My Clover Lawn After One Year... It's not THAT wonderful

It has been a year since I started my clover lawn. The reason for going the clover route was less water, less mowing, less fertilizer and supposedly better traffic resistance. But this did not all turn out to be true. Here is my one year clover lawn update. What I love and what I could do without.
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Ashley has had a passion for plants since she was a small child. In the long summers as a child, she would garden alongside her grandmother and it was then that she realized her love for greenery. With years of great studying, Ashley had begun her post-secondary education at the University of Saskatchewan.
At first, her second love, animals, was the career path she chose but while doing her undergrad she realized that her education would take her elsewhere. And with that, four years later she graduated from the University of Saskatchewan with a bachelor’s degree in science and a major in Soil Science.
Some of Ashley’s interests are KZbin, in which she posts informative videos about plants and gardening. The focus of Ashley’s KZbin channel is to bring science to gardening in a way that is informative but also helpful to others learning to garden. She also talks about the importance of having your own garden and the joys of gardening indoors. Ashley continues to study plants in her free time and hopes to expand her KZbin channel as well as her reach to up-and-coming gardeners.
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[@GardeningInCanada]

If you want to see my Wens Wisdom over on instagram stop by and say hello instagram.com/gardeningincanada Also here is the original Clover video if you want to check that out: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qqeVq5WpqbtlqNE

[@Jlk6532]

We seeded the back yard with clover and left the front grass. We just broadcasted the seeds. Some rain came, entire lawn is abundant soft clover. We mow it half as much as the grass out front and tolerates the Texas heat better than the grass too. Win win for us.

[@GardeningInCanada]

That is perfect! Great choice

[@Dave-Rough-Diamond-Dunn]

I'm in South Australia, and what happens here is the clover booms over winter, but quickly dies off once it gets to be 30 C+ (86f) and the Santa Anna Couch grass takes off. Then the clover is dormant all summer until late autumn when it cools down again. So we have grass in summer and clover in winter, I'm surprised to hear you say it handles the heat.

[@BirdieBlrrrd]

Oooo I’m in Texas and wondered about clover lawn. My lawn is full sun. Yours?

[@Jlk6532]

@@BirdieBlrrrd no backyard is partial Shade, front is full sun. We left grass out front and broadcasted the clover in the back. Honestly, I think I timed it perfect (right before a few days of rain) and we have chickens that free roam (fertilize). my son plays on it a lot, and it stands up to scratching and foot traffic well. We had some patchy grass back there before, now full green fluffy lawn that barely needs mowing or watering.

[@Rootreaper]

How did you get it to grow… I literally put 10 lbs on 1230 square feet and it won’t freaking grow 😢

[@YarrowPressburg]

San Juan Island mixed clover and grass seeded 3y ago mow twice a year totally lush the deer love it, I planted it for them, wears out slightly in my path,no problem at least I know where my path is, it’s beautiful and the bees love it.

[@morganillsley94]

Ok, My clover adventure is several years in. I Have seeded it MANY times...It took years to finally take but it's here to stay now.. 1 million percent not foot traffic safe.. Kids will mangle it in no time!!! I do cut it a couple times a season, as my life manager is not a fan as much as I am.. But I somehow manage to get it to self seed and I love the way it looks, The bunnies love it, The bees love it. Sure, It's not for everyone but its right for me!💯👍

[@PassingThrough-p3l]

My husband seeded our front lawn with clover 🍀, but we haven't seen a difference. Somehow our backyard has increased its clover patches quite a bit this summer without any seeding 🤷‍♀️.

[@GardeningInCanada]

ooo they are rhizome spread as well so that maybe the reason

[@kelticowl9400]

I've noticed that with my clover patches, year one they grow and seed in year 2, don't know if it's the same everywhere but we're in 5B in Eastern Ontario

[@billw26]

Hey ! How about a video on N-P-K testers and methodology. 😁

[@sootopossum8063]

Native yarrow is my favourite lawn alternative 🍀🌱

[@GardeningInCanada]

Good choice!

[@6ix-Beetle]

I've read micro clover turns to regular clover after a few years too as the broader and taller leaves beat the smaller ones.

[@Nocare89]

Funny timing on this video for me. I'm harvesting a kale bush and after realizing i'm going to have a full pickle jar of seed from 1 plant... I am considering broadcasting it all over the lawn and then actually watering it xD Kale pods produce a TON of material for mulch though too. Which is nice with the grass now cowering under the summer.

