Dutch White Clover -- 100% or Overseed?

19 years ago

I've already purchased inoculated Dutch White Clover seed and am waiting for the weather in my area to cool down just a bit more.

At first, I was thinking of just overseeding my current mish-mash of a lawn. But recently I've been leaning towards killing off the current lawn and planting a 100% clover lawn.

Any reason to go either way? If I just stick to my original plan of overseeding, will it eventually crowd out the undesirable grasses and weeds?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

yarddoctor
19 years ago
Dear Joe,

Thank you very much for your inquiry. White clover (or any species of plant for that matter) can be introduced into your lawn. The key is to not favor the existing lawn with inputs (water fertilizer etc) that favor the existing lawn over the new seed.

White clover can be established into an existing lawn in the fall, and it is the second best time of year. The best time is very early spring when the grass is growing at its very least. Resist all temptation to fertilize the lawn after overseeding as this will favor only the existing grasses. You will need a little water, but use it very sparingly the first 2 weeks after planting.

If you decide to kill existing vegetation and apply the clover over the whole yard, it will not be necessarily a bad thing, but you will need mix the seed with sand or Milorganite fertilizer as a carrier to help spread the seed evenly.

Again, thanks for the question and let me know if you have more.

Respectfully

Trey Rogers
The Yard Doctor
all4upups_yahoo_com
18 years ago
I'm getting ready to plant a bunch of white clover, I read so many good things about it and I have multiple dogs and do not want to have chemicals on the lawn
Can you confirm that Clover helps w/Grub control... they have killed the lawn and I think the clover they do not like.

Thanks, Gail
Related Discussions
Will Dutch White Clover crowd out K-31?
Q
Comments (2)
I think you'll have some of the K31 in there forever and since the two have very different growth rates (K31 grows a lot faster) and since K31 is a bunch grass, you could end up with a very clumpy looking lawn. I think that if you want to make it a clover lawn (or part of the lawn), your best bet would be to kill what's there now and seed the clover. Clover does spread, especially if you plan to leave it unmowed (so it will spread by seeds as well as stolons).
...See More
Clover infesting lawn - when to kill it?
Q
Comments (12)
Clover is relatively hard to kill, I have read that this is because of its substantial root system. If you plan to overseed in the fall, I would start with the WBG now, assuming temperatures are not around 90 as already mentioned. I suggest this because it likely will take two or three applications to get it under control, and this takes time, so if you start late it will interfere with your overseeding. In my case, the clover was so thick in spots that the grass has suffered. I don't think it is dead, but will take a few weeks of sunlight and moisture to come back, now that it is no longer competing with the Clover for those things. Ortho has a Clover-specific product that I assume works well, but a few applications of the regular WBG Max has wiped out most of mine. Good luck!
...See More
Establishing a clover lawn
Q
Comments (4)
I've discovered that dandelions can be controlled with the timely application of CMG (corn meal gluten). I started using it 4 years ago: year one prevented about 90% from sprouting, years 2 through now: I see maybe one dandelion during the summer. My neighbors on 2 sides hand pull, but the others just let their lawns go golden, so it is possible to have a dandelion-free lawn even if the neighbors don't. As for clover: I wouldn't. It spreads like mad, but doesn't grow thick enough to ever be a lawn all by itself. Unless it's gotten into your garden, in which case you will discover that it is nearly impossible to eradicate. It dies back at the first frost leaving beige stems, rhizones and a lot of bare ground. Clover not only wilts if unwatered for several weeks, it takes a while to recover from our usual summer droughts; that means that either you waste water trying to keep the clover moist, or your lawn will have major bare spots throughout most of the summer. Check with your local nurseries, lawn-care outfits, and the extension agent to find which grasses are best suited for your area. Then purchase the best quality (read the label, why pay for weedseeds?). Most lawns are indeed a mix of grasses because different varieties are more cold-tolerant, or more heat-tolerant, or drought tolerant thus allowing one variety or another to be green regardless of the weather. Gardens Alive [among other companies] sells varieties are that are durable and slow-growing, which means less fertilizing and less mowing.
...See More
Owlnsr's 2017 Overseed
Q
Comments (113)
Scott’s Weed and Feed, applied on 6/4, My plan was to use Milorganite, but every store around here has been sold out. After two weekends of searching, I gave up. I was late with pre-em this year and had some broadleaf weeds cropping up. With the 6 month old baby, I don’t have much “lawn time” so I figured a W&F would maximize my time this year. Honestly, I feel like the lawn does better with the Scotts. The photos I posted earlier today were taken in the bright afternoon sunlight (harsh contrast), and they don’t really do it justice. It’s thunder storming right now, otherwise I’d go grab a few more shots to take advantage of the optimal, late afternoon lighting.
...See More
Related Professionals
Tallahassee Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Murfreesboro Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Grand Junction Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Rome Landscape Contractors · Milwaukee Landscape Contractors · Tucson Landscape Contractors · Ontario Landscape Contractors · Kissimmee Cabinets & Cabinetry · Natchitoches Cabinets & Cabinetry · Lafayette Cabinets & Cabinetry · Pittsfield Cabinets & Cabinetry · Saginaw Cabinets & Cabinetry · Newport Cabinets & Cabinetry · Clearlake Cabinets & Cabinetry · Olympia Cabinets & Cabinetry
jharwood1_verizon_net
17 years ago
My lawn consists of grass with some volunteer patches of white clover. I plan to over seed it with Dutch White Clover in the early spring as you suggest, using a rotary spreader. How is the best way to get the seed into the ground? I suspect it involves raking but am at a loss to know the right technique; what type rake, rake before sowing, rake after sowing or both?

Thanks,
Julius Harwood
cal2mailinator_gmail_com
16 years ago
From what I've read, this is the best way to overseed your lawn (with grass OR clover, though grass seeds need a little bit of dirt on top of them. Clover shouldn't need that):

1) Mow the lawn on the lowest setting
2) take a metal rake and remove thatch from the lawn (this should expose the soil for the seeds)
3) you can put down some compost or peat moss right now, if you like. Spread it thinly with a rake.
4) Spread clover seeds
5) water daily until seeds are established, and then you can cut back on water.

Clover tends to form clumps, so you may need to seed a few areas again before you get a uniformly even lawn. Good luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: Establishing Clover in a Lawn
chuckwhite61_charter_net
15 years ago
I have a second home on a ridge line about 3500 feet in western north carolina. The top soil is in very poor condition and I cannot provide much care to the yard. Is dutch white clover a good option as compared to fescue which I have now?

Dutch White Clover -- 100% or Overseed?

Comments (5)

yarddoctor

all4upups_yahoo_com

Related Discussions

Related Professionals

jharwood1_verizon_net

cal2mailinator_gmail_com

chuckwhite61_charter_net

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US