Creeping clover - familiar to almost every person living in countries with temperate climate. Previously, it was used as fodder, but now, due to its appearance, aroma and flavor, clover has become popular as a lawn grass. It is grown on lawns, rockeries and. This article will help you learn how to plant and grow white clover. You will see its photo, learn the pros and cons of this option, as well as the nuances of choosing and preparing a suitable place.

Biological features

Creeping clover belongs to the genus Clover, legume family, subfamily Moth family. It has a wide range, initially distributed throughout Europe, in Central, Asia Minor and Western Asia, in Transcaucasia and North Africa.
It's grassy perennial with a developed, creeping bare stem, compound trifoliate leaves with small elongated leaves and spherical flower heads collected in panicles.

Blooms 2 times per season. Clover fruits are orange and yellow-gray legume pods with 3–4 heart-shaped seeds. The seeds ripen from June to July.
Clover grows best in wet, cool climates and prefers loamy, rich soils with good moisture but not stagnant water.

Did you know? Like other legumes, clover enriches the soil with nitrogen, so it is often used as green manure to improve the structure and composition of the soil.

Advantages and disadvantages of such a lawn

Like anything else, a clover lawn has its own distinct advantages and disadvantages. It is not without reason that they say that summer residents are divided into those who dream of having clover on their plot and those who dream of removing it from there.

pros

So, let's talk about the positive:

• Unpretentiousness . White creeping clover is an almost ideal choice for beginners and its easy planting and easy care make it the best option for the first attempts to create beautiful lawn. Even if you forget about the lawns for the whole summer, nothing bad will happen.
• Decorativeness. Simple trefoils create a very soft and delicate coating. It will delight you with delicate greenery from May to the end of autumn. The gaps between trees, near fences and buildings, as well as other bald spots can be made more aesthetically pleasing with its help.
• Wear resistance. You get a thick, long-lasting lawn that quickly recovers from mowing and other “stresses.” Active games of children, running, playing with a ball, dog pranks, temperature changes and direct sunlight will not damage this grass; crushed leaves quickly return to their original appearance.
• Availability. Because the whole line varieties are used in agriculture as feed or seeds, you can buy seeds much cheaper by contacting the appropriate stores. And if you collect the seeds yourself, it will be completely free. In addition, you can save on feeding and.
• Ability to improve soil. Since clover enriches the soil with nitrogen, it is recommended to use it as a precursor before planting. In addition, thanks to its powerful root system, it survives well from the site.
• Honey production. With its fragrant blooms, clover will attract flowers, which will also pollinate others on the site. This fragrant carpet is especially suitable for people who keep an apiary.
• Pet food. Clover is an excellent food for, or, hamsters and guinea pigs will also be grateful for such a treat. This herb is not only tasty, but also healthy.

Did you know? The name of the clover Trifolium is translated from Latin as “shamrock”. The occasional quatrefoil is considered a symbol of good luck. However, there are varieties, such as Good Luck, which have all quadruple leaves.

Minuses

Often, the disadvantages of clover are a continuation of its advantages:

• Aggressiveness. It is not for nothing that this plant is called creeping. Not only does it quickly capture new territories, but, thanks to its powerful roots, it is also difficult to get rid of. If you do not take care to limit the area where clover is planted, it can take over all the plantings or.
• Inconsistent aesthetics. Immediately after mowing, such a lawn does not look very attractive. Although this grass grows quickly, you will have to look at the “underside” of the lawn for some time. In addition, fading flower heads also look untidy.
• Honey production. on the site - this is both an advantage and a disadvantage, especially for those who like to walk barefoot on the grass.
• Hygroscopicity. Under the leaf cover of clover, moisture is retained well and the lawn dries out for a long time after rain. Therefore, in wet weather it is susceptible to various fungal diseases. Various flowers, especially grapes and others, often gather under its leaves. After mowing, they all become visible, which does not add attractiveness to the lawn.
• Slippery. Such plants have a very slippery texture, so it is easy to slip and fall on such a surface, especially on wet slopes.
• Attractive to pests. The root tubers of the plant attract - these are the worm-like larvae of click beetles, which cause great harm.
• Frequent haircut. Many of the above-mentioned disadvantages can be solved by frequenting the lawn, so you will have to do it many times.

