Before you try any fertilizer to kill clover-like A.D.I.O.S. clover killer, there is something else you should be aware of. No fertilizers or weed killers come without side effects.
You should think of a natural way whenever you wonder how to get rid of white clovers without destroying the lawn. And it’s not that hard to achieve without ruining your lawn.
So in this article, I will show you many ways of killing clover without damaging your precious lawn. Stay with me.
How To Get Rid Of Clover In Lawn?
The objective is to kill clover without damaging the lawn. So, don’t think about any weed killer first. I will come to this ‘killing them chemically’ section later.
It’s important to identify what kind of clovers you are dealing with to decide which treatment will work best. There are some clear differences between microclover and strawberry clovers.
I will talk more about this later but first, I want to show you several ways you can deal with it. You won’t be disappointed!
- Manual Removal
This is applicable only when there is minimal clover infestation on your lawn. Despite having many benefits of clover, you may not want them.
In that case, you should remove the small clumps of clover whenever you notice any sign of clovers in your lawn. The best approach is to not giving clover a chance to spread!
This is how you should do it…
First, use your fingers or a spade to gently loosen up the soil around the base of the clover. Clovers have a very narrow root system. So, it should be easy for you.
Then pluck the cover-up. You must get the whole roots to truly remove them. You can use a weeding tool or trowel for this purpose.
Upon successful removal of clovers, sprinkle grass seeds of your choice over those bare soil patches. Water the seed so that the grass can take over those spots quickly.
- Fertilizing Lawns Regularly
Lack of nitrogen encourages weeds like clovers to grow in your lawn in the first place.
When you have clovers in your lawn, it simply indicates the lawn grasses are becoming less dominant due to lack of nitrogen. Lack of proper fertilization makes the clover a dominant force in your lawn.
Clovers are nitrogen-fixing plants. Their nitrogen-fixing ability lets them grow in any low-fertility lawns. Because of this ability, clovers can out-grow your nitrogen-hungry grasses.
So, fertilizing your lawn is another way to knock out the clovers from your lawn. Fertilizing can make your grass to grow strong and make them the dominant plant.
If your lawn is not already overrun by the clovers, you should try the slow-release fertilizers first. Try the quick-release nitrogen-enriched fertilizers if it’s already overrun by the clovers.
If you are wondering what kills clover but not plants, I would say fertilizer. So, try this solution FAST.
You won’t see white clovers or any other types of clovers in a well-fertilized lawn. Well, fertilization keeps all such weeds away!
- Killing Clover With Vinegar
I love any homemade clover killer and I try such a solution first before I select any chemical weed killers. Yes, you can eliminate clovers from your lawn using vinegar!
First, you should mix vinegar with a small amount of dish soap and put the solution in a spray bottle. Now all you have to do is just spot treat all the clover clamps!
Make sure to avoid the surrounding plants or grass while spraying this vinegar and dish soap mixture.
- Oxygen And Sunlight Deprivation
You should stick to the natural method of eliminating clover as long as you can. Killing clovers by depriving oxygen and sunlight is another such method.
This method will work if you have large patches of clovers. This is how you can do it…
Place garbage bags or plastic sheets on top of the clovers. Make sure to secure the corners so that they don’t blow away. This method should kill the clovers within a few weeks.
Make sure not to cover the surrounding grass!
- Spraying Herbicides Carefully
Yes, it may sound scary but clovers are actually broad-leaf weeds. And any herbicides that control broad-leaf harm grass rarely. But there is no substitute for being careful.
You should only apply such weed controlling herbicides when the clovers are actively growing. That’s when you will rip the full benefits.
This is how you should apply herbicides to kill clovers…
If your lawn is dry, make sure to irrigate it first at least 2 days before applying the herbicide.
It’s not dry? Good! Move forward!
But first, put on all the safety wears you have to protect yourself. That means wearing long pants and a long-sleeved shirt. Also, wear safety goggles and hand gloves.
You can spray the herbicides evenly throughout the entire lawn to remove the well-integrated clovers. Or, you may opt for localized application if you need to target only some areas with patches of clovers.
Be extra careful to protect your garden plants. Do not spray near the plants or bushes you want to grow. Cover them with cardboard for better protection.
When you are ready, spray the herbicides on a dry day. Ideally, the temperature should be below 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not mow your lawn for the next 2 days after the application.
