Let Clover Come Over

For those homeowners who want to rid their grass of clover, consider this: Before the era of big chemistry that began in the 1950s, grass seed mixes contained white clover seeds. Clover was considered attractive and a critical ingredient for healthy turf!

CloverLawn2CropIt was not until synthetic herbicides came along and killed everything in the grass save the grass that clover, in time, fell out of favor and lumped in with the weeds.

“The thought of white Dutch clover as a lawn weed will come as a distinct shock to old-time gardeners,” wrote Dr. R. Milton Carleton, in his book New Way to Kill Weeds in Your Lawn and Garden (1957). “I can remember the day when lawn mixtures were judged for quality by the percentage of clover seed they contained. The higher this figure, the better the mixture.”

Clover deserves our enlightened love. A legume, it takes nitrogen out of the air and passes this essential nutrient through its roots to the grass around it. And if that’s not enough, it’s also evergreen, drought tolerant, and disease-resistant.

When Solar Mowing cuts lawns (at the ideal height of three inches), most clover flowers are preserved. Train your brain to respect and value these dainty fertilizer factories in your grass. And watch your property become popular with honeybees!