When to Plant Clover in Zone 1

When You Need a Cover Crop

• White clover (Trifolium repens L.) is a short plant that grows well in cool moist soils. When the soil in northern Alaska thaws, around the end of May, the muddy soil is a perfect place for starting white clover seeds. Although you might see the seeds planted under the surface in the warmer areas, they will germinate on top of the soil in zone 1 since the ground is damp and the air is cool. The plant is a legume, fixing nitrogen from the air and enhancing the soil as a cover crop where previous plants might have depleted the soil.

When You Need Animal Food

• White clover is a nutritious source of food for ruminates. The flowers are high in protein, and since the plants fix nitrogen from the air, surrounding grass plants grow better. Growers should allow fields where animals graze to reseed themselves at the end of the growing season. That way, even if the plants are killed off by the subzero temperatures, the seeds will sprout again in the spring.

When You Need Survival Food

• White clover is a source of protein for humans needing food in a survival situation. You can plant the clover seed over an existing lawn or field and then harvest the flowers as a vegetable. White clover grows quickly in the spring. You can eat the green leaves in salads before the plant flowers. The flower heads make a tender vegetable if you boil them for five minutes. You can also grind the dried flowers into flour for a source of extra protein in cooking.

When You Need to Enhance Your Lawn

• White clover spreads quickly over moist soils and encourages grasses to grow with the increased nitrogen levels. The clover plant responds well after mowing, even after mowing as short as 1 inch. Not only does clover fix nitrogen, but also reduces leaching of the soil from rainwater and competes with other lawn weeds. The early flowers also invite bees to the area, necessary for pollinating flowering vegetables and fruits.