Clover is beneficial to both your lawn and pollinators, though it may easily take over your yard if left unchecked. To get rid of clover in your lawn naturally, you may create a DIY white vinegar solution to spray on clover leaves. This dries them out and effectively kills the clover.
You may also cover clover with a tarp to cut it off from nitrogen in the air, which clover relies on, weed by hand or generally maintain a healthy lawn through regular mowing, watering and fertilizing.
Before learning more about how to get rid of clover in your lawn naturally, consider getting help from lawn care professionals.
“Clover can dominate someone’s lawn due to several factors,” said Autumn Hilliard-Knapp, horticulturist at Perfect Plants Nursery, based outside Tallahassee, Florida. “One reason is that clover is highly tolerant of low-nitrogen soil, while grass may struggle to thrive in such conditions. Low-nitrogen soil can contribute to the growth of clover as it can outcompete grasses, leading to the clover dominating the lawn.”
While not harmful to a lawn’s vitality (in fact, experts said that it’s beneficial), white clover — one of the most common types of clover in the U.S. — can be eradicated naturally with household materials and simple methods that don’t include harmful chemicals or weed killers.
Why do I have so much clover in my lawn?
It’s simple — low-nitrogen soil. Unlike certain grasses and plants that derive nitrogen from the ground and soil, clover absorbs nitrogen from particles in the air. Meaning that, while grasses might come up short in leached soil that has low nitrogen levels, clover is able to parse out what it needs simply from growing.
Low-nitrogen soil can occur for several reasons. According to the Royal Horticultural Society, nutrient-depleted soil is more common in sandy, acidic or alkaline conditions. Because nitrogen is a soluble nutrient, it’s vulnerable to getting washed away during rainy or wet conditions, or once snow has melted. With nitrogen stripped from the soil, plants that typically rely on the nutrient can have more difficulty growing, making room for other plants, like clover, to flourish.
Fertilizing your yard ranges between $33 and $150. Get a quote from a top provider.
Get Estimate Weeding services typically range between $650 and $1,950. Get a quote from a top provider.
Get Estimate Standard pest control services range between $149 and $375. Get a quote from a top provider.
Get EstimateHow do I get rid of clover naturally?
Homeowners don’t need to stock up on chemical-heavy herbicides to get rid of clover. According to experts, there are several natural and low-maintenance remedies that require basic household items like garbage bags or white vinegar to eliminate clover from your lawn or garden.
Minimize sunlight and oxygen
Because white clover thrives off nitrogen in the air — and full sunlight — blocking access to both will help eliminate it. To do so, cover the patch of clover with a plastic sheet, tarp or garbage bag. “This can eventually weaken and kill the clover,” said Hilliard-Knapp, noting that this approach will affect the surrounding grass if the coverings are also placed over the grass.
To know if the clover has been eradicated, lift the plastic from the clover patch and check whether it is brown or dried out. If so, the clover is dead and can be removed and reseeded with grass or anything you choose. Should you still see the vibrant green clovers, place the plastic back over the area and check again in one or two weeks.
Weed by hand
When dealing with a small patch of clover (rather than, say, an entire yard), pulling out the clover by hand is a relatively quick and straightforward solution. Remove the entire clover plant, including the root system, to prevent regrowth, Hilliard-Knapp advised.
Spray a DIY white vinegar treatment
Mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a spray bottle, then follow with a couple drops of dish soap. Spray directly onto the clover leaves. “The vinegar can help dry out and kill the clover and the dish soap will make it so the mixture sticks,” Hilliard-Knapp said. “This [mixture] may need to be applied multiple times to fully kill off the clover.” But be careful where you spray as this concoction can also damage surrounding grasses.
Maintain a healthy lawn
Nurturing your lawn can help mitigate clover cropping up in the first place. This can be accomplished by regular mowing, watering and fertilizing. “A healthy lawn can outcompete clover and reduce its growth,” Hilliard-Knapp said.
Marc Wise, CEO at Native Landscapes & Gardens in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, advised fertilizing quarterly to help reduce clover growth.
How do I keep clover from growing back?
Maintaining a healthy and green lawn will help reduce the likelihood of small clover patches returning. “To keep clover from returning, establish a dense and healthy lawn to outcompete it,” advised Hilliard-Knapp. “Avoid overwatering and overfertilizing the lawn, which can encourage clover growth. Pay attention to weather shifts, and water your lawn consistently and deeply but avoid overwatering to prevent waterlogging and root rot.”
Additionally, consider using a lawn seed mix containing grass types less hospitable to clover. Be vigilant in removing any clover that reemerges. What’s more, Wise suggested looking at lawn seeds containing tall fescue to “help crowd out future clover growth.”
Use a mower that has a mowing height setting to clip the grass without fully removing it, too. Mowing your lawn correctly at appropriate heights will help promote healthy growth and avoid damaging the grass, Hilliard-Knapp advised.
What’s next?
As clover thrives in low-nitrogen soil, feed your lawn with natural fertilizers such as compost and compost tea to provide necessary nutrients and improve the soil quality. Meanwhile, aeration can prevent soil compaction, promote root growth, and improve water and nutrient penetration.
Next, use natural weed control and pest control methods such as hand-weeding, vinegar or a salt solution to promote a healthy lawn — tackle weeds like dandelions or crabgrass quickly. Last, consider planting native grass species or using grass seed mixes specially formulated for your climate and soil type to ensure optimal growth and health.
Once you eradicate clover from your lawn, it’s key to continue to care for and maintain a healthy lawn. Both Hilliard-Knapp and Wise recommended applying organic fertilizer at regular intervals and seeding the lawn to encourage further grass growth.
Top lawn care companies near you
Editorial note: The name “Homefront” refers to the alliance between USA TODAY and Home Solutions that publishes review, comparison, and informational articles designed to help USA TODAY readers make smarter purchasing and investment decisions about their home. Under the alliance, Homefront provides and publishes research and articles about home service and home improvement topics.
Homefront has an affiliate disclosure policy. The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Homefront editorial staff alone (see About Homefront). Homefront adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is believed to be accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.
Go Back to Top
TruGreen is our top pick for full-service lawn care due to its variety of service plans and convenient features. We consider Sunday Lawn Care the best subscription lawn care company because of its customizable subscription plans and budget-friendly pricing. It’s up to you whether you’d like to care for your lawn yourself or have a…
The right time to plant grass seed in the spring depends on the type of grass you have, where you live and the current weather in your area. Growing a vibrant green lawn takes work. Part of it is hands-on yardwork; the other part is knowing what to do before you get your hands dirty. …
Keeping your lawn’s grass green and healthy doesn’t come easy, but preemergent herbicides can help. A preemergent herbicide is a weed killer applied to soil before weed seeds germinate, preventing them from sprouting and establishing roots. Knowing when to apply preemergent is crucial for success. Spraying too early or late in the growing season can…