Get rid of clover but not your grass
Spotting that four-leaf clover in your lawn is typically a lucky moment—unless, of course, you've been trying to figure out how to kill clover in your lawn. Getting rid of clover weeds is not always easy, especially if you're hoping to avoid harming the surrounding lush lawn you've worked so hard to maintain.
And while you can debate whether plants are weeds or flowers until the cows come home—especially if they eat clover—the important thing to know is there are options for killing clover weeds in your lawn without taking out the whole turf.
Clover is a group of flowering legumes that grows back each year. While there are different kinds, you'll most likely spot white clover in your yard—marked appropriately by the small white flower that blooms from the three- or four-leaf stems that often grow in patches. Red clover and strawberry clover are also popular species, which sprout pink blooms instead.
Clover is incredibly common in cool-season grasses, and spreads by seed and nodes in the roots. It could have arrived on your feet, lawn mower, in the wind, or on your dog's paws.
Keep in mind that clover is not harmful to your lawn, and some people even prefer it as a groundcover plant and a grass alternative. However, too much clover can be a sign of issues with your turf and disturb your aesthetic.
The real question is why clover settles into our lawns so easily. It turns out that clover takes advantage of soil with abnormally high pH levels, low height, and low nitrogen—all common issues of lawns today.
The nitrogen part here is particularly important. Clover has a symbiotic relationship with some soil bacteria, which helps the plant maintain its nitrogen levels. That means it doesn’t need to get it from the soil as other plants do.
Why is this important? Getting rid of clover without killing your grass may rely on a long-term lawn care plan and the more immediate methods below. If you need help removing clover, call a local lawn care company.
While this tenacious plant can grow in soils with pH levels as low as 4.5 and as high as 8, soil pH levels between 6 and 7 are optimal to see white clover thrive.
These pH preferences are partly because of the plant’s responsiveness to potassium and phosphate, which are produced in high volumes when pH levels are above 6.
Constant foot traffic causes your lawn soil to harden as the air squeezes out from between the soil particles. This compaction makes it tricky for many grass species to access the air, water, and nutrients they need to thrive. But rather than wilting and discoloring in compacted soil, clover flourishes. Its thick, interconnected tap and the fibrous root system can break up the soil, acting as a natural aerator.
Let's begin with seven ways to kill clover in lawns if you want to get rid of it fast—or at least, somewhat fast.
Pulling weeds by hand is a bit of an art, but you shouldn't have to break out the elbow grease for clover the same way you would with thistle or orchard grass.
However, like its other persistent weed buddies, getting all the roots and as much cover as possible is important to keep it from spreading after all your hard work.
Pull up clover by hand as early as possible in its lifecycle, ideally right after it sprouts in the spring.
Wait for a morning dew or recent rainshower to loosen up dry and condensed soil.
Use a spade or weed tiller to loosen the grass around a clover patch.
With gardening gloves—clover often attracts bees—grab the base of the clover stem patch and pull up gently to get the whole root with it.
Homemade herbicides with simple pantry items are easy to mix up in a pinch and can slowly dry out and damage clover enough to kill a stubborn patch.
Keep in mind that these sprays will also likely damage the surrounding grass, so only use this method on dense patches of clover where you can target the weed.
Combine 1 part white vinegar with 1 part water in a spray bottle.
Add several drops of dish soap to thicken the solution.
Spray as close and as specifically as possible on the clover.
Apply once a day for a week until you see the clover wilt.
You can use this tactic on a range of weeds—just be careful not to spray it on other plants.
Selective and pre-emergent herbicides are options to keep your grass healthy while still taking out weeds like clover. It's important to check that the commercial option you choose specifically names clover as one of its targeted plants, as not all chemicals or organic options apply to each one.
When applying pre-emergent herbicides, dilute and spread the solution according to the instructions. Most pre-emergent types are applied in the spring since, as the name implies, the herbicide will catch the clover before it sprouts.
Many popular brands of herbicides and fertilizer also sell selective weed killers. Yet again, follow the instructions carefully and always wear protective gear when spraying. Double check that your herbicide—organic or not—includes health and safety warnings for pets and children.
Now that we understand how clover maintains its nitrogen, let's take a look at how nitrogen levels in your lawn can keep it at bay. Adding nitrogen to your lawn, often through a natural or commercial fertilizer, will deter new clover growth.
Lawn fertilizers commonly note how much nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are in each solution on their NPK number. Both slow and fast-release fertilizers offer options with high levels of nitrogen.
Proceed with caution when adding extra nitrogen, however. Too much nitrogen—particularly when added with a fast-release formula—can burn the grass and cause bare or yellowing spots.
This method of getting rid of clover in the lawn toes the line between killing the weed and possibly threatening the surrounding grass. Most importantly, only use the smothering method to kill dense patches of clover—not to kill cover on your whole lawn.
Choose the specific area where you wish to kill the clover in your lawn.
