Nature and Gardening

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All things green, outdoors, and nature-y. Whether it's animals in their natural habitat, hiking trails and mountains, or planting a little garden for yourself (and everything in between), you can talk about it here.

See also our Environment community, which is focused on weather, climate, climate change, and stuff like that.

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Has anyone here attempted a clover lawn? (beehaw.org)

submitted 1 year ago by honeyontoast@beehaw.org to c/greenspace@beehaw.org

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I've heard they're better for pollinators, are more drought resistant, and are easier to maintain.

It's hard to see a downside.

Has anyone here made the change? How'd it go?

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[–] lemmyng@beehaw.org 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I didn't completely replace grass with clover, but instead seeded clover and let the two commingle. it doesn't grow as tall as grass, doesn't leave bare patches, is a nitrogen affixer so the rest of the lawn looks even greener without fertilizer, and it attracts pollinators.

The only catch is that it spreads fast, so if you have a vegetable garden you'll need to work more to keep it out of there. However it's much easier to pull too.

Pick a type of clover that is native to your region.

[–] NataliePortland@beehaw.org 3 points 1 year ago

I'm in the same boat. I am adding clover seed when I reseed the lawn and encouraging it as much as I can. Using Dutch White, since the native clovers don't really work as a lawn alternative. However I am growing a native called Springbank Clover but that's just for fun- I really like clover. I also have Crimson which I use as a green manure and Red clover which is just pretty and fiils in some gaps in the flower bed. Like I said I like clover. The one people are using as a lawn alternative is 'mini' clover. As I understand it it's a hybrid that hasn't stabilized itself yet and will revert back to whatever it's parents were (dutch white probably?). So I haven't bought that yet. It's kinda pricey. But ya it does sound great. More drought tolerant, has flowers for pollinators, adds nitrogen. I'd love to see it in practice.