Use in herbal mixtures

Since clover is an aggressive plant, when grown on open ground You should not combine it with herbs that have a more fragile root system. He simply will not allow such neighbors to develop and will kill them in the garden.
In addition, due to its specifics, this plant is not suitable for all types of lawns, therefore, as a lawn grass, it is recommended to be used in mixtures for playgrounds, decorative lawns, for strengthening slopes and slopes, and at the same time, it is unacceptable for parterre and sports lawns .

In mixed lawns, clover improves the growth of grasses (such as ryegrass) by saturating the soil with nitrogen, giving the lawn a lush green color.

To create meadow lawns on relatively dry, infertile soils, the following grass mixture is recommended: red fescue - 25%, common bentgrass - 25%, meadow bluegrass - 25%, creeping clover - 25%.
For sowing slopes and slopes, the following mixture is proposed: meadow bluegrass - 30%, meadow fescue - 30%, white bentgrass - 30%, creeping clover - 10%.

Selecting a location

As mentioned earlier, clover, despite its unpretentiousness and stability, has its own specific characteristics, and a place for planting it should be chosen with them in mind.

After choosing a place on the site under white clover you need to prepare the surface for the lawn, since, despite its unpretentiousness, it is not recommended to plant it in uncultivated soil.
The site is first dug up using half a shovel (15–20 cm), the soil is loosened and sifted, cleared of roots, debris and stones. Then they give a few days for the ground to settle. Seeds need to be planted in moist soil, and if the weather is dry, the soil should be

Neat lawns are nothing new these days, but growing one yourself is difficult and expensive. It is known that there is a simplified option for the lazy -. But the question arises: how to plant white clover for the lawn? What materials will be needed and how difficult is the process?

Clover, popularly called trefoil, belongs to perennial plants of the legume family. The plant is presented in the form of three leaves of emerald color with a small spherical flower. If you stick to the right technology planting it, as well as caring for it subsequently, the flowering lawn will delight you every year with an even and soft carpet. To do everything correctly, consider detailed instructions: how to plant white clover for the lawn? Simple tips and some nuances from specialists will allow you to get a green carpet as a result of the work done.

Advantages and disadvantages

By choosing white clover, you can get a whole list of advantages, since the plant has the following features:

• pronounced decorative qualities;
• a powerful root system will be able to suppress the growth of weeds for several years;
• a carpet of clover forms a dense grass mass of a rich green hue;
• the low growth of the stems eliminates the need for cutting;
• easy to care for: does not require frequent watering or fertilizing;
• high resistance to trampling;
• fast growth;
• saturation of the soil with nitrogen - a natural fertilizer;
• the ability to plant on slopes, banks and wastelands.

Important! White clover is often included when it is necessary to sow empty areas of a rock garden, rose garden or garden bed.

Despite this, a lawn made from white glue also has some disadvantages:

• the suppressive property will lead to the death of other flowers;
• rapid growth in all directions (clover is dominant);
• moisture retention leads to slipperiness - you should walk on it carefully.

Landing technology

As already mentioned, a tenacious plant does not require weeding or fertilizing. But, if you want to get an even and beautiful thick carpet, you should consider several recommendations. So, among preparatory work the location must be determined correctly. The best option is a sunny lawn or partial shade. Seeds are purchased at a specialized store for gardeners and gardeners: about 300 grains are needed per 1 m2. It is recommended to plant in spring or early summer.

1. As in the case of a regular lawn, in order for the seeds to take root well and quickly, you should remove the top layer of soil (up to 5 cm) and level the area.
2. Fast germination will be ensured by simple soaking for 1 hour before direct sowing. You can also mix the seeds with a small part of the soil and then scatter them evenly over the area.
3. To prevent birds from pecking the grains, a thin layer of soil (about 1 cm) is poured on top.
4. For watering, it is recommended to use a sprinkler nozzle, as strong pressure will wash away the white clover seeds or drown them. Soil moisture should be maintained for 7-10 days. The possibility of walking on the lawn is excluded. After 15 days, shoots should appear.

Important! Clover grows well in areas where cereals were previously grown.

Care

The unpretentiousness of the plant reduces all the conditions for caring for it. So, the basis includes only watering. Prolonged drought can negatively impact the growth of a white clover lawn. At the same time, severe waterlogging will also be disastrous. Experienced gardeners It is recommended to water once a week, provided that there has been no rain during these days.