Cover the patch with a black plastic bag such as a garbage bag.
Weigh down the edges with stones or bricks.
Let the spot sit—preferably in the sun—for up to six weeks.
All grass and clover below the bag will die.
Remove the bag and proceed with reseeding the area of the lawn.
Persistent mowing to a low height can encourage clover to spread. Reset your lawnmower blades to 3 inches or above and only mow your lawn when you can remove ⅓ or less of the blade. Not only will this tactic allow your grass to grow big and strong, but it will also maintain a high and dense enough turf to send the clover packing.
Corn meal gluten—the protein byproduct of corn—releases peptides that stop plants from sprouting. While spreading and watering corn meal gluten will not kill your current clover, it will keep it from emerging in the spring or spreading in the fall.
Don’t use this method if you're reseeding your lawn or recently planted flowers—this is only to deter growth.
Purchase 20 pounds of corn meal gluten for each 1,000 square feet of lawn.
Spread it evenly over the areas of clover.
Water lightly and let the lawn dry.
Pull up any remaining clover by hand that does emerge.
Repeat every April or May and September and October.
Prevention is just as strong a tactic to kill clover in your lawn as removal, and getting ahead of things will protect the rest of your lawn. On a basic note, the healthier your lawn, the less chance clover will spread.
Get an annual soil test kit to ensure nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium levels aren’t creeping up too high and that salinity levels are high enough to prevent clover from exploding. Lawn soil tests costs an average of $60, making it a worthwhile investment.
Continue to mow your lawn on a high setting. You might not have a neat freak lawn, and you’ll need to get the mower out more regularly. But keeping your lawn thick helps to block out that all-important sun your clover needs to sprout back up again.
One of the best ways to prevent clover regrowth is getting it right with lawn fertilization. Promoting a lush, thick lawn helps it crowd out hardy clover. It makes sense to introduce a fertilizer with higher phosphorus and nitrogen levels to promote grass growth if you battle with clover hijacking your lawn.
The University of California recommends applying 1 pound of active nitrogen per 1,000 square feet of turfgrass during each month of active turfgrass growth.
Even if you only spot one or two small clover plants poking out of your lawn, get in there quickly to hand pull them before spreading seeds form. Of course, this method is only practical on small lawns before things get out of hand.
Pull up the plants after rainfall or watering. Moist soil makes it easier to tug out those deep roots.
If you have worries about clover resprouting, add an annual layer of organic mulch in flower beds or bare areas you plan to reseed with turfgrass. If you want an extra light-blocking barrier, layer wet, biodegradable newspapers before adding the mulch. An even 3-inch layer of pine needles, bark, or compost works well.
Clover lawns are becoming more popular with eco-conscious gardeners—with good reason. Consider the contributions clover makes before killing it off.
Low or no-mow ground cover
Controls more worrisome weeds
Provides year-round green in colder regions
Doesn’t need additional chemicals or fertilizers to survive
Tops up the soil with nitrogen, a nourishing natural fertilizer
Its drought tolerance makes it ideal for water conservation areas
Flowering clover attracts pollinators, like bees
Affordable lawn covering
No need for lawn aeration
Pet-friendly and resistant to dog urine lawn stains
Deep roots help prevent slope erosion
Professional landscapers charge anywhere from $50 to $150 per hour, depending on the type of service provided. The final cost will depend on how much clover is in your lawn and which tactic they recommend to kill it.
Some lawn care specialists will simply recommend shifting your lawn care regimen to discourage future clover growth and work this into their weekly maintenance fee.
Controlling or getting rid of clover weeds in your lawn is an easy DIY with a bit of persistence. If you get frustrated with the task, call in a lawn care team in your area to get to the bottom of what's welcoming the weed to your lawn.
Purchase a selective herbicide that targets clover and similar weeds but doesn't take out your grass. You can also keep it from growing with corn meal gluten or remove clover from your lawn manually at the start of the season as part of your lawn maintenance checklist.
Herbicides containing a combination of the active chemical ingredients dicamba, fluroxpyr, and quinclorac are most effective at purging your turf of white clover. However, for small home lawns, organic prevention and control can be very effective methods for killing clover weeds and save you from using harmful pesticides that might damage your lawn.
Too much clover in your lawn can indicate several issues with your soil. Clover can thrive in soils with abnormally high pH, low-cut grass, and low nitrogen. Amending these issues can push clover out for good.
Hardy perennial clover loves the low nitrogen and compact conditions that often come with poor, infertile soils. But other factors also contribute to a clover explosion, including drought conditions, cool temperatures, under fertilization, and over-irrigation. You’ll need to evaluate all these elements when planning to kill off the clover.
Mowing a lawn will, unfortunately, not get rid of clover, and it may even encourage it to flourish. Let your lawn grow to a healthy height of over 3 inches and then set your mower blades no lower than this level. Higher grass will cut out the light that clover loves and discourage it from spreading.
