Chief Horticulturalist at the RHS explains clover lawn benefits and how it could be the answer to lush, low-maintenance grass that's good for pollinators
As is sometimes the way with finding strokes of true brilliance, they often come from happy accidents, when you didn't know you were looking for the answer to a problem, but when it presents itself you realise it's too good not to share.
In this instance, I was having my bi-annual check-in with Guy Barter, Chief Horticulturalist of the Royal Horticultural Society, and he shared a common question gardeners always ask him: whether they need to fertilise a lawn.
His response might be a surprise to some. Guy advises that it's, for the most part, unnecessary to add fertiliser to grass (unless you happen to be the groundsperson at a Premier League football club).
Instead, incorporating a clover seed mix can actually with luck (excuse the pun), provide all the nitrogen needed for a lush green lawn in an environmentally friendly and low-maintenance way.
How to use clover in lawns
"Sports and fine turf rely on feeding, mowing and watering to make close-knit green swards but this is expensive and unnecessary for garden lawns," explains Guy.
Not only can fertiliser be an unnecessary expense, but Guy also highlights that as fertiliser encourages growth, what you are actually doing is creating a lawn which will require more regular mowing, cutting long grass and maintenance.
Not only this, Guy explains, lawns that use fertiliser are also more prone to certain diseases. "In many cases, domestic lawns are satisfactory with a minimum of help and mowing is sufficient to maintain the grass," says Guy.
"This is especially true if there is some clover present in the lawn. Clover is a legume so it can ‘fix’ nitrogen from the air with no need for additional nitrogen fertiliser," reveals Guy.
This may surprise those who consider clover to be lawn weeds. "Clover seed can be raked into the lawn and trodden down gently to ensure good soil-seed contact. It should germinate in about three weeks and add its drought-proof greenness and some nitrogen for the lawn grasses," he adds.
A great way to incorporate clover would be to consider using a clover seed mix when overseeding a lawn.
(Image credit: Shutterstock)
Guy Barter
Guy Barter is RHS Chief Horticulturist. After working in the horticultural industry Guy ran the plant trials at Wisley. There followed three years at Gardening Which?, before running the RHS members’ gardening advice service.
Shop clover seed for naturally fertilising lawns
White clover green manure
This fast-growing white clover can be used in lawns for fixing nitrogen, but also sown in allotments to help feed the soil in your veg patch.
Clover Grass Seed for Low Maintenance Eco Lawn
These clover seeds are ideal for organic gardeners and are non-GMO and pesticide-free. Quick to establish in your lawns and suitable for all grass types.
Consider using a grass and clover seed mix like this when filling in patches in your lawn the 5% addition of clover won't overwhelm your lawn.
Benefits of clover in lawns
Cheryl Harper, Managing Director of Greensleeves Lawn Care weighs in on the pros and cons of clover on your lawns. "If you want a perfectly uniform green carpet, clover might not be ideal," says Cheryl.
"Some clover varieties can spread aggressively through stolons and seeds. This can be problematic if you want to maintain clear boundaries between your lawn and flower beds," she adds.
However, UK gardeners may feel the potential benefits to their lawns outweigh the cons, as Cheryl outlines below:
Unlike most plants, clover has a symbiotic relationship with bacteria in its roots that capture nitrogen from the air and convert it into a usable form for itself and surrounding plants. This organic gardening method reduces the need for synthetic fertilisers – which can be good for our wallets and the environment too.
Bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects are crucial for a healthy ecosystem. Clover's attractive flowers provide a valuable source of nectar for these pollinators, supporting a diverse and thriving eco-friendly garden habitat.
With climate change concerns, a greener lawn doesn't have to mean more watering. Clover's natural drought tolerance allows for a lush appearance even during dry spells.
Less watering and the lack of need for applying fertiliser means that clover lawn benefits also include helping create a low-maintenance garden.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Cheryl Harper
Cheryl is managing director at Greensleeves which has treated over 100,000 lawns across the UK and continues to deliver an all-year-round lawn care service to help improve and maintain the quality of lawns for homeowners
When might you need to use fertiliser
Guy points out, however, that in the worst cases, struggling lawns may still benefit from a manufactured nutrient boost:
"In the cases of weak pale lawns, feeding with a slow-acting organic-based material is worth trying. Organic weed and feed moss control products contain about 5% nitrogen so if moss needs to be suppressed these are a good choice for both getting rid of moss and feeding the lawn."
He adds: "Red thread disease where brown patches occur in wet summer weather are a sign that the lawn needs feeding."
A 100% organic moss killer and lawn fertiliser which requires no scarifying and you won't get the patches of black moss which chemical moss killers leave.
Concentrated Moss Killer 1l
This product has a natural organic seaweed base, which will kill moss. You will need to rake away the dead moss once it turns black.
Richard Jackson's Premium 5kg Moss Remover
Start using in March to feed the lawn and naturally remove moss without the need for raking it out. The 5kg bag treats an area of 100m2.
Lawns can be lots of maintenance but tips like using clover can be a great help. Why not look at the option of using sand on lawns which helps support healthy grass too.
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Teresa was part of a team that launched Easy Gardens in 2018 and worked as the Editor on this magazine. She has extensive experience writing and editing content on gardens and landscaping on brands such as Homes & Gardens, Country Homes & Interiors and Living Etc magazine. She has developed close working relationships with top landscape architects and leading industry experts, and has been exposed to an array of rich content and expertise.
In 2020 Teresa bought her first home. She and her partner worked alongside architects and builders to transform the downstairs area of her two bedroom Victorian house in north London into a usable space for her family. Along the way she learned the stresses, woes and joys of home renovation, and is now looking to her next project, landscaping the back garden.