You can trim the clover as desired - as the plant grows. In this case, it is recommended to use a trimmer, after which the lawn will quickly recover and bloom profusely. Carefully monitor the growth of the lawn; it is better to limit it, as it will be difficult to remove white clover.

Important! Trefoil easily tolerates sudden changes in temperature, but in case of high heat levels, additional watering should be carried out.

Video: white clover instead of lawn grass

Interesting grass, creeping clover. If we talk about summer residents. Some people grow it and consider it valuable plant, others try to destroy it, considering it a weed.

Creeping clover is a herbaceous perennial plant from the legume family. The roots of origin go back to Eurasia. Can grow on any soil, does not tolerate prolonged stagnation of water.

Grows well in sunny areas and in the shade.

A plant with a powerful root system. The depth of penetration into the ground is from 50 to 100 cm. Long shoots branch off from the main stem. Although the main root is short in length and reaches 4 cm.

The ground part extends from 30 to 50 cm. It all depends on the variety and type of soil. The leaves are trifoliate, ovoid, up to 2 cm in length. The inflorescences are collected in a head. The color of the buds is white, pink, red.

Flower types and varieties

Clover has about 300 species. The most popular varieties became the ancestor of many varieties.

Up to 70 species live in the wild in the CIS countries. Three of them are cultivated.

Red or meadow

Counts persistent and widespread appearance. Thanks to a powerful root system. Penetrating into the soil layer up to 2 meters, the plants adapt well to arid regions and tolerate low temperatures well.

The inflorescences, collected in round caps, are scarlet in color. The plant is considered a honey plant, but is not accessible to everyone, only to bees with a long proboscis. Therefore, up to 6 kg are collected from one hectare.

White or creeping

A very tenacious species. When using it as lawn grass, do not be afraid of trampling.

It recovers well and does not suffer from frost. Root system lies only 35 cm into the ground. The ground part is extended up to 40 cm.

Pink or hybrid

The inflorescences are white, smoothly turning into a pink tint. They have a dense head, compared to previous species. The height of the stem varies from 30 to 80 cm. The plant loves peat soil. It is a productive honey plant.

Benefits and cultivation

Clover is an indispensable grass for agricultural purposes. The root system accumulates nitrogen in the form of special bacteria. When mowing a crop, the soil is saturated with useful substances, increasing the crop rotation of other crops.

On garden plot after several years of growing potatoes, for example, It is recommended to plant clover. The earth will have a good rest and be saturated with useful substances, which will prevent potatoes from getting sick in the future and will increase the yield.

Tall varieties are mowed and finely chopped. Subsequently, chopped clover is used as mulch for other plants. This makes it possible to retain moisture and protect the crop from weeds. Good results can be seen when mulching a tomato.

To grow clover, you should take care of its predecessors - these are spring and winter cereals.

The optimal sowing time is early spring. If the choice fell on autumn, then the plant must have time to grow up to 10 cm in height. Otherwise the culture will not survive. Planting time is dictated by the climate of the region.

Clover planted in its pure form requires soil preparation. To do this, dig up the area using a shovel and remove the weed.

Combination with various representatives of the flora

It is grown not only as food for animals. Many varieties have decorative look . They are used as a background where solitaire compositions, rock gardens, rose gardens, and flower beds can be placed:

1. Combines well for sowing grass lawns low-growing varieties Rindwell, Liflex, Sylvester.
2. Clover is combined with cereal plants, such as wheat. There is one feature of the flower that over time it clogs another crop. To prevent this from happening, cereal plants are fed mineral fertilizers. Sometimes a growth stimulator is used as a trimmer or cereals are planted.
3. A good combination with trees or shrubs.
4. For flower arrangements lupins and poppies are suitable. That is, flowers with bright colors.

They should be planted in separate compositions so that over time it does not crowd them out. Or choose flowers with a powerful root system.

Application in agriculture

Tall varieties are great for creating food supply for animals. In terms of characteristics, clover is not inferior to alfalfa. It is used as fresh feed, for making silage and hay.

One hectare of sowing produces 2-3 tons of dry food. The most common varieties of meadow clover are:

• Vichai
• Segur
• Titus
• Long-term

White, pink are widely used in beekeeping. Because it is the most productive. The honey is unusually aromatic and light in color.

