PPDL Picture of the Week
June 22, 2020
White Clover
Glenn Hardebeck, Turfgrass Research Agronomist, Purdue University
White clover is becoming very evident in low maintenance
areas. All too often when we look at an
area such as this, the first thought is “What should I spray to get rid of the
clover”. It would be better to think
“Why is the clover so bad in this area?”
White clover is an indicator weed suggesting low fertility conditions. Clover is a legume just as the soybean
plant. Legumes form a symbiotic
relationship with fungi which enables them to be very competitive in low
nitrogen situations. Therefore, the
first thought when confronted with a lawn such as this should be “Fertilizer”. Additionally as we enter the dog days of
summer, broadleaf weed applications can be an added stress to our cool-season
turfgrasses. It would be better to wait
for the summer heat to pass and begin a solid fall fertility program. A broadleaf application would be better left
for October. Fall applications are much
more likely to kill the entire weed rather than merely burning the top growth
down without killing the root system.
More information on broadleaf weed control can be found at the Purdue Education Store and search for Control of Broadleaf Weeds in Home Lawns publication AY-9.