Goodbye Grass! How Clover Provides the Low-Maintenance (and Sustainable) Lawn of Your Dreams
Turf grass is a thing of the past. Here's why you should consider a clover lawn as part of your next sustainable landscaping project.
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As you are likely aware by now, traditional lawns are something of an environmental menace—but that hasn't stopped people from planting. More than 40 million acres of U.S. land are covered by turf grass.
According to EPA's WaterSense program, U.S. households on average use around 96 gallons of water outdoors every day, with much of that footprint directed toward inefficient usage—like that required to keep your lawn lush. In addition to the copious amounts of resources (which also include emissions from regular mowing), lawns also decrease biodiversity and pollinator activity.
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As average temperatures rise and droughts become more commonplace, lawn alternatives are at top of mind. For a low-maintenance, pretty, and environmentally friendly option, consider the clover lawn.
What Is a Clover Lawn?
Clover is a green, flowering alternative to grass. The most common clovers for lawn use are white, red, and strawberry, perennial species that make for robust and visually appealing ground cover. With a high tolerance for drought and a low level of need, clover lawns are a worthy solution to your landscaping woes.
Plus, flowers!
Here are five things to know if you're considering planting a clover lawn.
5 Things to Know About Planting a Clover Lawn
1. You Won't Need to Fertilize
Clover, particularly white clover, is the most widely-grown plant from the legume species. It is very adaptable to a range of soils and climates. As a bonus, the plant draws nitrogen from the air and into the ground, helping to support the soil and neighboring plants.
TLDR: With a clover lawn, fertilizer is rendered obsolete.
2. Clover Attracts Pollinators
Along with year-round green, clover also produces white, pink, or red flowers. In addition to beautifying your space, these blooms attract ample pollinators to your lawn. This is obviously great for the planet, but also something to consider should children or anyone with allergies use the lawn for regular play.
3. It Won't Replicate Turf Grass
While clover is more adaptable to a variety of climates than turf grass, it's a less durable option in terms of heavy foot traffic.
4. Clover Requires Minimal Mowing
Clover requires far less mowing than traditional grass. As fueling lawnmowers requires around 800 million gallons of gasoline annually—with 17 million additional gallons spilled—this reduction in use is an environmental win.
5. Say Goodbye to Pests
Clover is extremely hardy, and tolerant to insect pests, eliminating the need for pesticides and harmful chemicals. Plus, the groundcover kills other weeds, crowding them out and rendering herbicides a thing of the past, too.
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Keeping up a beautiful grass lawn requires a lot of work—and resources. Opt for these sustainable lawn alternatives instead.
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