that are dead or just need some filling in. Once your clover is fully established, mow and return clippings to your lawn for a natural feeding. Years ago, it was a desirable part of lawns. The Ultimate Guide to Fight Inflammation and Restore Your Health! Last year it was one of the most popular products at Natures Seed which, unfortunately, led to us selling out of this product early. The soil pH and fertility needs of the clovers should be met, the seed should be inoculated with good quality inoculum of the proper type, and the seed should be planted properly at the recommended time, rate, and depth. In fact, there are plenty of pesticides and products on the market that will tell you how to get rid of clover. The following brief descriptions of various commonly grown clovers, together with the information in Table 1 can provide much insight regarding species suitability for various situations. In that setting, it is only utilized for 2 crop years before removal. Clover is primarily used as a legume component in grazing systems and cover crops as it provides forage diversity and fixes nitrogen as well. Microclover needs 4 to 6 hours of sunlight every day. Think of it like buying a dog from a shelter versus buying a designer toy dog from a breeder. It is often grazed, but is also well-suited for use in hay situations. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. White clover tolerates cold, but it's a little sensitive to heat. If undesirable weeds appear, its important not to treat with any broadleaf herbicides, Americas biodiverse meadows of days gone were slowly converted to French- and English-style monoculture lawns featuring mostly turf grass. Broadcasting microclover works much better than broadcasting regular grass seed. She is a master gardener and master naturalist. Copyright 2023. Recommended pairings: Tall fescue or Kentucky bluegrass Micro clover is a smaller variety of White Clover. Yes, definitely. You might start with a clover and drought-tolerant grass seed mix of 80:20, and then alter your ratio as you see fit and based on the results. White clover is a moderately drought-tolerant ground cover if the plants are spaced out. This nitrogen can enrich the surrounding soil and improve grass growth naturally. Once established, water deeply as necessary to keep your lawn looking green. It seems to be pretty popular amongst grazers. A good way to determine the usefulness of various clovers in a given situation is to simply purchase some seed and make trial plantings. It also requires little to no fertilization and is completely drought resistant. The invention of the lawn mower, as well as planned communities designed by Frederick Law Olmstead (the designer of Central Park) and other landscape architects, further cemented the trend in the U.S. Check the amount of sunlight your area receives before planting using a sunlight calculator. Its tough to say for sure since Im not looking at it, but my best guess would be that the clover seed you bought is a newer hybrid variety and when it sets seed at least some of that seed reverts back to an earlier version of (larger) clover plant one of the parent plants that was used to create the hybrid micro clover you purchased. What does clover look like? Please enter your email address below to receive a password reset link. Success! Benefits of Having Microclover It was first developed in Denmark and Netherland to use on the golf course. by Dr. Don Ball, Extension Agronomist/Alumni Professor (Auburn University) and Dr.Garry Lacefield, Extension Agronomist/Professor (University of Kentucky) on behalf of the Oregon Clover Commission, Salem, OR. This kind of grass is perfect for including micro clover. This one has smaller leaves and far fewer blooms, but it is a lot more tolerant to foot traffic and mowing. While clover is certainly nothing new, the buzz has been focused on the latest varieties of white clover that have been bred for smaller and smaller leaf sizes. Disease, insects, soil needs? Planting a whole yard with micro clover would be pretty pricey. Lets take a look at the details surrounding clover lawns so you can decide where you stand on the issue, and Ill look specifically at the pros and cons of micro-clover in residential lawns. The showy crimson-colored blooms can provide a spectacular show in early to mid-spring. Grass needs nitrogen but must obtain that nutrient from the soil. bag of Scotts Turf Builder Clover Lawn covers 1,000 . If you live in an appropriate climate region, you might consider adding micro clover to your existing grass for a lush and healthy lawn all season. But there are also a lot of reasons to grow a clover lawn. Required fields are marked *. Microclover also flowers less than white clover, reducing the chances that children (and adults) will suffer bee stings when playing outside. Should I plant a ground cover such as Creeping thyme or Snow in summer? At the sight of a clover in an otherwise pristine grass lawn, zealous homeowners used to grab a spade or the weed-n-feed, and excise the poor plant. Trifoli. Clover provides shade to the soil, reducing water evaporation, and helping grass survive periods of drought. Annual clovers complete their life cycles within one year (i.e., plants emerge from seed, grow, produce seed, and die, all within a 12 month period). All content copyright document.write( new Date().getFullYear() ); Pennington