Clover has several benefits as a low-maintenance, eco-friendly grass alternative or companion plant. From tolerating tough growing conditions to requiring fewer harsh chemicals, we’ll discuss the 9 reasons why a clover lawn is better than a grass lawn.
What is clover? Clover is a dense ground cover known for its shamrock-shaped leaves and pollinator-friendly flowers.
Though you can grow a single-species clover lawn, most experts recommend you mix clover with traditional grass or with a variety of different clover species for an even, green lawn. Overseeding your existing lawn with clover will retain your grass lawn’s look while giving you the benefits of clover.
Why Clover is Better than Grass
1. Clover needs less water than grass
2. Clover requires less weekly mowing
3. Clover is more heat tolerant than grass
4. Clover doesn’t need frequent fertilizer applications
5. Clover does not require herbicides or pesticides
6. Clover seed is affordable
7. Clover lawns do not need to be aerated
8. Clover attracts beneficial insects
9. Clover lawns tolerate shade better than grass lawns
Disadvantages of a clover lawn
FAQ about clover
Hire a lawn care pro
Photo Credit: Joe_Potato | Canva Pro | License
If you’re sick of lawn maintenance eating into your precious weekends, then clover offers a host of solutions to common turfgrass lawn problems.
1. Clover needs less water than grass
Grass typically needs 1-1½ inches of water per week, and watering can be the last thing you want to do bright and early on your precious weekends or after a tough day at work.
Clover requires less water than traditional grasses.
Sure, if you don’t have clover in your yard already, it will take a bit of work to establish your seeds. You’ll need to mist new clover daily. However, once your clover is thriving, you’ll just have to water it as needed.
See Related:— Types of Clover for Your Lawn— Benefits of Planting Clover in Your Lawn
2. Clover requires less weekly mowing
Mowing your lawn is a hassle, sucking time away from your weekend activities. Plus, running a gas-powered mower is hardly eco-friendly. Most grass lawns need to be mowed weekly and sometimes even more frequently during periods of intense growth.
Clover needs few to no mowings.
Depending on your desired clover height and lawn look, you may want to mow your clover lawn a few times during the growing season, but you don’t have to. Letting your clover grow long can make your lawn a lovely, meadow-like space.
You’ll just want to mow your clover four to six weeks before the first frost to winterize your lawn.
3. Clover is more heat tolerant than grass
During the peak of summer, some grass lawns go dormant and turn yellow.
Clover can tolerate drought and stays green throughout the summer.
Clover is considered semi-evergreen or evergreen, depending on the region in which it’s planted. It will retain its color through the summer (except in extreme drought) and can stay green year-round in areas where winters aren’t too cold, like in the southern U.S.
4. Clover doesn’t need frequent fertilizer applications
In general, grass lawns need to be fertilized four times a year. That’s a lot of money, time, and chemicals applied to your lawn.
Clover requires zero fertilizer.
If you’re planting a full clover lawn, your clover certainly won’t need fertilizer. Clover makes its own. Likewise, if you amend your grass lawn to include clover (at a clover-to-grass ratio of 1:4), you’ll eliminate the need for fertilizer for your whole lawn. You can keep your grassy look, save money, and be eco-friendly.
5. Clover does not require herbicides or pesticides
Sometimes, grasses can’t adequately compete with weeds and insect pests. Your lawn may be attacked by chickweed, ragweed, and dandelions or overrun by grubs or armyworms.
Clover suppresses weeds, prevents pests, and does not require herbicides or pesticides.
Clover is a rapid spreader with dense roots and rapid growth that will naturally smother broadleaf weeds, so you won’t have to apply harsh pre-emergent or post-emergent herbicides. Another benefit: Clover attracts beneficial insects that prey on lawn pests.
6. Clover seed is affordable
Grass seed can cost a lot, especially if you’re buying a specialty seed mix. You could spend over $100 to seed an 8,000-square-foot lawn.
Clover seed is very inexpensive. It will cost you only about $1 to cover 1,000 square feet.
