Improve your lawn with white Dutch clover

Credit: Terry Guscott

Attract bees and improve turf by adding perennial low-growing white Dutch clover to lawns

Many admire the uniform bright-green hue of a well-tended lawn free of moss, weeds and pests. Much time and sweat is devoted to mowing, liming, aerating and thatching. So what I am suggesting may be surprising: the addition of white Dutch clover (Trifolium repens), which many people view as a weed and try to eradicate, to the lawn.

There are many ways this perennial low-growing plant can benefit the lawn and the garden in general. The plush, soft-green leaves can be walked on and frequently mowed, making it useful not just for lawns, but also for pathways and seeding between rows of crops.

The white blooms attract beneficial insects, such as honeybees, which seek out the sweet nectar. Clover fixes nitrogen in the soil – a key element in making turf green. The foliage of clover is also rich in nitrogen; left on the lawn after mowing, it will break down and add more nitrogen to the soil.

To add white clover to the lawn, simply overseed existing turf at a rate of 4 oz. (113 g) of seed per 1000 sq. ft. (93 sq. m). If you are starting a new lawn, mix one part clover seed to 20 parts grass seed. Clover is best sown in early spring, just as the last frost passes.