Clover Overseeding.

[GumbyJarvis]

Tell be about it. Have you done it? Roommate has 2 dogs. They're sorta rough on the land, leaving trails. Neighbors dont mow to the right, so I'm fighting the thistles and dandelions that make their way this way, but I dont mind clovers. Actually am looking at doing the entire backyard now as a mix. From what I gather, you should mix the seeds with sand prior to using a spreader to "cut the blend" and get better coverage (cross pattern) So. Anyway. I always liked the look of it added to lawns (I dont consider it a weed really, then again I'm native nature coast floridian so I'm partial to green stuff, mosses, etc). So tell me what I gotta know on overseeding this lawn of mine. The backyard is around 2000sq ft of st Augustine grass, again trails here and there, some dig spots/spots that never really grow (yellow dog pee spots), it never gets above 4inches tall, mowed to around 3in 1-2x week. How would I go about doing it. I was thinking 5-7lb White Dutch Clover cut with 10lbs or so of sand/top soil, spread on a walk behind Scott's spreader (probably a 1 or 2 setting) in a cross hair pattern should do it. I read sowing now would be ideal since its rainy, as is fall overseed sowing. Youd think planting what many consider a weed would be easy. This seems confusing. After seeding people say it starts doing its thing in about a week or so. I do plan on mowing the yard still, so probably 2-3 weeks after seeding to mow again?

 

[4WD]

Been in my house since 1996 and for the first time my backyard just got killed off by broadleaf weeds while I was on a business trip. They totally blocked light from my grass. I killed it off and the first thing to come behind it was a patch of Bermudagrass … so yesterday I started seeding in more of that (not even what the yard was before). I'd talk to professionals about your plans. My thinking is once it's too hot for the clover … you will have dead area when it's late in the year for seeding grass. (Unless you buy pallets of St Augustine sod and water 3x a day).

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Clover seeds don't do well where thick green weeds and grass already exist. When I first was interested in introducing mini-clover to my already existing thick, nice lawn, I bought $75 worth (small front lawn) and only a 6" wide patch near the sidewalk and driveway took pretty well. Nothing on the innards of my already existing lawn. Also, don't plant it in areas near where you don't want spreading..... and it will spread. Not near shrubs, flowers or garden. If you do, then those areas will need a thick border-wall to keep clover out, as it spreads over the next few years. Lastly, kiss your lawn weed killers goodbye. I now pull my few weeds by hand. If you use lawn weed & feed, you will kill the clover too. I absolutely love my first two years treating my lawn with mini clover. It's slowly spreading and I figure it will take about five years, to see it enriched in the middle of my lawn, 15ft away from the front sidewalk and driveway areas. It creeps by itself..... slowly.... maybe too slowly. The only way to introduce clover to the middle of lawn faster, is to rip the grass out there. I'm not in any hurry and not going there. I had nobody to teach me. My investment in mini-clover was all done by trial & error. Hope this helps.

 

[4WD]

Originally Posted by Triple_Se7en

Lastly, kiss your lawn weed killers goodbye. I now pull my few weeds by hand. If you use lawn weed & feed, you will kill the clover too.

And that's a real good point. Central and coastal Texas can be a broadleaf haven where folks rely on pre emergent herbicide to prevent massive dollar weed invasion and others … Post emergent to control. … Then we have Live Oak trees that can be harmed by weed & feed. It's not an easy balance.

 

[jayjr1105]

I saw this recently. Is this a thing to burn your lawn so only grass comes back? https://i.redd.it/fkbduulj8gp41.jpg

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Originally Posted by jayjr1105

I saw this recently. Is this a thing to burn your lawn so only grass comes back? https://i.redd.it/fkbduulj8gp41.jpg

One time last summer, my back was hurting and instead of bending over to pull the few weeds, I boiled water in the tea kettle and doused the weeds. Dead instantly and I never noticed that the broadleaf weed came back in the same spot. I didn't use much water either. It wasn't like I needed to drown the weed in boiling water. If the land is level, only that weed was killed and surrounding grass lived-on. All you need is a good aim.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

What this with lawns? My Yard, whatever grows grows, from berries on the banks to clover to moss. I gave up that " phoney Scotts dream" where you spread toxic waste all over you yard to keep it looking like a movie set. Easy to say for me, I'm plunked down in a forest of King Pine and Birch on the upper side of a hill. Little Log cabin. and I just have a 15' skirt of what once was grass round the house. Soil is sandy just 3 inches down. No curb side appeal here. There is no curb Keeps the traveling salesmen away

 

[Triple_Se7en]

What's this Arco? It's a very cheap way to keep the front of your home looking as nice as possible. If you are a homeowner and everyone on the block is keeping their lawn nice and their homes painted, it raises the value of the home... and the neighborhood. Cost less than $100 per year and well worth it. Keeping the street clean near the curb is another big plus. If you like the look of a subpar lawn, dirty home and wet, stinky leaves leftover from last Fall at the curb.....etc..... you can expect dirty looks from me and my dog, when we pass such homes during our daily walks. Please shovel the sidewalk snow also - I ask everyone on the block. The ones that don't and make my footing dangerous to pass when it's not shoveled - making it snowy & icy footing.... well, I don't pick-up my dog's poop there. If the homeowner comes running out of his house and complains about the dog poop, I tell them I will pick up the poop, immediately after they buy a snow shovel and use it. (No handicapped folks included). Some of the handicapped, I even offer to help shovel or snow-blow. Yes, I've walked my snowblower down my long block to help. So everyone, raise the value of your home-frontage easy and cheap. Lastly, make sure all Homeowners Insurance has adequate coverage also, in case I fall on someone's 6" of non-shoveled snow or ice and break my neck.

