Clover is very popular among people as a good luck charm and is said to bring good times and good luck to the recipient. But as soon as the plant is found again in your own garden, the joy quickly ends. Clover tends to spread fairly quickly and becomes a nuisance to most home gardeners. After caring for, fertilizing and mowing our lawn regularly throughout the year, we want it to shine at its full potential in the summer. Weeds of any kind are every home gardener's nightmare and the removal process can become quite time consuming. But you don't have to immediately reach for the chemical-laden preparations from the store. There are several effective methods and home remedies you can use to remove clover from your lawn without damaging your lawn. Enjoy the summer evenings in the garden in peace and quiet and find out how you can do it hereFight weeds successfully.
What are the most common causes of clover in the lawn?
Why does clover grow in the lawn? This question concerns hobby gardeners all over the world. To remove clover from your lawn, you should first understand how the weeds form in the first place. If the plant is spreading in your own garden, it is always a sign that the grass is lacking certain nutrients. Here is an overview of some of the most common reasons for clover in the lawn.
- A low nitrogen content
- Nutrient-poor soil
- Too little or too much lime in the soil
- The soil is too acidic
- The lawn is cut too short
Not all clovers are the same and in order to be able to determine the deficiency more precisely, it also depends on the type of clover. The most common types of clover in Germany are white clover, wood sorrel and horn trefoil. White clover in the lawn is characterized by spherical and white flowers and is usually relatively easy to remove. Horn clover and wood sorrel, on the other hand, are a little more stubborn and difficult to control. In order to completely remove these, you often have to completely replant the lawn.
These home remedies for clover in the lawn really help
A beautiful and well-maintained lawn is the dream of every hobby gardener and we usually invest a lot of time, effort and money into it. When clover spreads across the lawn, the overall look is often disrupted and we don't want that, right? WhetherKitchen waste as fertilizeror homemade weed killers - sustainability is one of the biggest garden trends in 2022. Clover is usually very aggressive and can attack and displace our lawn. The good news is that there are many effective home remedies that we can use to successfully remove clover from the lawn.
Deprive the clover of light
Like all other plants, clover in the lawn needs oxygen and sunlight to survive and thrive. Covering the affected green area with an opaque film is probably the easiest and most effective way to combat weeds. Depending on how much clover there is in the lawn, two to four weeks are usually enough for it to die down due to the lack of light. However, the lawn can also suffer with this method, but fortunately it recovers very quickly with high-quality seeds. So that it shines again in full strength, it is recommended to fill the bare areas with seeds and fertilize the lawn once.
Remove clover with a scarifier
The scarifier is a real secret weapon in the garden and is one of the most effective ways to remove a lot of clover from the lawn. The garden tool removes all weeds including roots in a very short time and you can choose between electric models and hand scarifiers. When scarifying, the soil is aerated and thus optimally supplied with oxygen. You will also improve the health of the lawn and ensure that it regains its strength. White clover in the lawn in particular can be easily removed by scarifying. To achieve the best possible results, it is best to carry out the lawn treatment in spring and sow the bare areas. If you want to remove the clover from your lawn and prevent it from coming back, you should fertilize the lawn after scarifying.
Hot water
Super simple yet effective - boiling water is also a great option for removing clover from the lawn without chemicals. The high temperature ensures that the protein penetrates the plant cells more quickly and as a result the weeds die. Simply bring water to the boil, pour it over the clover and let it dry. Finally, remove the dead plants by hand and you're done. However, you should only use the method carefully and very precisely, otherwise you will damage the lawn.
Salt and vinegar against clover in the lawn
Vinegar is a real all-rounder in the household and can be used in a variety of ways. Therefore, it is no surprise that you can also use it to remove clover from your lawn. A mixture of vinegar and salt changes the pH of the soil and causes weeds to die. To do this, mix vinegar and water in a 1:1 ratio and add 1-2 teaspoons of salt. Stir well, pour into a spray bottle and spray the clover with it. However, some caution is required with this method, as bare spots can form in the lawn and it takes some time for the pH value to return to normal. That's why it's advisable to only use vinegar against clover on smaller areas.
Do coffee grounds help against clover in the lawn?
Many hobby gardeners swear by the effect of coffee grounds against clover in the lawn. Since it is particularly rich in valuable nitrogen as well as sulphur, phosphorus and potassiumCoffee grounds against aphidsor used as a natural fertilizer. There are some types of clover, such as wood sorrel, that thrive better in acidic soil and unfortunately coffee grounds won't help. However, other types of clover, such as white clover and horn trefoil, can be easily removed with coffee grounds. To do this, simply distribute the mixture evenly over the affected area and lightly water the soil. In order for coffee grounds to help against clover in the lawn, it is best to work them into the top layer of soil with a rake.