From sowing one hectare of grass, up to 125 kg of valuable product is collected.

If we talk about characteristics, then we can say with confidence that the plant has a number of good properties. The main thing is to use them correctly.

Clover is a cheap and low-maintenance option. lawn grass. It does not grow in height and is aesthetically attractive appearance for many years. Most often, creeping clover is chosen as a lawn cover for families with children, as it is pleasant to walk on barefoot. In addition, this plant becomes original decoration for your site. Let's figure out how to plant white creeping clover.

Before you make a final decision about white clover, you need to study the plant from all angles. It has many advantages:

• resistance to trampling;
• fast growth;
• saturates the soil with nitrogen, which provides additional nutrition to the plants surrounding the lawn;
• attractive appearance.

For many gardeners, attracting honey bees to the site will be an added benefit, but pollination fruit trees It also has a drawback - insects can sting if accidentally stepped on or disturbed. Other disadvantages:

1. The soil under clover does not dry out, which makes it slippery.
2. If you decide to get rid of such a lawn, you will have to remove the clover for more than one year.
3. A trimmed clover lawn looks untidy - brown petioles stick out from it. However, the greenery grows back quite quickly; many people don’t mow the lawn at all.

To keep your lawn looking tidy, it is recommended to sow it with this plant every 3-4 years. This will create the most stable coating, attractive in appearance due to the young growth.

Clover growth has several features that will allow you to make your final choice. This is a fairly unpretentious grass, but it should be planted only under the following conditions:

• placement on the sunny side or in partial shade (under seedlings);
• sufficient space;
• away from shrubs, trees, tall flowers and plants with weak root systems.

The soil in the area for clover can be any - it takes root well both on black soil and on soil with sand or loam. Neutral and slightly acidic soils are suitable for it. Please note that clover will bloom only in the second year, after it has spread throughout the space allocated to it. In this case, the flower stalks are thrown out in two waves, which increases its decorative qualities.

Planting creeping clover in your garden is not that difficult. First you need to purchase its seeds, which can be found at any gardening store. For a large package weighing 1 kilogram you will have to pay about 650 - 1,000 rubles. It is much cheaper than classic lawn grass. Experts recommend the Rivendell variety for planting, which is distinguished by its dense covering and pleasant emerald color.

You should not collect the seeds yourself, as they will be weakened. This plant can be planted in spring or autumn. An hour before starting work, soak the seed. During this time, you need to remove weeds and roots from the clover area.

Mix wet seeds with soil in a 1:1 ratio. Experts recommend sowing before heavy rains, then seedlings will appear faster and they will be stronger. After you have distributed the mixture of soil and seeds over the area, sprinkle the future lawn with a layer of fertile soil and water it with a watering can. You will not be able to walk on this area until a stable lawn appears; you may notice the first shoots in 10-14 days. Plantings only need to be watered once a week.

White clover care and diseases

One of the main advantages of this plant is its unpretentiousness. You won't have to constantly weed or feed this grass. As clover grows, it is recommended to trim the clover, but many owners do not do this. The plant is small in height and does not cause any inconvenience at the peak of development. However, without mowing, the lawn will look like an unkempt clearing. grows back fresh herbs quickly, if you start cutting your hair, you need to repeat it every 2 weeks.

• breeding of slugs and snails on the lawn;
• fungal diseases.

To treat fungal spores and pests, you do not need to carry out any procedures other than mowing the lawn. Diseases and pests attack the lawn due to the fact that moisture accumulates on the surface of the earth. When mowing, ventilation of the soil surface improves, and excess moisture It evaporates after watering or rain. For this reason, it is recommended to level the grass regularly. You can use a manual lawn scythe for this.

A beautiful lawn can be a wonderful decoration personal plot. For these purposes they are used various plants. White clover is great for lawns. Reviews indicate its unpretentiousness, you just need to properly care for it.

What kind of plant is this?

Clover is a perennial plant small size. Belongs to the legume family. It has delicate bright green leaves of an original shape. There are 3 leaves per stem, which is why the plant is called “shamrock”. Flowers are collected in inflorescences similar to the shape of a ball. They can be white, pink, red.

