Have you ever looked at your lawn in the summer and felt it seemed sad, depleted and thirsty? You might consider adding clover. It can boost the soil’s capacity to hold nutrients and moisture. And it increases biodiversity! Adding clover to your grass can produce a more luscious, resilient, biodiverse and water-wise garden. Some benefits of clover:

1. It acts as a natural fertilizer

Like other legumes, clover adds nitrogen to the soil thanks to nitrogen-fixing bacteria living in its root nodes. Nitrogen is crucial for plants as a key component of the chlorophyll cell, allowing plants to photosynthesize and grow. 

2. It stays green and hydrated

Thanks to its deep roots, clover stays green even during the hot, dry summer months, reducing the need for irrigation. 

3. It's part of a biodiverse ecosystem

Clover flowers and nectar attract many important pollinators such as bees, butterflies and wasps. Pollinator populations everywhere are in trouble due to habitat destruction, climate change and pollution, so do your part by supporting your local pollinators!

4. It suppresses weeds

 Clover’s deep roots and prolific spread help keep other weeds from taking over your lawn. This means you do not need to apply herbicides/pesticides to have a healthy, luscious lawn.

5. It's edible! 

Clover leaves can be eaten raw. The flowers make a delicate tea and a pretty garnish. It’s also safe for pets to consume. 

Things to consider when adding clover to your lawn

Clover is originally from Europe. It was introduced to North America in the early settler-colonial times. Although non-native to Canada, some species of clover are considered non-invasive. It takes well to disturbed and nutrient-poor soils, which is why it can be considered an invasive weed. Micro clover is a species of clover that does well in a lawn because it’s not as competitive/invasive as other clovers. You can order organic micro clover seeds from West Coast Seeds.

Check out this video from Gaia College gardener Jennifer Hermary and the results she found after adding clover seeds to her lawn: https://www.instagram.com/p/C765boWO4wv/ 

Happy Solstice and happy growing!