b'Red cloverswhich have pink to red flowerswill not toler-ate being mown as low as white or strawberry clovers and tend to have shorter stand life. They do, however, have a deep tap root for drought tolerance and can withstand more shade than white clover.Crimson clover is an annual with bright flowers that can be seeded in fall for spring show and possible natural reseeding, explains Brilman. And Alsike clover tolerates acid soils and cold conditions, but does not spread and is short lived. These can be additions to your clover or clover-grass lawn.Honeybees love white and strawberry clover as do many native bees and bumblebees. However, red clover is better suited to long-tongue bumblebees and, after dark, many moths visit it. Butterflies use clovers for food and also some have larvae that utilize clovers. Both native and introduced pollinators utilize clovers.Sustainable Lawn ChoicesClover lawns are a great choice especially due to their sustain-ability. Not only do they not require the addition of nitrogen ferti-lizer, they require less mowing and can be more drought tolerant than many older lawns, and also have reduced herbicide needs. Clover fixes nitrogen naturally and can reduce the amount of synthetic nitrogen applied to lawns, says Carignan. In Maryland, nitrogen pollution is a problem in the Chesapeake Bay, and our Maryland Lawn Fertilizer Law limits the amount of nitrogen that can be applied to lawns.She adds that clover flowers provide a source of food for (some) pollinating insects. However, insect populations and insect diversity are in dramatic decline due to habitat loss. Pollinators are essential for food and seed production. Traditional lawns do not provide much in the way of habitat or food for beneficial insects, compared to gardens with greater plant diversity and structural diversity (groundcovers, shrubs, trees) and native plants to support native bees.Clover can also be combined with turfgrasses for wear toler-ance and stand diversity. This allows the benefits of clover com-bined with more traditional grasses. Sod production of tall fescue, Kentucky bluegrass and MicrocloverBrilman says the combination of turfgrass and clover enables by Sodco.PHOTO: DLF the turfgrass to survive without additional fertilization.With or without grasses, clover lawns often have less weeds, which decreases herbicide use. Clover lawns are also more resist-And, while successful seeding may be done in the spring, theant to dog spots, but are more likely to contribute to grass stains risk of poor stand increases substantially due to weather-relatedin clothing.problems such as heat and drought, and from competition fromAs for care, clover lawns can be maintained from low to high both broadleaf weeds and annual grasses, such as crabgrass. maintenance depending on the needs of the customer. It can be Leah Brilman is director of Product Management andmown down to a half-inch or left unmown. If left unmown, the Technical Services at DLF in in Halsey, Ore. She says any placeleaves will become larger and the stand less dense. Growers can you see white clover growing as a weed in lawns, a clover lawnalso determine the amount of flowers by how often and at what can be planted. In many sites, partial reseeding every two toheight they are allowed to grow. No nitrogen is required if inocu-three years helps to maintain the stand of clover. lated with Rhizobia at planting and occasional watering based on Others types of clover that work well for lawns includeneeds. strawberry clovers, which tend to be naturally low growing withAnd whether clover is left alone or mixed with turfgrasses, a pinkish flower. And, while they are naturally drought tolerantthis contributes to less hidden carbon costs and increases the and tolerate higher salinity and waterlogging than other clovers,net carbon sequestration, adds Brilman. The additional appeal they can be slower to establish in a stand. to pollinators increases the ecosystem benefits.SW16/ SEEDWORLD.COMOCTOBER 2022'