Seed, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Among the benefits of having and maintaining a clover lawn, clover is visually interesting. Yes, you canafter its established. She currently lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba, with a determined life mission to help inspire and motivate individuals to critically think about what they put in their bodies and to find balance through nutrition and lifestyle. In the strictest sense, all of our cultivated crops are genetically modified through selective breeding practices. It is a great quality micro clover seed mixed with fescue that blends seamlessly with most lawns. Sunday makes it easy to transform your lawn. This happens with some beautiful hybrid perennials in my garden that have been recently developed by breeders if I dont cut off the seed-head theyll self-sow and revert back to a less-attractive version of the same plant either a different size, color, or growth habit often obscuring the nice foliage or flowers I loved on the original plant I purchased. Dear Sarah, As a nitrogen-fixing plant, it pulls nitrogen gas out of the air and converts it into a nutrient. This is important to soil because, when growing other plants, nitrogen is naturally lost. Most clover varieties grow to a height of 2-8 inches. If the clover looks not so happy after mowing, just wait a day or two for it to pick up! Both of them seem to do very well in perennial legumes. Second, Microclover might not stay micro forever. Whether it be the latest designer Microclover or good ol standard white Dutch clover, youll be doing your lawn a favor either way. This clover features florets that, when ripe, take on a pinkish hue and resemble (you guessed it) strawberries. Shelley has been writing and editing garden stories for 10 years, and has a Master Gardeners certificate in Oregon. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Plus, who doesnt want the opportunity to look for a four-leaf clover? It acts as its own natural fertilizer! Frequent use of broad-spectrum herbicides and pesticides (particularly synthetic pesticides) can be toxic to people and animals, and it can negatively impact local ecosystems and waterways. Unfortunately, they don't eat blackberry or Tansy, only my flowers, shrubs, and vegetables! Pirouette) is a plant, and as the name describes, it is a type of small clover. (Clover will naturally spread over time, so you may not need to try too hard to get more of it.). I am afraid it would be crowded out on its own. So this does raise some questions: Given your reply above, are you saying my BBU lawn should be more drought tolerant than micro-clover? It doesn't seem to make any claims about "performing" better than dutch clover in terms of nitrogen fixation, wear hardiness, etc. It can feel overwhelming to do this all at once, so take it in sections. Benefits clovers can provide include improved forage quality, increased forage yield, biological nitrogen fixation, extension of the growing season, soil improvement, and land beautification. This is especially true with warm season grasses being grown on droughty soils. All clovers have deep roots, which helps keep lawns green during dry, hot spells, and they all fix nitrogen, meaning that they work with nitrogen-fixing bacteria to convert nitrogen from the air and transfer it into the soil. Just from reading that website it seems like the major difference is that mini clover has smaller leaves and visually blends into the look of a turf grass lawn better than ordinary clover. NOTE: This publication provides general information which applies in most cases. lol, I have been doing this for years. The main difference is the leaf size. Also, the hearty clover keeps other weeds from creeping in. Microclover: This dwarf variety of Dutch white clover is lower-growing with smaller leaves and fewer flowers than its relative. Adding seeds a little bit at a time is a convenient way to get your clover lawn started. If youre not 100% tied to the idea of clover and are open to a drought-tolerant grass Id consider Jonathan Green Black Beauty Ultra. That means less chemical toxicity around your home, and better health for the planet. Microclover ( Trifolium repens L. var. Regular white Dutch clover and Microclover are essentially the same plant. While on the other hand White Clover really doesn't have a limited life span and also attracts beneficial creatures (to a slightly lower extent), it also fertilizes the soil via its root system. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. It improves forage quality above a pure grass stand and supplies nitrogen for grass growth. Over time, this might mean less frequent mowing is required to maintain a manicured lawn appearance. They both produce small white flowers, have three leaves (unless you're lucky enough to find one with four), and can fix nitrogen from the atmosphere and share it with the plants around them. Micro clover is basically a dwarf version of white clover, and doesnt reach higher than 6 inches, even if you never mow it (1). Here's how: Locate a mature plant that has an offshoot branched out from it. Micro clover plants also don't clump up as much as traditional white clover, making it more desirable for turfs. Clover was actually used widely in home lawns before the 1950s when broadleaf weed herbicides were introduced, according to Pennsylvania State Universitys Department of Plant Science.