The plant is considered a honey plant, it is fragrant, bees live near it constantly. Clover is unpretentious and grows on clay, sandy, acidic and neutral soils. It can be in sunny open meadows. It does not need frequent watering, and this plant tolerates winters well.

If the lawn is damaged, it should not be replanted; in a short time, the white clover on the lawn will grow on its own. And in dark areas and if there is large quantity moisture the plant deteriorates. If you choose clover for your lawn, it will bloom from late spring to mid-autumn. But in the year of planting it does not bloom; this must be expected for the next season.

Lawn Features

The lawn with white clover is called "Sloth". Reviews confirm that the plant is added to the grass mixture to soften the coating. This type of lawn is good for arranging children's lawns with slides, swings, benches and houses.

Creeping clover is a low-growing plant, so many gardeners do not prefer to cut it. But they tolerate haircuts well. The minimum recommended mowing height is 3-4 cm, and the maximum is 10-12.

pros

Many summer residents prefer to decorate their plots with beautiful clover. This is evidenced by numerous reviews. But there are those who consider it a weed.

The benefits of a clover lawn are as follows:

1. White clover looks very nice for a lawn. Reviews confirm its decorative appearance. Everything looks especially beautiful together with flowers planted in pots. A perfect combination with compositions and flower beds, peonaries and rose gardens, fountains, ponds, alpine slides and tapeworm plants. Clover perfectly decorates large and small areas.
2. The green plant has powerful roots that crowd out various weeds. Because of such a powerful root system, it grows near banks, wastelands and on hillsides.
3. Clover doesn't need special care. It also does not need cutting or watering.
4. Clover supplies nitrogen to the soil thanks to the bacteria found in its rhizomes. When it is part of a lawn grass mixture and grows in an area with other cereals and flowering plants, then performs the function of fertilizer and improves resistance to diseases.
5. The lawn tolerates trampling well, making it ideal for picnics.
6. Low cost of seeds.

The photo of the white clover lawn looks beautiful. Reviews from summer residents confirm the ease of maintaining the area.

Minuses

A clover lawn also has disadvantages:

1. The territory looks attractive only during flowering, because then the inflorescences-balls, like beads, are scattered across the carpet. But after this, dried flowers make the appearance not entirely beautiful, even unkempt. It will be necessary to remove dried inflorescences.
2. The lawn grows quickly, and therefore if the plant is in a grass mixture, then after some time it will dominate over the others.
3. Clover has wet turf, which makes the surface slippery. It will be unsafe to play on it.

Experts advise on initial stages building a house, purchase white clover for the lawn. Reviews indicate that it will not allow weeds to grow. In addition, this allows you to fertilize the soil with nitrogen, which is necessary for subsequent planting. cultivated plants. Such renovation of the site will be required when engaging in beekeeping. Only then will it be impossible to walk on this territory.

Seeds

Before planting white clover for the lawn (reviews confirm this), you need to buy high-quality seeds. It is advisable to purchase them in specialized stores. Such clover needs to be mowed in rare cases, since the variety is creeping and low-growing. If the covering has pink and red flowers, then the plant will be tall.

Ideal for sowing:

1. White creeping - “dukhmyana”, “volat”, “sorceress”.
2. Pink hybrid - “Tursky”, “daubyai”, “handsome”.
3. Red meadow - “vichay”, “raya”, “maro”.

Arrangement

How to plant white clover for your lawn? Reviews say that any period of the year is suitable for this, except winter. The plant tolerates heat and drought well, but frost has a negative effect on it. If you want to sow seeds in the fall, you should do this 1.5 months before frost. This period is enough to prepare for winter and strengthen the roots.

The site is prepared in the spring. After the ground has warmed up, the area needs to be leveled. Weeds should be removed and the area should be covered with a hand roller. The seeds are mixed with sand or soil and scattered over the entire area. Peat or soil is poured on top. It is advisable to sow in moist soil.

The sown area is watered with a hose equipped with a spray nozzle. During the first week, the lawn should be watered, preferably in the evenings. The soil should not be dry, otherwise the crops will be uneven. If everything is done correctly, then green shoots will appear after 2 weeks.

The lawn needs to be watered every week. No feeding is required for it. If desired, it can be trimmed to give it a decorative and neat appearance. It is advisable to use a trimmer for cutting. With regular care, the surrounding area will always be attractive.