How to Remove a Clover From My Zoysia Lawn

Many homeowners find clovers bothersome.

While finding a four-leaf clover is considered lucky by some, spotting one in a zoysia lawn is considered a major inconvenience to many homeowners. Clover grows in patches that are dark green and very visible above the lighter green coloring of zoysia. To remove the clover from the lawn, you must kill the underground root system, or else the plant will regrow the following year. Removing clover is accomplished by applying the right herbicide.

Things You'll Need

• Lawn mower
• Grass catcher (optional)
• Trash bag (optional)
• Garden sprayer
• Selective broad-leaf herbicide with MCPP
• Pre-emergent herbicide with MCPP
• White vinegar (optional)

Instructions

1. Mow the entire zoysia lawn to a height of 2 or 3 inches using a lawn mower. If the clover has tiny red or white flowers on it, collect the clippings in a grass catcher attached to the lawn mower. Dispose of the clippings in a trash bag to prevent spreading the clover seed.

2. Fill a garden sprayer with a selective broadleaf herbicide containing MCPP, or mecoprop, as the active ingredient. Read the herbicide instructions carefully, and add in any water necessary to dilute it. Close the sprayer, and shake it gently to mix the herbicide.

3. Point the sprayer at the clumps of clover, and spray them until they are saturated and the herbicide drips off of the stems and leaves.

4. Continue mowing the zoysia lawn once per week to keep it at no higher than 3 inches. Examine the areas of clover for new growth, and apply another application of the herbicide if needed.

5. Wait until the following December, just before the clover begins to grow, and apply a pre-emergent herbicide containing MCPP to the entire surface of the zoysia lawn. This prevents any existing clover seeds from sprouting.

Tips & Warnings

• You can also pour undiluted white vinegar on the clover to kill it in a more organic method. However, the vinegar will also kill some of the surrounding zoysia grass, as well.

• After no more clover growth is detected, you will need to overseed the bare spots with new zoysia grass seed.

References

• University of Delaware Cooperative Extension; Your Lawn's 25 Worst Weed Enemies; Susan Barton, et al.; October 1995
• Modern Turf: Zoysia Turf Maintenance Calendar