Why is my lawn full of clover?

What clover in a lawn tells you about the soil, whether it is worth removing, and the feeding regime that pushes it out.

Difficulty: beginner
Time: 30 min
Read: 3 min

Short answer

Clover thrives where nitrogen is low, because it makes its own. A lawn full of clover is telling you the grass is underfed. A nitrogen-rich spring feed plus regular mowing tips the balance back to grass within a season — or you leave it, because clover stays green through drought when grass does not.

Clover is not a sign of neglect so much as a sign of low fertility, and there is a reasonable argument for keeping it. It fixes nitrogen, tolerates drought, feeds bees and never needs feeding itself.

Step by step

Decide whether it is actually a problem.In a family lawn, clover stays green in August when the grass is straw-coloured, needs no feed and takes wear. Many people are better served by accepting it.
Confirm it is clover.Three rounded leaflets, often with a pale crescent band, and white or pink flowerheads. Creeping stems root as they go, which is why it spreads in patches.
Feed the grass with nitrogen.A spring or early summer lawn feed high in nitrogen makes the grass grow faster than the clover and shade it out. This is the single most effective change.
Do not use an autumn feed for this.Autumn feeds are low in nitrogen and high in phosphate and potash, which suits clover as well as grass. Use them for their own purpose, not for this.
Raise the mowing height.Clover is low-growing and prostrate, so close mowing favours it. Longer grass shades it.
Rake before mowing.Lifting the creeping stems with a springbok rake before the mower passes means they get cut rather than pressed flat and missed.
Remove small patches by hand.Clover roots shallowly. A hand fork lifts a patch cleanly. Reseed the gap or it will simply come back.
Use a selective weedkiller only if you must.A lawn weedkiller containing clover-active ingredients will clear it, usually needing two applications a few weeks apart. Follow the label, avoid flowering clover so bees are not exposed, and keep it off beds.
Overseed the gaps.Anywhere clover is removed leaves bare ground, and bare ground is what let it in. Overseed immediately.

Tips

Clover means low nitrogen. Feed the grass and the balance shifts by itself.
Do not treat clover while it is in flower — bees are working it.
In a dry August the clover is the only green thing in most lawns.

Common mistakes

Using a general or autumn lawn feed to fight clover — Phosphate and potash suit clover at least as well as grass. Only a nitrogen-dominant feed gives grass the advantage.
Pulling clover out and leaving bare soil — Bare soil is where clover and every other weed establishes. Reseed the moment you clear it.

If it doesn't work

Clover spreading each year

Cause: Grass underfed and cut short — Fix: Nitrogen feed in spring, raise the mowing height, overseed thin areas.

Clover returns after weedkiller

Cause: The underlying fertility problem was not addressed — Fix: Feed and overseed. Weedkiller removes what is there, not what let it in.

Patches of bare soil after removing it

Cause: Clover was covering the ground the grass had lost — Fix: Overseed straight away and keep the area damp.

Clover only under trees

Cause: Grass weak in shade and root competition — Fix: Shade-tolerant seed mixture, higher cut, and accept a thinner lawn there.

Questions people ask

Is clover in a lawn bad?

Only aesthetically. It fixes its own nitrogen, stays green in drought, takes wear and feeds pollinators. Many people who remove it end up with a worse lawn in August.

Will a normal lawn feed get rid of it?

Only if it is nitrogen-dominant, which spring and summer feeds are. Autumn feeds are low nitrogen and will not shift it.

How long does it take to push clover out?

A season of proper feeding, higher mowing and overseeding will visibly reduce it. Complete removal usually needs a selective weedkiller as well.