b'season, offering pollinators critical nutrition during an otherwise stressful period. This is a tremendous benefit for overwintering pollinators, such as honey bees. Late season nectar will allow honey bees to continue building their winter stores and late season pollen will provide nourishment to a developing brood, which will become long-living winter bees.Calling clover a workhorse, Kowalewski says it is so strong that it tends to shade out other plants. Eventually a lawn could end up as a simple mixture of clover and perennial ryegrass, which allows the look of a traditional lawn with the benefit of clover providing food for pollinators and nitrogen to other plants.Types of CloverWhile there are different types of clover, some varieties perform better for backyards and lawns.For instance, Dutch white clover is probably the most common variety for lawns. Not only will it produce many flowers and stay green throughout the years, but it is also popular with bees looking for nectar. However, this is an aggressive type ofMicrocloverwhich has smaller leaves and fewer bloomsis quite clover with growth that will need to be closely monitored. tolerant of foot traffic and mowing and is a great option for Erin Dale is with Apache Seeds Limited, which is based inhomeowners with children and pets.PHOTO: DLFEdmonton, Alta. She says the company has sold Dutch white clover seed for many years to incorporate into existing turf.However, there has been a resurgence of interest in mono-culture clover lawns and alternative ground covers to replaceCLOVER LAWN BENEFITStraditional grass lawns in our area especially following the heat and drought conditions of 2021.While there are numerous reasons for wanting a clover lawndrought A variation of white clover is microclover which has smallertolerance, sustainability, and organic fertilizeryou also dont have to rip out leaves and fewer blooms. However, it is a lot more tolerant toyour current lawn all at once. In fact, you can just toss clover seeds onto your foot traffic and mowing, and is a great option for homeownerslawn and water them, just as you would do with grass seed. with children and pets.She adds that demand has been increasing over the past fiveMany landscapers suggest a more gradual approach such as starting with a years with microclover, seed, in particular, becoming a top seller. clover and drought-tolerant grass seed mix of 80:20. And since clover naturally There has also been a lot of interest in wildflower and insectspreads over time, you will soon see your lawn become clover dominant. habitat. In addition to perennial Dutch and microclover, we are seeing some yards incorporate color with red and crimson clover.Gardeners can also benefit from adding clover seed during aeration, which is the Clover will thrive in a variety of climates. process of loosening up compact soil to help it breathe. In fact, aeration helps the From a personal standpoint, Dale says last year she seededsoil become more welcoming to organic fertilizer, water and seeds. an insect-friendly wildflower mix in front of her house, and a monoculture of Dutch white clover in the backyard with theSome great points for opting for a clover lawn include the following:intent of growing insect habitat around the edge of the yard. Clover lawns provide nutrients to the soil and are a nectar source for bees.The clover has really held up well with active dogs and we are seeing quite a variety of insects in the yard. We mow twice orThere are numerous clover lawn options available, with white clover being three times a month with a reel mower and have not needed tothe most popular and easiest to find.water after the clover was established. Adding seeds a little at a time is the most convenient ways to start your Many people find the appeal of microclover, because it blends in with turfgrass, says Christa K. Carignan, coordinator, Digitalclover lawn.Horticulture Education, at the University of Maryland ExtensionOther options to starting a clover lawn include adding clover seed during Home and Garden Information Center in Ellicott City, Md. the core aeration process or digging up parts of your grass lawn.These micro-varieties also have a less aggressive clump-forming habit compared to Dutch white clover, she says. Even if you are not interested in converting your entire lawn to clover, you will She references a University of Maryland Department of Plantfind that it will show up anyway in many placeswhich is healthy. It requires Science and Landscape Architecture research paper where tur- little maintenance and is great for the environment!fgrass specialists Thomas Turner and Mark Carroll recommend late summer to early fallin the mid-Atlantic regionas theSource: Treehugger.compreferred time to seed a turf-type tall fescue, microclover, lawn.14/ SEEDWORLD.COMOCTOBER 2022'