Many gardeners' pride and joy is their lawn in the summer months, when all the preparation in spring comes into focus. That's why pesky growth that doesn't resemble lush green grass blades is often unwelcome—and that includes clover. While clover brings many environmental perks, like nitrogen-fixing roots that feed surrounding grass, drought resilience, and white blooms that attract pollinators, it can taint a uniform lawn.

White clover, the most common kind found in lawns, is a creeping plant that spreads rapidly and — left to its own devices — can take over your lawn completely. It flowers from May to October and is the most likely variety to produce those lucky four-leaf clovers. Despite this, clover is surprisingly easy to remove without resorting to harsh chemicals. 

According to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), simple cultural practices are often the most effective, given that clovers, trefoils and medicks are resistant to many selective lawn weed killers.

The RHS said: "As non-chemical control methods are effective, even if time-consuming on large lawns, there is no need to use a weedkiller."

How to kill clover in lawns naturally

Perhaps the most direct method for ridding your lawn of unwanted clover is to pull or fork out plants. Gather the stems in your hand and pull with some force to lift the roots of a clover cluster. 

The dry weather means the soil is more compacted, in which case it is best to insert a hand fork under rooted sections of the stem and the main plant to dig out the roots. 

The RHS suggests this as a "good, easy option for quick results on small areas of lawn." However, when done on larger patches, the area may need reseeding in autumn.

Rake before mowing

Mowing weeds isn't generally effective, but it can make a difference when it comes to clover, a type of wildflower. 

A simple way to banish the growth from your lawn is to gently rake the affected area before mowing. Doing so will lift the stems to help mowers remove more growth.

In the long term, the RHS notes that this practice can "weaken" individual plants and prevent self-seeding. They warned: "Make sure to rake up and remove clippings containing clover to stop plants shedding seed or re-rooting."

Fertilise your lawn

If your lawn is sprouting green growth other than grass blades, improving its general health is worthwhile.

Grass draws its nutrients from the soil, so keeping the topsoil in top condition should ward off unwanted growth.

You can do this by fertilising to enhance soil health. Gardening experts at Moowy suggest fertilising your lawn three to four times a year: in spring, early summer, late summer, and as a final touch in autumn.