- Apply A.D.I.O.S Clover Killer
A.D.I.O.S. stands for Advanced Development in Organic Solutions and this odorless solution is highly effective to kill clover.
While we are talking about applying herbicides, let’s talk about an excellent clover killer. Not just for white clovers, A.D.I.O.S is just perfect for any types of clovers you may have.
The best thing about applying this selective weed killer is that it’s completely harmless around flower plants and trees.
More so, being non-toxic, this weed killer is completely safe around pets, kids, crops, and water!
A.D.I.O.S. can deliver visible result within just 24 hours. As it can deliver fast result, it’s getting popularity day by day when it comes to kill clover and other weeds.
So, how does it work?
Well, when you spray it on the clover, it reaches to the roots of the clover via the foliage and stems. And it drains the water out of the clover cells.
That’s why it’s so effective against clover and other invasive weeds. Let’s see the right application guideline:
- Get your sprayer. Take 1 gallon of water to mix with 1 and ½ cups of A.D.I.O.S. Put the solution in the sprayer.
- Make sure there is no rainfall in the weather forecast. If no sign of rain, spray the A.D.I.O.S. solution on the top part of the clover.
- To achieve the complete suppression of the clovers, you need to make sure their total foliage coverage of the A.D.I.O.S. mix.
- Sometimes, you may need to repeat. If so, wait at least 10 days before you repeat.
- Rinse the sprayer and lines with water after you are done with spraying each time.
- Wait at least 24 hours for irrigation after the A.D.I.O.S. application.
The good news is that it meets all the USDA organic standard. Because it’s non-toxic and completely odorless.
So, it’s safe for your organic gardening and it’s both pet and livestock friendly.
However, do not let it to get in touch with your skin and eyes. It may cause eye and skin irritation. You should wear mask to avoid inhaling it too.
Everything is described in the instruction. But to get the best out of it, make sure to completely soak the foliage with this weed killer. And you have to apply it several times.
- Eliminate Clover With Corn Gluten
It may sound weird but corn gluten can actually remove clovers from the lawn without causing any harm to your beloved grass.
This is how it works…
When applied, corn gluten releases organic dipeptides into the lawn soil. These dipeptides eventually dry out the clover seeds and make it difficult for them to sprout.
You can buy it online or from your nearby garden store. Of course, you must follow the instruction but for every 1,000 square feet of your lawn, you should spray 20 pounds of corn gluten.
After spraying, make sure to let it dry naturally.
- Mow Higher
Another non-damaging way to get rid of clovers naturally is by mowing grasses higher than 3 inches. Sure, short turf looks appealing to many but keeping grass higher than 3 inches can keep the clover issue in check.
Any types of clover have a shallow root system and they grow very low to the ground. So, if you mow high, it will block the sunlight exposure to the clover.
Blocking the sunlight will make them die naturally prevent them from spreading further.
- Learn To Live With Clover
Of course, you have your reasons to remove clovers but would you mind having a second thought? Clovers are not like other harmful weeds. They don’t make your lawn ugly either.
In fact, clovers improve the soil structure and fertility of your lawn. It’s a natural nitrogen booster! It helps your lawn grass by increasing the nitrogen supply in the soil.
If you have flowering plants, clovers can help them to pollinate attracting bees. So, if you are looking for a low-maintenance option for your lawn, you should let them grow.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Sadly yes. The main reason is its creeping root system. You see, clovers may die on their own in hot or cold weather.
But they will come back emerging from the roots! Besides, perennial clovers can self-seed to!
It totally depends on you. There are plenty of reasons to let the clovers grow to ensure a natural supply of nitrogen in the soil.
They can also smother other hard-to-kill weeds. But again, the decision is yours.
Well, you need to consider the condition of clover infestation first. And before you apply any weed killer, I must recommend trying some natural solution like vinegar and dish soap solution or removing them manually.
If you do not want to do any harm to your desired grass but still want to kill the clovers, you should try the TopShot Herbicide or A.D.I.O.S. clover killer.
Yes. Roundup can kill weeds like clovers without damaging your lawn grass.
Final Thoughts
Not everybody’s situation is the same. Not a single solution will work for everybody. So, I have shown you some effective solutions against your wondering how to get rid of white clovers without destroying the lawn.
Let me know what method work for you best in the comment box.
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