Overseeding clover seed into your existing lawn is an easy way to establish a clover lawn.
Choose Clover Type
There are many types of clover , the most widely cultivated are White and Red Clover. Large, high producing varieties are used for livestock forage. For lawns, the most popular is Dutch White Clover (Trifolium repens) because it is relatively low growing, tolerates close mowing, and out competes other foreign weeds.
One clover seed company, Earth Turf, has an Overseed Clover Mix with a new type of clover called MicroClover, which is the smallest clover variety available and blends really well into lawns. It is mixed with highly drought tolerant grasses that will further help the lawn. 5lbs covers 1000 sq ft.
Prep
The clover needs room to establish, so cut the lawn at the lowest mower setting, then use a thatch rake or rent a power dethatcher to remove thatch and thin the lawn.
Spread The Clover Seed
Spread by hand for small areas and use a broadcast spreader for large areas. If spreading pure clover seed, not mixed with grass seed, you may want to mix the seed with some sand or compost first to help spread more evenly.
Water
The soil needs to remain moist for good germination, so if it doesn’t rain, water everyday for the first two weeks. Water more if its hot out. The clover will sprout in 7-10 days.
[image from Versicolor.ca, an excellent source of clover lawn info]
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
What time a year can this be started? Its already nice out and I am really anxious to get started, just dont want to if its too cold still.
If you over seed clover, would you need to get rid of all the weeds first? Or does it choke out the weeds?
Yes, what time of year???
hi , i am interested in overseeding my lawn with clover. clover with tiny pink flowers seems to grow naturally in parts of my lawn and i would really like my whole lawn to look like the clover patches do. if i cannot find the clover i’ve described i would like any low growing clover mix. i live in central south carolina. would your product work here? if not can you tell me the name of the clover i have. the flowers are delicate petals not furry cone shaped ones. thank you so much.
I’m in zone 10, and want to plant an all clover lawn and need to know if it will grow in hot summer sun? Also, I have some areas of light shade from a tree, will it grow here? Thanks for any advice.