How to Kill Clover Weed
Clover is considered a weed when it is found in lawns, though some homeowners like it for its look and ability to surpass other weeds. Clover weed should be attacked as soon as it's seen, since it attracts pollinating bees that make it grow exponentially. The general strategy is to just pull the weed up instead of using herbicide. Herbicides are available, but can differ, based on whether you have perennial or annual clover weed. Another element of the strategy is to increase the nitrates in your fertilization program. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Fertilizer with nitrates
- Corn gluten meal
- Grass seed
- Sugar (optional)
- Vinegar (optional)
- Hoe (optional)
Instructions
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1
Pull up any clover weed you see by hand. Its roots are easy to pull out, fortunately. Watering the ground first and slipping a fork under the plant can make the roots easier to pull up still. A hoe can be used to chop up the roots and leaves to make a quicker job of it.
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2
Apply an herbicide to prevent the clover weed from reseeding the ground. Corn gluten meal can be used as an herbicide so that the clover is selectively killed and therefore so that you'll be able to spread it over the entire lawn.
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3
Water the corn gluten meal so it sinks down below the surface of the earth. One application tends to be enough.
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4
Use sugar in your garden as an alternative. It won't hurt your plants and attacks the same developmental process in the clover as the corn gluten.
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5
Use vinegar in your garden (not the lawn) if sugar fails, since clover doesn't do well in acidic soil. Pour it from the bottle right onto the clover. Clover doesn't do well in acidic soil.
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Fertilize the lawn with nitrates, since weeds indicate the lawn is deficient of them. This will make your lawn healthier so that it can outcompete the clover.
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7
Fill any bare areas left behind from pulling up the weeds with grass seed, to compete against any clover weed that may try to retrench.
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8
Let your grass grow taller, since clover dies out in shade.
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Tips & Warnings
Red clover weed and white clover leaf have a similar appearance, until their pink and white (respectively) flowers appear. Both are perennial, so that doesn't help distinguish the two for herbicide purposes. You may want to take a sample to your local garden store for their advice on what herbicide to use.
Use the vinegar on your garden, but not your grass. Don't be afraid to pour it on the clover by the bottle, but there's no need to pour it on your garden plants, so you might as well keep the vinegar clear of them.
Don't use corn gluten where you have or soon will sow grass seeds, since it damages the seed coat.
