Clover Lawns: White Clover, Microclover, and How to Grow One
By Jon P. — founder of LawnSeedPicker and home-yard DIY enthusiast · Published June 23, 2026 · Updated June 23, 2026
A clover lawn blends clover with grass — or replaces it — for a lower-input, more drought-resilient yard. White clover and its smaller-leaved cousin microclover fix their own nitrogen (so little to no fertilizer), stay greener through dry spells, and tolerate shade and foot traffic. You can go grass-and-clover mix or clover-forward; the main trade-offs are flowers that draw bees and the occasional reseed.
What is a clover lawn?
A clover lawn uses white clover (Trifolium repens) — a low-growing perennial legume — either mixed into grass or grown as the dominant ground cover. Its defining trick is nitrogen fixing: clover pulls nitrogen from the air and makes it available in the soil, feeding itself and any grass growing alongside it, which is why a clover lawn needs little or no nitrogen fertilizer. It also spreads by stolons (creeping stems) to knit itself together and fill in over time.
You don't have to choose all-or-nothing. The three common approaches are grass only, a grass-and-clover mix (the most popular middle ground), or a clover-forward lawn. A modest amount of clover worked into a grass lawn captures most of the low-input benefits while still looking like a traditional lawn.
White clover vs. microclover: what's the difference?
Microclover is the same species as white clover — it's a small-leaved variety of Trifolium repens, bred for a more lawn-like look. The practical differences: microclover has smaller leaves, grows lower and denser, and produces fewer flowers, so it blends into turfgrass more uniformly and looks tidier in a mixed lawn. Ordinary white clover has larger leaves, flowers more freely, establishes easily, and tends to be cheaper. For a polished grass-and-clover lawn, microclover is usually the pick; for a hardy, budget-friendly, more "meadow" feel, regular white clover is fine.
What are the benefits of a clover lawn?
- Feeds itself. Because clover fixes its own nitrogen, you can skip most or all nitrogen fertilizer — and it feeds neighboring grass too.
- Stays green in drought. Clover is relatively drought-tolerant compared with many turfgrasses and tends to hold its color through summer dry spells. (See drought-tolerant grass for how it fits a low-water lawn.)
- Handles shade and traffic. White clover grows well in shade, tolerates foot traffic, and keeps a low profile.
- Improves the soil. It helps reduce soil compaction and adds biological diversity to a lawn.
- Pollinator-friendly and soft underfoot — and it tends to crowd out some weeds as it fills in.
What are the drawbacks to consider?
- It attracts bees when flowering. Clover blossoms draw pollinators — a plus for the ecosystem, but worth weighing if you have bare feet or sting allergies in the yard. Mowing reduces flowering, and microclover flowers less than standard white clover.
- It can stain clothing — something to keep in mind with kids playing on it.
- It's a relatively short-lived perennial. Clover renews itself by spreading and reseeding, but a clover lawn benefits from an occasional overseed every few years to stay thick.
- Broadleaf weed killers kill it. Most broadleaf herbicides treat clover as a weed, so you can't use them on a clover lawn — weeding has to be more selective.
- It's not a pure high-wear sports turf on its own; for heavy play areas, a grass-and-clover mix holds up better than clover alone.
How do you plant a clover lawn?
Clover seed is tiny — on the order of half a million seeds per pound — so seeding rates are very low, and it's easy to overdo. You can sow clover into an existing lawn (overseeding) or mix it with grass seed for a new one. The essentials:
- Timing: like cool-season grass, clover does best seeded in late summer to early fall, with spring as the backup. It germinates once soil is reliably above the mid-40s°F. (See when to plant grass seed.)
- Contact: sow shallow and ensure good seed-to-soil contact — scratch up the surface first if you're overseeding into existing turf. (Our reseeding guide and overseeding guide cover the prep.)
- Moisture: keep the seedbed consistently moist until it's up; clover establishes best in cool, moist conditions on well-drained soil.
- After that, it spreads on its own via stolons and fills in.
Is a clover lawn right for you?
It comes down to how far you want to lean in — a touch of clover for lower inputs, a balanced grass-and-clover mix, or a clover-forward lawn — and that depends on your yard's sun, traffic, and your tolerance for flowers and bees. Run your yard through the LawnSeedPicker calculator and it will recommend a grass, a grass-and-clover blend, or a clover-forward mix to match — and tell you how much seed to use.
Find your clover or grass-and-clover mix →
Frequently asked questions
Is microclover better than regular clover for a lawn?
For a tidy, lawn-like look, usually yes — microclover has smaller leaves, grows lower and denser, and flowers less, so it blends into grass more uniformly. Regular white clover is hardier, establishes easily, and costs less, which suits a more natural or budget-conscious lawn.
Does a clover lawn attract bees?
Yes, when it's flowering — the blossoms draw pollinators. That's a benefit ecologically, but a consideration for bare feet or sting allergies. Mowing keeps flowering down, and microclover produces fewer flowers than standard white clover.
Do you need to fertilize a clover lawn?
Little to none. Clover fixes its own nitrogen and shares it with neighboring grass, so a clover or grass-and-clover lawn typically needs no nitrogen fertilizer.
How often do you have to reseed clover?
Clover is a relatively short-lived perennial, but it spreads by stolons and reseeds itself, so it largely self-renews. Overseeding lightly every few years keeps a clover lawn thick and even.
- USDA NRCS & Iowa State University Extension — White Clover (Trifolium repens) fact sheet.
- Penn State Extension — White Clover.
- Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, Cooperative Extension — Turfgrass Seed and Seed Mixtures (Fact Sheet FS684).