Use of clover as alternate to grass
nancy0903
15 years ago
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dave11
15 years agopaulinct
15 years agoRelated Discussions
Clover with Perennial Rye Grass ?
Comments (8)THANKS for the comments. They are helpful. I'm considering the clover OR something else because my yard is a VERY HEAVY CLAY. When I seeded it with Perennial Rye before...it did well....but I had some problems with my well so I wasn't able to keep it well-watered and it perished before I got my water-problems solved. I chose the rye grass because I LIKE the fine narrow leaves rather than the large coarse leaves of some grasses. THOSE I truly dislike! Our area is very arid...not at all humid. Ryegrass also stays green much better and longer in this area. I don't mind "over-seeding" some areas in the future...although it would be NICE if the ryegrass was a "spreader".....I will have to look around a bit on the internet to see IF I can find seed for a "spreading ryegrass". I wasn't aware that such existed. I do have a COMPOST pile that I will spread over the area prior to tilling and re-seeding. It should be a fine compost since I also raise chickens and incorporate the droppings into the other compost materials. (I don't expect to NEED "fertilizer". I'll just spread my compost occasionally -lightly). I expect that to "do-the-trick" as far as fertilizer and soil improvement is concerned. Especially IF I run an "Aerator" over the lawn each year or so before I spread more compost. Maybe instead of CLOVER....I should just put a zillion worms out in the lawn to break-up this hard-pan Alkali Clay! Ha-Ha !!! THANKS for the advice. ANY further suggestions are certainly WELCOME and MUCH APPRECIATED!!! -Junkmanme-...See Moregrass, clover, and worms
Comments (11)Hi bpgreen! I mixed the two varieties loosely by hand in a bucket, then used a seed spreader to broadcast the mix out over the lawn. The strawberry clover is in a few patches where I have water seeps that show up in the summer, so it would be more alkaline than the rest of the place. They sort of co-exist with some really tough, light green colored grass that seems to like the same micro environment - lots of sun exposure, shallow leached soil, in a late dry fall or early spring when the soil is dried out, these areas turn white with the accumulated salts. And there's the strawberry clover. I fairly often see the Dutch White turn brown from lack of water, but it comes right back. Another comment on the sod web worms, I still got quite the herd out there, judging by the little moths that I kick up. I just recently read that the damage is worse in areas of full sun, and a lot less with shade - which I'm seeing as well. The clover masks that very well, but the areas in full sun that don't yet have established clover are getting hammered. Steve, its sort of interesting where it decides it likes to grow - some of my best patches are along the edge of the gravel driveway. It might be because they can get their roots down deep enough for the moisture, with no competition. My brother planted it in his worst lawn spots, and is pretty happy with the result. He also has the daffodils....See MoreClover vs Bermuda Grass - Which is more drought tolerant?
Comments (11)I agree that the fescue has to go. Fescue is not compatible with California's water shortage. When fescue is grown in the right location, it only need 1 inch per week. I also agree that giving up grass for dirt is a foolish idea. Brown dirt heats up the air eventually leading to more use of air conditioning and likely water inside the house. Another problem with California's rules, as I read them a while back, is that they do not allow you to water properly. Our toughest water restrictions in San Antonio allow us to water every other week for a total of 6 hours per day. Our most lax restrictions allow us to water every week for a total of 8 hours per day. This regimen absolutely works for most grass unless it is mowed too short on a south facing lawn in full sun. From my understanding of the California rules, you can only water for 10 minutes. That is EXACTLY wrong. Even in Phoenix the deep watering rules work. In fact I'll tell you a method that works great - soaker hoses. Turn on your faucet to the water trickles out at 1 cup per minute (roughly 800 gallons per week), run a hose to a soaker hose and let it run for days at a time. Keep the soaker hose moving and you'll have a pretty nice lawn for only 800 gallons per week. Otherwise the normal practice that works is deep and infrequent watering. Deep means a full inch all at one time, not 10 minutes per day. Infrequent means once per week with temps in the 90s, once every other week with temps in the 80s, once every 3 weeks with temps in the 70s, and once a month at temps below 70. As to a grass for your situation, if you remove every tree pictured in your pictures, then you can have bermuda. Clover is not going to be particularly happy with 1/2 day of sunlight either. There are two grasses that will be very happy in your situation. Those are St Augustine and a variety of zoysia called Shadow Turf. St Augustine is inexpensive, easy to establish, and grows with a coarse blade. Shadow Turf is expensive, easy to establish (but takes much longer than you expect), and grows with a fine blade like your fescue. Shadow Turf will not take much wear if you have pets or walk the same path every day. It will shorten as the grass blades break off and it will not return until the following spring. St Augustine will show a path but will return within the same season if the activity stops. Just out of curiosity where are you in Riverside. I grew up between Central and Arlington west of Victoria. My sister lives down towards the airport....See MoreReplacing grass with clover
Comments (3)Scatter the clover seed and water. Fescue will slowly expand to fill the damaged spots in time. The clover will help feed it. Lawns with clover are prettier I think and you're helping bees too....See Moredave11
15 years agonancy0903
15 years agokailleanm
15 years agodavid52 Zone 6
15 years agobpgreen
15 years agodavid52 Zone 6
15 years agobpgreen
15 years agodavid52 Zone 6
15 years agokeat .
6 years agogastone21 (z7a VA)
6 years agoKevin (Poconos PA 6b)
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agokimmq
6 years agoChristopher Edwards
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