Clover Control in Your Lawn & Garden

For the control of Clover and various other broadleaf weeds lawns in Buffalo and other common lawns, like Couch and Kikuyu, spray the entire lawn with a selective broadleaf herbicide, like Yates Buffalo PRO Weedkiller Concentrate, or for the added benefit of feeding the lawn while killing weeds use Yates Buffalo PRO Weed 'n' Feed Hose-On. Please ensure you have read and understood all label instructions prior to every use.

For a glyphosate-free weedkiller that kills roots and all, spray weeds with Yates Zero Triple Strike Garden Weedkiller Concentrate. Reapply every 10-14 days if regrowth occurs. Just be careful not to spray nearby lawns or plants as it may injure or kill them. To avoid overspray, when spraying keep the nozzle as close to the weed as possible. Alternatively, you could apply the product using Yates Zero Weeding Brush. That way you can apply the product directly where it is needed.

Clovers are common weeds of lawns and gardens in Australia, and are often found growing on poor soils. They are perennial weeds and will continue to persist in the lawn if they are not controlled.

There are a few types of Clover, but the most common two are White Clover (Trifolium repens) and Strawberry Clover (Trifolium fragiferam). 

Clover leaves are made up of three leaflets (trifoliate leaves) that are generally rounded at the tip, but Strawberry Clover sometimes has a pointed tip. 

Plants are low growing with creeping stems that set roots where they touch the ground.

Flowers grow in clustered balls. White Clover has white flowers that age to a pale pink. Strawberry Clover is pinky white, and as the flower matures it turns into a fuzzy ball that looks like a Strawberry.

Like many other Peas and Legumes, Clovers can make their own nitrogen with the help of the bacteria in their roots (rhizobacteria). Nitrogen is a plant nutrient responsible for leafy growth, and is the reason a poorly fed lawn can have lush green Clover growing in it.

Burr Medic

If there is a main leaf with two side leaves, the flower is yellow and single, and there are round shaped burrs along the stems, then it's not Clover and is probably Burr Medic.

Oxalis

If the leaflet is heart shaped at the tip, or if the flower is single and not in a clustered ball, then it's not Clover and is probably Oxalis.

Control Clover weeds as soon as you notice them, especially before flowering.

Apply an organic mulch like pine bark or sugar cane. You can also use weed mat before applying mulch, however, this doesn't allow any organic matter to go into and improve the soil. Avoid the use of inorganic mulches (e.g. stones and pebbles) as this can cause soil compaction and will degrade soil.

It's much easier to get rid of weeds when there are only a few here and there, but when your lawn is more than a quarter covered in weeds, then it becomes more difficult to control. If you find your lawn is covered in weeds, it might be worth considering installing a new lawn.

Keep the length longer, especially in summer, about 8 cm. And, grow a thick and healthy lawn. This helps the lawn to out-compete weeds by starving weeds of light, water and nutrients. Regular watering and applying organic based fertilisers like Yates Dynamic Lifter Organic Lawn Food will promote good growth, and lawn and soil health.

An interesting alternative to Clover control is growing a Clover lawn. However, there are some pros and cons to this journey.

A clover lawn can be lovely and green for many months, however can die off during the heat of summer or brown-off after frosts.

There are very few selective weedkillers that only kill grass (like Kikuyu, Couch and Buffalo) and not broadleaf plants (like Clover), so you'll likely end up with a mixture.

Unlike grass lawns which can be mowed nice and short, after mowing a Clover lawn you end up with a hacked-look until regrowth.

If you want to use your lawn for activities, then it's best to stick with grass lawns as Clover lawns can stain clothing, can't be kept short, and don't withstand heavy foot traffic.

So, if you have an area of lawn that is neglected, rarely used, and is costing more time and money than it's worth, you could try a clover lawn, or just install garden bed.