[@hedgerow.homestead]

My lawn has been overtaken by clover this year. Surprisingly, it is holding up well to 2 dogs and 4 kids. I didnt plant any of the clover but i did let what was there go to seed last year so that helped. I wouldnt want an all clover lawn. My yard grass, clovers, dandelions, plantain...and other wild plants happen to blow in on the wind.

[@NeilRichins]

For me and my environment, all it takes to increase or decrease the amount of clover in my lawn is adjusting the mow height and frequency. If I want more clover I mow every 3-4 weeks at the highest setting on my mower. If I want less clover I mow every week at a mid to low level setting.

[@gendoll5006]

We have wild clovers all over our yard and love it. We have so many types of grass/weeds/plants that grow tiny flowers and i especially love the violet plants that grow in the shade. It’s like a fairy wonderland!

[@charleshash4919]

BEWARE of creeping violets. They can be very aggressive and crowd out other small ornamentals if given a chance.

[@GRPermie]

Thank you for the update! I am finding that a lawn 'poly-culture' has been my best way to just at least increase diversity. My local groundhog population has been a fan. :)

[@GardeningInCanada]

plus then it doesn't matter so much what is going on where (sun, traffic, water) because you have so many chances. Definitely smart on your part!

[@wormulous]

My motto from now on is.... remove sod, backfill with compost and fertilizers, add plants. Worked wonders for a new tomato bed and well... I'm not attempting to kill or solarize grass. As far as living mulches go... I... don't know enough to say anything. Also with temps through the roof here... 90+F daily it's hard to think about anythings things are burnt, things are dry. It's just crazy.... tomatoes however don't seem to care.

[@GardeningInCanada]

90+ omph .. nope

[@wormulous]

@GardeningInCanada yea it is hot hot. I feel hotter than ever here in PA/USA

[@debmacdonald1661]

? Type of clover? My 'lawn' is full of white Dutch and spreading nicely. Mind you, I am at 50 N latitude...zone 8b. Because mine was just encouraged, not sown, it obviously didn't mind my conditions which include not watering (to be honest it has spread more where it gets residual moisture from garden beds and a little summer shade. Perhaps another variety would be more successful in your climate?

[@56243G]

@@debmacdonald1661 I have quite a bit of clover in my lawn, but it completely died out from drought last year. About 1/3 of the grass survived. Now crabgrass is filling the gaps nicely.... uhhg!

[@debmacdonald1661]

@@56243G oh. Sorry to hear....I have a funny feeling climate may be a big issue

[@56243G]

@@debmacdonald1661 Nah, our climate is fine. It's just that every 30 or 40 years we get a drought that spans a couple years. This one wasn't as bad as the late 80s, but it was enough to kill clover in poor soil in the full sun.

[@porkoholic]

I don't have a lawn... but i grow clover on bonsai pots as cover grass ... love the tiny variety... i also use it on my vegetable beds but with mixed success

[@yesterdayseyes]

I'm replacing my lawn with clover using the cardboard over grass with soil on top meathod. It worked for my flower beds. So far so good 🤞

[@carolstuff]

Thanks Ashley!

[@dymondwillow2]

I heard creeping thyme is walk-proof.

[@saccorhytus2728]

Thyme is my long term project. It's slowly spreading all over

[@liftoffthecouch]

Don't do creeping thyme! I got some with the house and it leaps all over the place. It jumped my driveway to take over parts of my neighbour's lawn. It isn't nice to walk on after a few years because it gets woody stems. I find I can't walk on it in the garden either. It takes a good while to bounce back after being stood on.

[@davec1117]

Started creeping thyme seed over 30 years ago and let it spread creep along and displace the lawn. The area i keep mown at lawn height, 3" is my highest setting, i would consider walkable, most of it i keep at about 6" so it will flower. Not a big area altogther, i top it with an electric hedge clipper whenever i cut the little bit of my lawn ànd my neighbours. Always lots of positive comments, questions from passerdby. Takes a beating in the Ontario winter, looks pretty rough come spring but it comes back at it's own pace, it does bounce back. Rarely a weed, never fertilized until this year, i spread some home compost with chicken manure pellets mixed in. More creeping thyme than lawn but gardens are bigger than both and altogether its not a very big space.

[@wayneessar7489]

Hard fescue is a fine fescue that blends well with regular white clover and very reasonable in price. It needs low nutrition and water. Our Boulevard is that mix, it mows very well. In my experience a micro clover is not a good investment. I am cutting at 75mm so about 3 inches. Fertilizing at start up with MAP and a bit of SOP.

