What Is Microclover And Why Should You Grow It in Your Lawn?

Establishing a microclover lawn or adding microclover to your existing lawn might just be the answer to a greener and more lush-looking lawn. Many homeowners consider clover a nuisance when it appears on their grass. But it doesn’t have to be.

Microclover is a white clover variety that stays small with regular lawn mowing, so it won’t take over your yard if you mix it with your regular grass seed. It’s a great supplement to your turfgrass or to replace a traditional lawn. Even better, it’s a beneficial ground cover that protects your yard against pests, diseases, and other problems. Microclover grows quickly and helps to establish your lawn faster than grass seed alone.

Let's delve deeper into what microclover is, its benefits and disadvantages, and how to plant and care for it.

What Is Microclover?

Microclover is a dwarf variety of the standard white Dutch clover. It readily mixes with other grass lawns, giving your lawn a beautiful, lush-looking appearance without crowding out other types of grass. It grows lower to the ground than its white clover sister and produces smaller leaves and fewer flowers, which makes it an attractive choice for homeowners and landscapers who want to supplement the density of an existing lawn.

The two most popular types of microclover are Pipolina and Pirouette. They grow 4 to 6 inches tall and are very tolerant of close mowings (down to 3 inches). In fact, with regular mowing, microclover actually gets shorter.

Microclover carries many of the usual clover traits, such as being generally hardy in cold weather and growing best in aerated soil. However, it grows lower to the ground than its white clover sister. It also has smaller leaves and fewer flowers.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the pros and cons of microclover lawns.

Benefits of Microclover

Aside from homeowners and landscapers, rabbits love clover, too, and turn to it in favor of your vegetable garden.

Clover (including microclover) has other benefits, too, including:

• Requires less lawn maintenance, including reduced energy usage from mowing.
• Reduces the need to dethatch and aerate lawn.
• Lessens erosion.
• Crowds out common weeds.
• Discourages grass fungus and disease.
• Creates nutrient-rich nitrogen.
• Attracts pollinators.
• Resists lawn pests.

Plus, since microclover lawns don’t grow very tall, they tolerate close mowings better. The more you mow, the smaller the leaves grow and the more dense the microclover gets.

Disadvantages of Microclover

While there are many advantages to growing microclover, there are some drawbacks. Microclover lawns:

• Can be tricky to grow, depending on your soil type and climate.
• Are neither drought tolerant nor heat resistant.
• May die off during the peak of summer, so you may need to reseed your lawn.
• Need at least four full hours of sunlight per day to thrive.
• Are not inexpensive.

How to Plant Microclover

Microclover seed needs to be spread. This can be done by hand or with a seed spreader. Hand seeding is ideal for patchy spots that need a little extra seed as it allows for precise targeting. There are two basic types of spreaders: machine spreaders, which are pushed along (and are great for large areas), and hand held spreaders which work best for smaller lawns. Once the seed is spread, it’s important to water regularly, and the seed will typically germinate in about 14 days.

Here are the steps to get started:

1. Till the soil down 4 to 6 inches.
2. Use compost to boost fertility.
3. Adjust your soil’s pH if needed. Microclover prefers a pH of 6 or 7.
4. Level out the surface with a rake.
5. Spread your microclover seeds.
6. Keep soil moist for approx. 14 days until microclover germinates.
7. If there are any gaps after 14 days, spread additional seeds to cover bare spots.
8. Once established, water once or twice per week.

How to Care for a Microclover Lawn

Microclover responds well to regular mowing and only needs watering once or twice a week. As a perennial, it will come back for two to three years without needing to reseed on a regular basis. However, it doesn’t have a long overall lifespan compared to other perennial plants (which will come back and regrow for several years). Plan on reseeding your lawn every two to three years for best results.

As with any lawn, proper care and maintenance are required to ensure it continues to grow healthy and strong. This includes fertilizing at the proper time to keep weeds and disease at bay.

Microclover Lawns: Are They Right for You?

Deciding whether microclover lawns are right for you depends on your climate zone, how you want your lawn to look, as well as your lawn-care routine preferences. If you love the idea, but can’t commit to the maintenance that comes with keeping a microclover lawn, turn to trusted professionals who get the job done backed by the Neighborly Done Right Promise™.

The Grounds Guys® are ready to help! We will seed, fertilize, and ensure your lawn has everything it needs to thrive and remain healthy throughout the year. Contact The Grounds Guys nearest you for a free estimate to get started.