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What has been people's experience with microclover/grass mix lawns? In theory they sound incredible, but I'm afraid that the clover will be so hearty that it will take over the entire lawn.

Here's an example: http://protimelawnseed.com/collections/sports/products/rough-ready-eco-turf

I have a large dog, three young kids, and a 4,000 sq ft backyard. I want something that can deal with the punishment, keeps the weeds away, and is easily maintained. It doesn't have to look as nice as the front yard.

Sue Saddest Farewell TGO GL
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stuckintheshuck
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2 Answers2

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Microclover (Trifolium repens var.pirouette) is a selection from the original white clover (Trifolium repens). It was bred and selected for its much smaller leaves, lower height, much less aggressive invasive tendencies, non clumping habit and its reluctance to produce flowers; flowering is undesirable in lawn clover, particularly where there are children. In theory, then, it makes a good addition to other lawn grass seeds, because, like all clovers, it fixes nitrogen in its roots, and may well supply the rest of the lawn with nitrogen whilst its present, and tends to mix in with grasses as it grows rather than taking over in some areas, as the original Trifolium repens does.

In practice, I've never used it, so can't comment on how it performs in the field so to speak - more information here http://plantscience.psu.edu/reduce-runoff/questions-about-microclover

Bamboo
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I have no idea about "microclover" which sounds like a hokey marketing term, but I have been putting Dutch white clover in lawns for decades and it works just fine, unless you are one of those folks that dumps weedkiller on the lawn (clover is a broadleaf and will be killed by "lawn weedkiller") or thinks that clover IS a weed. The only place that clover "takes over" are the same places grass won't grow at all - the clover is tougher under wear.

Ecnerwal
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