[@GardeningInCanada]

fescue is always a wonderful win totally agree. it is meant for dry spaces

[@BirdieBlrrrd]

I want something besides grass all over my lawn in Texas but I dunno what to use as main ground cover(s)

[@PlantObsessed]

Welp... I have a bag of Dutch clover sitting on my table ready to plant. Dogs check, foot traffic check. Maybe for my easement it would work? In some parts of my "lawn" it might just be easier to do broadleaf plantain.

[@norsinelshabrawy6031]

شكرآ

[@kathrynu1400]

Free Willy!! Hahahaha I don’t know why but that made me laugh so hard. I inherited a lawn with micro clover I think? (and goutweed 😭😭😭 and other annoying grasses), and I think the clover is what makes my bunnies stay out of my garden!? So, not getting rid of it! I prefer it to grass :)

[@marilynturcotte5304]

I would be curious to know where the product was grown to keep "foot traffic" tolerate. We have clover (naturally grown) in our backyard, and it seems to be holding up to us walking on it. We had a dog about three years ago, and some clover was in it. The clover patch is doing quite well and seems to be thriving. (Kingston, On Zone 7a)

[@GardeningInCanada]

I mean in clovers defense I’m talking heavy duty foot traffic lol

[@kendravoracek3636]

💚💚

[@GardeningInCanada]

[@DahVoozel]

Is clover clippings a better addition to compost than grass clippings? Grass seems to take forever to break down.

[@brianramsey3824]

Not on topic sorry I'm too random for that noise. I am aware of your concern of planting plants deep. I.e. tomatoes...my question is if u are going cutting off bottom leaves and planting it deep. Aren't u also welcoming a soil born disease? Would said technique be improved by letting wounds heal?

[@DahVoozel]

I had a pot get over taken by clover. When it got tall, I cut it back and threw it in my composter. Now the clover is all dead.

[@6ix-Beetle]

What was the point of this comment? It's like me saying I saw a dog today and blinked twice after I looked away.

[@Asti.pronouncedAhstee]

What about buffalo grass? Or should I just give up and go for a creeping Charlie lawn?

[@marcfruchtman9473]

Thanks for the video. I don't mind the clover when it is not flowering. But the flowers sort of detract from the look of a "manicured" lawn.

[@richardkut3976]

Plant alfalfa on high traffic areas.

[@GardeningInCanada]

I would still have to let it flower though... and I am so nervous about the city loosing the minds over that lol

[@56243G]

Bruh, you ever step on an alfalfa punji stick? Brutal!

[@osmia]

+

[@richardkut3976]

Hello, I've walked through pastures most of my life. Lucerne is a plant that can take hoof traffic. I don't go barefoot.

[@KumaMami]

how about the clover weed? if i want get rid of clover weed. just keep removing their flowers? they expand like crazy.

[@Fabdanc]

I may be off base, so give me some grace, but are clover lawns just a form of harm reduction? Essentially replacing European turf grasses with European clovers because the clovers have higher ecological value, use less water, and do not escape their confines? No judgement on taking the harm reduction route if it is what is practical... just curious.

[@Rootreaper]

I’ve tried so hard to grow this clover lawn… it is not working at all really…

[@franceshoward7112]

Results of my clover lawn. Hard to germinate Hard to get good growth Unhappiness to be walked on. Eagerness to die at the end of the year. I am not at all sure of the perenniality of clover. Myabe the soil was too acid, this is blueberry and rhododendron country. I would have to completely reseed every year I think. I just gave up the second year as it all seemed too much trouble and expense. I can get all sorts of weeds for free after all, and grass is better at fighting back. For me a clover lawn is as hard as a petunia lawn.

[@theJonnymac]

this clover is invasive to north america, it would be better to find some native species to your area to plant instead of grass. for instance, i have large patch of native to maine violets. my kids, the dogs, the chickens, etc damage them a little. But they look great with no care. We don't have many native grasses in maine, and none to my part of maine. But many areas of north america have great sedges, and grasses.

[@ethandsemmel]

I would never purposely have a clover lawn. The flowers bring bees to the ground where my dogs walk around and stick their noses in. One of my dogs was already stung once from this. And frankly, a well kept grass lawn can look beautiful to my eyes. Not the case with clover.

[@justinarnold7725]

Yeah clover sucks you try to grow it on your grass and it takes over your garden beds