How to Get Rid of Clover in Your Lawn

By the Garden Voila editorial team · Updated November 9, 2026 · How we verify

White clover is one of the most common lawn “weeds,” with its three-part leaves and small white flowers that bees love. Some homeowners now welcome it, since it stays green in drought and feeds the soil. If you would rather have a pure grass lawn, the key is understanding why clover moves in: it thrives where grass is weak. Fix that, and most clover disappears without much fight.

Why clover grows in your lawn

Clover is a legume. Bacteria in its roots take nitrogen from the air, so it can thrive in soil too poor for grass. It also spreads by creeping stems that root as they go. Clover usually takes over lawns that are:

• Low in nitrogen from little or no fertilizing.
• Mowed too short, which weakens grass and lets low-growing clover get light.
• Compacted or growing in thin, poor soil.
• Thin and patchy, giving clover space to spread.

Should you get rid of clover at all?

Clover has real benefits: it stays green in dry weather, needs no fertilizer, adds nitrogen to the soil, resists foot traffic and feeds bees and other pollinators. Microclover is even sold as a seed mix for low-maintenance lawns. If you have pets, children or a pollinator-friendly garden, a lawn with some clover may be the easiest option. If you prefer uniform grass, the steps below work.

How to get rid of clover naturally

1. Feed your lawn properly

This is the single most effective step. Fertilizing cool-season lawns in early fall, and again in late fall if needed, gives grass the nitrogen it needs to outcompete clover. See when to fertilize your lawn for the right schedule.

2. Mow higher

Raise your mower to 3 to 3.5 inches for most cool-season grasses. Taller grass shades out low clover and develops deeper roots.

3. Water deeply and less often

Deep, occasional watering, about an inch a week including rain, favors deep-rooted grass over shallow clover.

4. Thicken thin areas

Aerate compacted areas and overseed bare or thin patches in early fall so grass fills the gaps. See when to aerate your lawn and how to overseed a lawn.

5. Pull or smother small patches

Dig out small clumps, including the creeping stems, when the soil is moist. For a larger patch, cover it with a tarp or cardboard for a few weeks in summer, then reseed the area.

6. Check soil pH

Clover tolerates a range of pH but grass struggles in very acidic soil. A soil test shows whether lime would help; see how to test soil pH.

Using herbicides on clover

If cultural steps are not enough, selective broadleaf herbicides kill clover without killing lawn grass. Products containing triclopyr, fluroxypyr, dicamba or MCPP, often in combination, are typically most effective on clover.

• Timing: early to mid fall, September to October, is the most effective time, when clover is moving sugars down to its roots. Spring is second best.
• Conditions: apply when clover is actively growing and temperatures are moderate, not during heat or drought, and not right before rain.
• Protect pollinators: mow off the flowers before spraying so bees are not visiting.
• New grass: do not use broadleaf herbicides on newly seeded lawns until they have been mowed several times.
• Always read and follow the label, including grass types it is safe for.

Homemade vinegar or dish soap sprays are non-selective; they burn the grass as well as the clover, and clover usually regrows.

Clover vs. look-alike weeds

• Black medic: similar three-part leaves but yellow flowers; also signals low nitrogen and compaction.
• Oxalis (wood sorrel): heart-shaped leaflets and yellow flowers.

For a year-round plan that keeps grass thick and weeds out, see our month-by-month lawn care calendar.

Common mistakes when removing clover

• Spraying in hot weather: most broadleaf herbicides work poorly and can damage turf above about 85°F.
• Mowing right before or after spraying: wait two to three days on both sides so the leaves can absorb the product.
• Using a product not labeled for your grass: some herbicides injure St. Augustine or centipedegrass. Always read the label.
• Treating without fixing the cause: clover will return unless you feed and thicken the lawn.

A thick, well-fed lawn mowed at 3 to 4 inches is the long-term answer: dense grass shades out clover seedlings before they can establish.

Clover in a newly seeded lawn

Clover often appears in new lawns, especially on bare soil that is low in nitrogen. Hold off on weed killers: most broadleaf herbicides can injure young grass, and many labels say to wait until a new lawn has been mowed three or four times, or longer. In the meantime, mow regularly at the recommended height, water well and feed the young lawn as directed for new seedings. As the grass thickens, it will crowd out much of the clover on its own.

How long does it take to get rid of clover?

Pulling small patches gives instant results, but stray roots and seeds in the soil mean some clover will return. Broadleaf herbicides usually take two to three weeks to kill clover, and a second application may be needed about a month later. Natural methods, such as raising the mowing height and feeding the lawn, work more slowly over one or two growing seasons, but their results last longest because they change the conditions that let clover take hold. Keep notes with our lawn care calendar so the timing becomes routine.

Is it white clover? Identification

University of Minnesota Extension identifies Dutch white clover (Trifolium repens) by its flowers, which are white or slightly pink globe-shaped clusters of many small flowers on a single stalk, blooming from spring to early fall. Leaves have three rounded leaflets, often with a white crescent on the surface, slightly serrated edges and a shiny underside. It lists look-alikes: black medic, birdsfoot trefoil and yellow woodsorrel. Penn State Extension adds measurements: leaflets are about one-quarter to three-quarters of an inch (6 to 19 mm) across, arranged alternately on the stems, with a white or light green inverted V-shaped watermark usually on the lower part of each leaflet, and flower heads are one-half to three-quarters of an inch across containing 20 to 40 white flowers. Penn State also notes the stems are smooth to sparsely hairy and grow close to the ground.

