When to Spray for Clovers in the Spring

Problems Killing Clover

• Getting rid of clover presents several problems. It often doesn't grow tall enough to be negatively affected by lawn mowers, and the seeds are so tough they can live in the soil for years before they germinate. Because the clover often intertwines with areas of grass, it's hard to kill with a non-selective herbicide such as glyphosate without killing part of your lawn as well.

When to Spray

• When spring rolls around, wait until you see clover actively growing before you spray a selective herbicide. This herbicide should target the weed without harming your lawn. The tough seeds repel many pre-emergent herbicides, but young seedlings in particular are susceptible to post-emergent varieties of herbicide spray. Waiting until the clover is well-established doesn't mean you can't kill it, but it might be more difficult. Plan to start spraying a couple of weeks into spring, then continue about once a month during the growing season. When you're ready to spray, pick a day when no rain is expected for at least 48 hours and when you don't plan to mow for a least a day.

What to Spray

• When you see clover sprouts appear in your lawn, get ready to spray as soon as possible. Several types of broadleaf herbicides work well to kill young clover, such as dichlorprop, mecoprop or MCPP, and triclopyr. These selective herbicides cause systemic failure in the clover but shouldn't harm your grass. Add a touch of dish-washing liquid to the spray to help it stick to the clover leaves

Fertilizing

• Including a nitrogen-rich fertilizer as part of your spring lawn-care regimen can help reduce the clover that pops through. Clover doesn't need much nitrogen, so it can take over deficient areas in your lawn where the grass is struggling. Adding 1/2 to 1 pound of nitrogen for each 1,000 square feet of your lawn in the spring gives your grass a growth boost that helps choke out pre-emergent clover as well as some that already appeared. Reapply the nitrogen at the 1/2 pound per 1,000 square foot rate once a month until the weather cools in the fall.