When it comes to the most common lawn weeds, most people think about dandelions and crabgrass. However, white clover is just as common and just as detrimental to the health and appearance of your lawn. White clover is a perennial weed that can be difficult to control. It spreads by both seeds and underground runners, and can quickly take over your lawn if left untreated. In this blog post, we will discuss everything you need to know about white clover in your lawn!
White clover (Trifolium repens) is a low-growing, perennial weed that is often found in Georgia lawns, as well as lawns throughout North America. It has small, white flowers and 3 lobed leaves. The leaves are dark green in color with a pale green or white chevron in the center. White clover can grow between 6 and 12 inches tall, but it is typically only 2-4 inches when found in residential lawns. White clover is often confused with black medic, which is another common lawn weed. Black medic has similar leaves, but the flowers are yellow instead of white.
Similar weeds often have a deep taproot, while white clover has a shallow, fibrous root system. The fibrous roots and stems of white clover create a matted, tangled appearance in your lawn that is both unsightly and unmistakable. You will often find clumps of white clover sticking out like a sore thumb among patches of weak and discolored grass.
Key Characteristics
White clover is a cool-season weed, which means it thrives in cooler temperatures. In Georgia, you can typically expect to see white clover popping up in lawns from late winter to early spring, and also again from early fall to mid-winter. It can also survive short periods of freezing weather and will often green-up early in spring before your grass does.
White clover is most active during the cool seasons, but it can remain green and actively growing all year long in milder climates. In fact, white clover is often used as winter overseeding for golf courses and other turfgrass areas because it is so tolerant of cold weather. The general temperature range suitable for white clover growth is anywhere between 50 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit, which enables white clover to spread across different climate zones.
The main culprit of a white clover invasion in residential lawns is typically low-mowing, resulting in scalped lawns with damaged grass. However, there are a number of factors that can lead to white clover taking over your property. The following is a list of environmental factors that commonly lead to white clover invading a lawn:
While white clover may look harmless, it can actually cause a lot of damage to your lawn if left unchecked. White clover will spread rapidly, crowding out grass and leading to large patches of bare soil. Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for grass growth, and white clover is notorious for stealing nitrogen away from your lawn. More importantly, white clover has the unique ability to produce and store its own nitrogen, meaning that white clover is easily able to overtake a struggling lawn that is nutrient deficient.
The dense mat of white clover roots and stems can prevent water, air, and nutrients from reaching the soil below. This can further damage your lawn by preventing new grass seedlings from taking root and causing existing turfgrass to become stressed. White clover is also known to harbor lawn diseases, which can spread to your grass and cause even more damage. White clover is also known to attract bees, which may or may not be desirable in a garden, but many homeowners do not want bees taking over their lawns if they have children or pets running around.
White clover does produce seedheads that will distribute new seeds, but the aggressive nature of white clover is in the way existing plants spread across your lawn. White clover has a very dense root system, and each individual plant can produce numerous above-ground stems (stolons) that quickly take root and form new weeds. This allows the plant to spread rapidly, often forming large patches of white clover in your lawn within just a few weeks.
Stolons spread outward on the soil surface, and new stems, flowers, and seeds emerge from nodes along the stolons. If white clover is not removed while it is immature (before flowering), the stolons and excess plant matter will get tangled and matted, which will suffocate and damage your lawn!
The best way to control white clover is to prevent it from invading your lawn in the first place. This can be done by maintaining a healthy and thick turfgrass that is better able to compete with white clover. Mowing your lawn a bit higher than normal, for example, is a great way to stop the spread of white clover. This will help suffocate the low-growing weeds, and your lawn will be able to absorb more nutrition as a result. For more help dealing with white clover and other weeds taking over your lawn in Georgia, check out our fertilization and lawn care services, and keep the following tips in mind!