Why clover moves into a lawn

Penn State says white clover is very prevalent in under-fertilized lawns and grows best in full sun, though it can also colonize fertilized, partially shaded turf. It spreads by stolons that root at the nodes and creep into thin turf to form patches. Seeds have hard coats and can stay dormant in the soil for long periods, germinating during cool, moist periods in spring and fall. Iowa State says clover presence is often a sign of low nitrogen fertility and describes it as a creeping perennial and prolific seed producer that tolerates mowing and other common lawn practices. Minnesota adds that its presence can indicate low nitrogen, soil compaction or drought stress, and that it thrives in cool, moist soil with partial sun. It also reports poor traffic tolerance and poor growth in shade, and mats that spread 1 to 2 feet and reach 3 to 12 inches tall.

Why clover can out-compete grass without nitrogen

Clover is a legume. Penn State explains that white clover forms a symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing Rhizobium bacteria living in root nodules, which convert atmospheric nitrogen into a plant-available form. This is why clover thrives where grass is hungry: it makes its own nitrogen. Penn State says white clover is more likely to form large patches in turf not adequately fertilized with nitrogen. Our guide to when to fertilize your lawn covers the timing and rates that keep grass competitive.

Should you actually remove it?

That is a personal decision, and the sources describe real benefits. Minnesota says clover adds nitrogen to the soil, helps break up compacted soil, acts as ground cover and attracts pollinators. It notes that clover is used in bee lawns for its nitrogen fixation, long bloom period and forage value for bees, and as a pasture plant. If your goal is a uniform, golf-green lawn, you will want to control it. If your goal is a low-input lawn, tolerating some clover is reasonable, and it will keep the lawn green with less fertilizer. Whichever you choose, remember that the flowers attract pollinators, which matters if children play barefoot on the lawn and for any spraying you do.

Cultural control comes first

Minnesota says a dense and healthy turf is the best defense against white clover encroachment, and to maintain adequate soil nutrients because low nitrogen favors clover. Penn State recommends improving turf density through good establishment procedures and using turfgrasses well adapted to site conditions. Iowa State calls proper fertilization itself a control method. For small patches, Minnesota suggests digging out or hand-pulling them in gardens. In lawns, pulling is practical only for scattered patches, because stolons left behind will re-root. Overseeding thin areas, aerating compacted soil and watering deeply are all ways to build the density that holds clover back.

Herbicides: what works and when

The sources agree on timing and differ somewhat on products. Iowa State says broadleaf products containing 2,4-D, MCPP, dicamba or triclopyr give good control, and that fall applications from mid-September to early November work better than late spring or summer. Penn State names dicamba, clopyralid, fluroxypyr and quinclorac as the best options, with combinations usually giving very good control, says foliage regrowth sometimes occurs after spring applications and that fall applications are often most effective. Minnesota lists effective active ingredients as clopyralid, dicamba, fluroxypyr, florasulam, metsulfuron, MCPP, quinclorac and triclopyr, and says spring applications are often ineffective. It also says 2,4-D is ineffective, which conflicts with Iowa State, so rely on a product label that lists white clover as a target and on your own state extension advice.

Penn State warns that clopyralid-containing products should not be used on residential lawns, but they can be used on non-residential turf. Always follow the pesticide label directions, confirm the target area is listed on the label, and check that your type of turf tolerates the product. Spray on a calm day, avoid drift onto garden beds and trees, and keep pets and children off until the label says it is safe.

A realistic plan

1. Test your soil and fertilize on schedule, since low nitrogen favors clover.
2. Aerate compacted areas and overseed bare patches in early fall.
3. If clover persists, apply a labeled broadleaf product in fall (mid-September to early November in Iowa).
4. Reseed any gaps left behind so clover does not return.

Clover elsewhere in the garden

Outside the lawn, clover is a useful plant. Minnesota Extension explains that clover and other legumes are used as cover crops, as green manures (tilled into the soil for nutrients) and as living mulches planted with other crops for weed suppression, soil stabilization, nutrient management and temperature control. In a vegetable bed, a patch of clover between rows can protect bare soil, and you can cut it and turn it in before planting. Our soil calculator and mulch calculator are useful when you are replacing it with compost or a conventional mulch instead.

Penn State notes that clover foliage dies back in winter and new leaves emerge from crown tissue in spring, and that it flowers from spring to fall, with a peak in late spring to early summer. That seasonal rhythm explains why a lawn that looked clover-free in March can look patchy by June. Both Iowa State and Penn State report that fall applications are more effective than spring or summer ones.

Sources and further reading

• Lawn and Turfgrass Weeds: White Clover, Penn State Extension
• White Clover, Clemson Cooperative Extension
• Dutch white clover, University of Minnesota Extension
• Controlling broadleaf weeds in October, Michigan State University Extension

Frequently asked questions

Reviewed October 2026. Sources: Penn State Extension, white clover, Iowa State University Extension, controlling white clover, University of Minnesota Extension, Dutch white clover

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