If your lawn is 8,000 square feet, you’ll pay approximately $8 for seed — plus, you’ll reduce your water and energy bill by choosing clover.
7. Clover lawns do not need to be aerated
Routine aeration is necessary for even the healthiest grass lawns, and it a hassle. You either have to manually core aerate, rent an aerator, or pay a lawn care professional.
Clover minimizes the need for aeration.
Clover is a living mulch, which means your soil gets more nutrients and your soil doesn’t get compacted easily. When clover roots decompose, they leave macropores in the soil and attract hungry earthworms. Both macropores and worm movement keep your soil loose and prevent thatch buildup.
8. Clover attracts beneficial insects
Watching beautiful birds, butterflies, and bees flutter about your yard is a fantastic mood booster, and it’s a great way to introduce your kids to nature. Unfortunately, a grass lawn won’t attract pollinators.
Clover attracts a host of pollinators (especially honeybees).
Clover attracts honeybees and other pollinators. It gives them a comfortable, sustainable home, and you get a natural show.
9. Clover lawns tolerate shade better than grass lawns
It can be tough to coax grass to grow in shady corners of your lawn, under trees, or in shadows caused by walls and fences. You may end up with bare or brown patches where you want a lush area for relaxation.
Clover grows well in partial shade.
Clover can tolerate a variety of light levels, from full sun to partial shade (with two to six hours of direct sun per day). However, though clover is generally more shade-tolerant than grass, it can’t handle every level of shade. For densely shaded areas, you’ll want to choose more shade-resistant perennials like hostas or ferns.
Disadvantages of a clover lawn
Clover is a great ground cover, but it has its downsides. Here’s when clover may not be right for your lawn:
Your lawn gets heavy foot traffic. Though clover can tolerate moderate amounts of foot traffic, it’s not as resilient as more traditional grass lawns. Mixing clover with grass can resolve this.
You have a densely shaded lawn. Clover can handle partial shade, but most varieties aren’t cut out for heavy shade.
You live in a cold, arid climate. Clover is fairly drought-tolerant and can thrive in cool weather (especially long, cool springs), but consistently dry areas that experience extremely cold temperatures are not hospitable to clover.
You have a bee sting allergy. Clover attracts plenty of bees. Beware if you or your kids have an allergic reaction to bee stings.
You want to avoid reseeding. Clover requires reseeding approximately once every two to three years, whereas grass lawns can go for longer without reseeding.
You want a tidy lawn look. A clover lawn looks less tidy than a crisply mowed traditional lawn.
Photo Credit: John-Kelly | Canva Pro | License
FAQ about clover
How long does it take clover to germinate?
It takes about a week for clover to germinate (though clover can germinate in as little as three days, depending on when you plant it). Remember to mist your clover daily to ensure good seed establishment.
When should I plant clover?
It’s best to plant clover in early spring, from mid-March to mid-April. This is when the ground is soft from spring rains. You also can add clover to your landscaping in the fall months of September and October.
Will clover invade my garden?
Clover is a rapid spreader, which is fantastic when it comes to crowding out weeds, but it can also spread into your garden. We recommend edging around your garden or weeding by hand to prevent clover from getting too close to your landscaping.
Hire a lawn care pro
Clover reduces soil erosion, produces nitrogen, and is good for the environment. With clover, you can expect a green lawn all year long.Lawn Love’s local lawn pros can help you start the process of switching over to a clover lawn or mixed grass-and-clover lawn. From fertilization to edging, our local awn care pros offer a lush lawn at an affordable price.
Main Photo Credit: sixmique | Pixabay
Related Posts:
Lawn Care Calendar for Warm-Season Grass
Lawn Care Calendar for Cool-Season Grass
Top 9 Eco-Friendly Grass Alternatives for Sustainable Lawns
How to Get Greener Grass
How to Grow Grass
Lydian Pine
Lydian Pine is a creative writer and studio artist whose work first debuted in a short story anthology. She graduated from the University of North Texas in 2020 and enjoys video games, theatre, and swimming. Lately, she has started to study entomology as a hobby. Posts by Lydian Pine
