RADIO TRANSCRIPT
April 17, 2023
Taylor Campbell

This is Taylor Campbell, horticulture extension agent with North Carolina Cooperative Extension Burke Center. This is the time of year when people are thinking about sowing warm season grasses. We know that grass requires frequent mowing and irrigation, but what if there was a different way? Traditional grass lawns can be replaced with clover for a low-maintenance, heat-tolerant lawn. White clover can be seeded the same way as grass seed, but requires significantly less mowing. In most situations, a clover lawn only needs to be mowed a couple times a year. Also, clover lawns require less water than grass lawns. Clover is also excellent at outcompeting other weeds. The blooms of white clover attract pollinators, including butterflies and honeybees.

Another major plus to having a clover lawn is that clovers are legumes. This means that the plant captures nitrogen from the atmosphere and moves it into the soil for plants to use. Nitrogen is the nutrient that promotes healthy, green growth.

If you’re listening to this and thinking a clover lawn is for you, there are just a few steps that you need to take to establish your new lawn. First, mow your grass on a low setting and rake up any thatch. Next, mix your clover seed with compost, sawdust, or other organic matter to make spreading easier. Finally, cast the seed evenly over the lawn, and water.

This has been Taylor Campbell, horticulture extension agent with North Carolina Cooperative Extension Burke Center. For more information, call us at 764-9480.