How to Get Rid of Clover in Flower Bed?

If you are like most people who want a beautiful lawn or flower bed, you are constantly fighting one thing: clover.

Weeds, like clover, can really negatively affect the look of your lawn or flower bed, but before you start removing it, remember this: clover can actually be beneficial for your grass.

As the clover decomposes, it helps to encourage the growth of grass, and it adds nitrogen to the soil. In fact, some commercial grass blends even contain mini-clovers, which hide beneath the grass, just so the lawn can experience these benefits.

One of the main reasons that homeowners don’t like clover is because of flowers. From afar, the actual clovers don’t cause much of a problem for those who want a field of green, but when the flowers grow, it changes things.

These white clover flowers aren’t the most beautiful blooms you may find in your yard, and they tend to interrupt that sea of green that many people want in their yard.

In addition, rabbits are highly attracted by the clovers, and not only will they eat these plants, they will also start snacking on the other plants you might have in your yard.

It’s true that you can mow over the clover and move them, but this is only a very temporary fix. Clover grows back very quickly, so unless you are mowing every couple of days, the clovers are going to continue to grow.

Fortunately, we have some amazing remedies that you can use to remove the clover in your lawn and in your flower beds.

Properly caring for your lawn and flower beds, including mowing and watering correctly, plus some other general tips and tricks can help to get rid of clover for good.

Table of Contents

Fertilize the Lawn Correctly

Most people know that by fertilizing their lawn and landscaping, that they can help to control the weed situation. One part of fertilizer, nitrogen, can actually help to get the clover population where you want it.

So, choose a fertilizer that is safe for your lawn with a good amount of nitrogen. You might not realize that it’s actually a lack of nitrogen that allows weeds to thrive and grow. So, you want to choose a fertilizer that is rich in nitrogen.

If your lawn or flower beds are small, you can use an organic solution, but if you have a lot of clovers, you probably want to choose something that is the rapid release that is specifically made for weeds like clover.

Remove the Clover by Hand

If you are only concerned about the clover in your flower beds or landscaping, and don’t care if it’s in your lawn, the best solution is to simply pull it out.

Clover spreads pretty quickly, so if you start to pull out the small groups of clover as soon as you see them, you can stop them in their tracks. The most important thing that you have to remember, though is that you have to make sure to get out all of the roots.

Cut Off Oxygen and Sunlight

There are natural ways to remove clover from your lawn and flower beds if you don’t want to use fertilizer. For instance, you can simply deprive it of oxygen and sunlight, things that clover requires to thrive.

Somethings as simple as a garbage bag placed over the clover patch for a few days to weeks can do the trick. You just have to make sure that you are holding down the corners, so it doesn’t blow away.

Also, remember that whatever you cover and deprive from sunlight and oxygen will die…so don’t cover anything you don’t want to lose.

Make Your Own Clover Killer

There is also a way that you can make your own clover killing solution that many people find to be quite effective. All you have to do is mix a small amount of dish soap with vinegar, and then put it in a spray bottle. Some people also add salt.

Either way, spray the clover with the mixture, and it will die off in no time. Again, however, you have to be sure not to spray any other plants, as they will die, too.

Use Corn Gluten

Another remedy that you can use to get rid of clover in your flower bed or lawn is to use corn gluten. This is a good method to get rid of clover without damaging the plants that might surround it.

Sold at many local garden centers or available online, this substance releases dipeptides into the soil, which helps to dry out the seeds of the clover.

A good rule of thumb is to spread approximately 20 pounds of corn gluten meal per 1,000 square foot of lawn or landscaping. Water it, and then allow it to dry.

Use an Herbicide

If you have a serious clover problem, you may need to use herbicide to remove it. Choose one that is broadleaf to do the job. These products contain a lot of chemicals, though, so you should be aware of that.

Most of these chemicals stop the growth of plants and then cause the stems to crack and twist and the leaves to curl.

In general, these won’t hurt the grass, but they can definitely harm other plants and helpful insects, so it’s best to only directly treat the clover and not spread it too far and wide.

Leave Your Grass Longer

Some people really like the look and feel of shorter grass, but if you leave your lawn a bit longer, you can help to keep the clover population under control.

Since clover has a shallow root system and it is low to the ground, the taller grass can actually block the sun from getting to the clover, which ultimately stops its spread.

Water Your Lawn and Flower Beds Correctly

A way to keep the clover population under control that you might not realize is to maintain the correct moisture level.

Ground that is wet is a perfect place to grow if you are a seed…but if it’s too dry, the grass can get stressed out and that helps weeds like clover grow, too. So, you have to get it just right!

The correct amount of water depends on your grass and soil, so it’s best to only water when the lawn or flowers need it instead of sticking to a schedule.

Kill the Clover with Natural Products

If you don’t want to use any type of chemicals on your lawn or flower bed, you can use an organic weed killer.

You can find a lot of these online or at your local garden center. However, you have to keep in mind that the type of product you get has to be formulated for clovers. Not all organic weed killers work on every type of weed.

Add More Seed

Finally, once the clover has been eradicated from your lawn or flower bed, the faster you re-seed the grass around it, the better. If it’s the flower bed you are focused on, add more mulch.

This way, you are filling the area where clovers might grow with new plants, or you are making it more difficult for anything to grow, as plants don’t love to grow under mulch.