Clover Lawn: Pros and Cons, and How to Plant One

At a glance

What a clover lawn is

A "clover lawn" covers anything from an all-clover groundcover to an ordinary grass lawn with clover mixed in. University of Illinois Extension notes that white clover was common in lawns before broadleaf herbicides arrived in the 1950s; those products targeted dandelions and plantains but often damaged or killed clover too. Interest has returned as homeowners look for lawns that need less fertilizer, less water and fewer chemicals.

White clover has three leaflets, usually marked with a pale inverted-V "watermark", and round white flower heads. It spreads by creeping stems that root at the nodes. Penn State Extension calls it perhaps the most common weed of home lawns, and University of Minnesota Extension covers it both as a weed and as a bee lawn plant. Whether it counts as a weed or a feature depends on what you want from the lawn.

Clover lawn pros and cons

Purdue turfgrass scientist Cale Bigelow's list of clover's weaknesses includes a canopy that isn't very dense, poor expected tolerance of foot traffic, and a long flowering period that keeps bees on the lawn for months. The practical takeaway: clover works best mixed with grass rather than as a pure stand where the lawn gets real use. University of Minnesota Extension recommends lower-traffic areas for bee lawns.

Microclover vs. white clover in brief

Microclover isn't a different species. It is a group of small-leaved selections of white clover, such as 'Pirouette' and 'Pipolina', with a slower, less aggressive growth habit. University of Illinois Extension reports that it mixes better with most turfgrasses than common white clover, but notes it does not tolerate high heat, drought or shade, may need reseeding, and its seed is harder to find. Leaf size, flowering, nitrogen and seeding rates are compared side by side in micro-clover vs. Dutch white clover.

When to plant a clover lawn

University of Minnesota Extension notes that early fall is not the best planting time for bee lawn flowers. Penn State Extension describes frost seeding, typically in February or March, as a way to add clover to thin pastures: the soil's freezing and thawing improves seed-to-soil contact. The same principle can be used to overseed a thin lawn without tilling. Match fall timing to your local frost date with the frost date lookup.

How to plant a clover lawn, step by step

Adding clover to an existing lawn (most common)

1. Stop broadleaf herbicides. Skip weed-and-feed and broadleaf sprays; Illinois Extension notes most broadleaf lawn herbicides kill microclover.
2. Mow short and open the soil. University of Minnesota Extension mows very short, to about 1 inch, then aerates or power-rakes as needed and rakes off excess vegetation so the seed can reach bare soil. Clover seed is tiny and won't establish on top of thatch. See lawn aeration.
3. Measure the seed rate. Clover seed is so small that rates are given in ounces per 1,000 sq ft: University of Minnesota Extension's bee lawn mix uses about 1.1 oz of Dutch white clover per 1,000 sq ft alongside 4 lb of fine fescue. Follow the rate on the bag. Mixing the seed with sand makes it easier to spread evenly.
4. Check for inoculant. Illinois Extension notes microclover seed often comes coated with the Rhizobium bacteria it needs to fix nitrogen, which some lawn soils lack. Penn State Extension advises inoculating legume seed before broadcasting.
5. Broadcast and press in. Spread half the seed in one direction and half crosswise, then rake lightly so most of the seed is just covered, as University of Minnesota Extension advises.
6. Keep it moist. Illinois Extension waters daily for the first 7–10 days; University of Minnesota Extension lightly waters 2–3 times a day for a few weeks after spring seeding, then cuts back once seedlings appear.
7. Go easy on nitrogen. Penn State and University of Minnesota Extension both note that clover is most common in lawns low in nitrogen, so heavy feeding favors grass.

Starting over with a clover or grass-clover lawn

Remove the old turf or kill it (see how to kill an old lawn and restart). Aerate, level and rake the soil, and sow a grass-clover blend or clover alone at the label rate; University of Minnesota Extension gives about 4–5 lb per 1,000 sq ft for pre-mixed bee lawn seed. Keep the seedbed moist until it is established. For other low-input options such as fine fescue and sedges, compare lawn alternatives.

Caring for a clover lawn

• Mowing: UMN Extension's bee lawn guidance is to mow at 3 inches or more, about every 2–3 weeks, holding off while the flowers are in full bloom, and to leave the clippings.
• Fertilizer: Little or none. Clover needs no nitrogen, and heavy nitrogen shifts the balance back toward grass. See chemical-free lawn care for the low-input routine.
• Weeds: Without broadleaf herbicides, pull or dig dandelions and other broadleaf weeds by hand, and keep the turf dense so weeds have less room.
• Patching: Clover dies back in winter and can leave bare spots; Illinois Extension notes microclover may need reseeding. Overseed thin spots in spring.
• Water: Water new seedlings regularly. University of Minnesota Extension says established bee lawns need very little supplemental irrigation except in prolonged drought.

Common mistakes

Frequently asked

Is clover good for your lawn?

For many lawns, yes. White clover fixes its own nitrogen, tolerates low fertility, often stays green through summer, and feeds pollinators. The trade-offs are lower traffic tolerance, more bees, winter bare spots and a less uniform look.

What are the downsides of a clover lawn?

Clover handles foot traffic less well than turfgrass, attracts bees when it blooms, goes dormant in winter and can leave bare patches. You also can't use broadleaf weed killers, because they kill clover too. Mixing clover with grass reduces most of these problems.

When should you plant a clover lawn?

Plant in spring once the risk of frost is over, or dormant-seed in late fall after the soil is too cold for germination, which University of Minnesota Extension rates the best time for bee lawns. Clover can also be frost-seeded in late winter, a technique Penn State Extension describes for thin pastures.

Can you just throw clover seed on the ground?

Only if the seed reaches bare soil. Scattered over thatch or tall grass, most of it never establishes. Mow short, rake or aerate to expose soil, spread the seed evenly, then rake lightly or roll it in and keep it moist until it sprouts.

Do you have to mow a clover lawn?

A grass-clover lawn still needs mowing, though often less often: University of Minnesota Extension mows bee lawns at 3 inches or more about every 2–3 weeks, pausing during full bloom. Purdue's turf program notes common white clover isn't expected to grow taller than about 5–6 inches.

What does a clover lawn look like?

A grass-clover lawn looks like a normal green lawn with rounded three-leaflet clover mixed through the grass, plus white globe-shaped flowers from spring to fall. Microclover has smaller leaves and, per Illinois Extension, mixes better with turfgrass.

What if you want clover out of your lawn instead?

Penn State Extension and UMN Extension note that clover thrives in low-nitrogen lawns, so fertilizing adequately helps grass outcompete it. For heavy infestations, herbicides labeled for clover, such as products containing triclopyr, dicamba, fluroxypyr or MCPP, control it; both sources say fall applications work best.

Sources

1. White Clover in Lawns, UMass Amherst Extension
2. Using clover for lawns?, Purdue University Turfgrass Science
3. Microclovers making a comeback as lawns grow in biodiversity, University of Illinois Extension
4. Microclovers… A New Lawn Alternative, University of Illinois Extension
5. Lawn and Turfgrass Weeds: White Clover, Penn State Extension
6. Dutch white clover, University of Minnesota Extension
7. Planting and maintaining a bee lawn, University of Minnesota Extension
8. Frost Seeding for Cover Crop or Forage Establishment, Penn State Extension
9. Alternative "Lawn" Options for New England Landscapes, UConn Extension

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