 

[iahawk]

clover used to be a regular addition to lawn seed mixes many years ago. Then at some point it was determined to be a weed and the chemical companies could help you kill it. Clover fixes nitrogen out of the air and into the ground so it is beneficial if you don't mind the look. I think clover is a bear to kill so I don't think regular lawn weed killers will do it much harm. Then again ideally you're only spot treating weeds, not blanket spraying your lawn with weed killer. I don't have clover in my yard but if you want something very low maintenance you may have found it.

 

[Kestas]

Having a monoculture lawn is an American dream propagated by the chemical industry. Years back, groundskeepers used to specify a mix of clover seed in their lawn seed. Clover fixes nitrogen from the atmosphere into the soil, making for a greener lawn. Crop rotation uses clover for the same reason. Nowadays, chemical companies have conditioned homeowners to believe their lawn is better without clover, helping to boost their offerings of clover killer and fertilizer to the public. I'm lucky to have a semirural lawn. No chemicals, and I only mow once a month. In my neighborhood chemicals are discouraged because our lawns butt up to a pristine lake.

 

[xxch4osxx]

I just cut the grass when it gets long enough to make it worth cutting. 4 inches high is when I usually start cutting. Nothing else is done to the lawn. I also don't rake leaves, complete waste of time. Leaves are a natural compost, so they stay where they fall.

 

[dtownfb]

One thing to consider is that clover attracts bees. I'm not sure about the soil in Texas but if you plan to grow grass, you have ot make sure your soil is good. That's the real reason for using fertilizer, to make sure the soil has the right nutrients. I'd recommend getting a soil test and aerating your lawn before planting seed. Your local garden shop can help with the soil test and recommending a treatment for your lawn. They can also recommend the seed to use. A good local shop can prepare a special blend of seed for you.

 

[Kestas]

True about soil. Developers typically strip the topsoil from their tracts, then reapply 2" of topsoil (the bare minimum) needed for grass. Then the homeowners struggle trying to keep a healthy lawn going with chemicals. 4" topsoil is considerably better. When I has my back yard dug up 15 years ago for a sewer line repair, I redid the lawn with 4 to 6 inches of topsoil and grass seed. It's growing great to this day with no need for fertilizer. A lawn needs the basics -- water, sunshine, and good soil.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Originally Posted by Triple_Se7en

What's this Arco? It's a very cheap way to keep the front of your home looking as nice as possible. .... If you like the look of a subpar lawn,.. you can expect dirty looks from me and my dog, when we pass such homes during our daily walks. Please shovel the sidewalk snow also - I ask everyone on the block. The ones that don't and make my footing dangerous to pass when it's not shoveled - making it snowy & icy footing.... well, I don't pick-up my dog's poop there. .

Ha! What's sidewalk or a curb? I'm on a hill in the state forest. You cant even see my house from the road. Its all wooded with Pine and Birch. Keeping things natural. No phony keeping up with the Jones's here. You leave dog *&&*^& on my property , it will end up in a paper bag somewhere strategically placed on you property. Enough of that going on around here with all the new neighbors who are selfish and careless dog walkers. But you be outside of Detriot, I'm way up in the Northeast.

 

[007]

Question. I am in Central Florida. I am getting ready to close on property (vacant land) that goes up hill in the back (last 25' out of 150') making mowing a little work. That said,I am looking to avoid the slope with my ride on mower and wonder if clover would work. Any ideas?

 

[GumbyJarvis]

Originally Posted by jayjr1105

I saw this recently. Is this a thing to burn your lawn so only grass comes back? https://i.redd.it/fkbduulj8gp41.jpg

Yes. I've seen it as a kid back in fl many times when the neighbors firepits would all get out of hand. We had our yard burned probably 10x over the years when I was a kid. 2.5 acres would come back lush as anything. I've had soil tests done before. A&M recommends a 15-5-10 mixture for this area, which is usually labeled "texas turf" I've fertilized biannually like they said, spring and before winter , very few weeds but still bare I get some straggling thistle and dandelion from the neighbor. I also have some clover already, and that's legit the greenest parts of the yard. I dont use herbicides at all, I just pull weeds. I wouldnt if I had the option to anyway since now city ordinance says no herbicides or fertilizers period (cant even wash a car now in a driveway due to the "runoff" in the sewers) Anyway. Just seeing if anyone has had luck seeding.clover. I've seen older neighborhoods in San Antonio, Austin, and other towns with some clover infused lawns, although these are 100+ year old houses with established yards.

 

[4WD]

There is lots of one size fits all in this thread. My curb appeal is fine ... that grass came back super this year with one tiny bag of fertilizer ... good rain, I'm just mowing. But as I'm enjoying the arrival of Purple Martins in the back yard ... and another two "birds" pictured ... look what's 15 feet to the right. That's what dollar weed left me.