White Clover

R14 - R44

Green Houston

INFORMATION

Description 

White Clover (Trifolium repens) is a tough, low growing ground cover that is difficult to kill and will cover any open spaces between other plants. White Clovers produces heads of white flowers that often show a hint of pink or cream as they age.

White clover serves as the premier living mulch system over any other legume. It is robust, resilient and competitive. It makes a perfect companion plant during your grow, and can help reduce reliance on your store-bought fertilizers. 

White Clover (Trifolium Repens) is a herbaceous perennial plant that is a part of the bean family - making it a natural nitrogen fixer. Nodules on the roots fix and stabilize atmospheric nitrogen. As the plant decays, it releases this high-quality nitrogen into its local environment which encourages healthy growth in all neighboring plants.

White Clover and Red Clover have similar qualities, however White Clover is known to grow shorter and laterally while Red Clover grows upright in shoots. White Clover is also able to handle higher temperatures. When planting clover, it is best to plant a mixture of red and white clover together.

 

Benefits  

Nitrogen Production

  • The ability to improve nitrogen in soil is one of White Clover's most popular uses. This happens through the process of nitrogen fixation. White Clover is a legume, which forms a symbiotic relationship with a type of mycorrhizae bacteria in the Rhizibium Genus which forms nodules on the plants roots. The nodules formed by the bacteria take in nitrogen from the atmosphere and make it into proteins that the plant can use to grow. The interaction between the plants roots and the soil leads to improved soil quality without the need for fertilizer, making White Clover a great choice for your garden.

Resilient & fast growing

  • White Clover is the most resilient of the clover genus. This makes White Clover an excellent ground cover crop as it withstands high traffic areas, harsh conditions and can tolerate a wide variety of soil conditions, including lower quality soils.
  • White Clover also works well as a low maintenance ground cover as it can tolerate drought conditions and high temperatures.

Soil Compaction

  • White Clover works well to prevent top soil compaction and helps to break up soil because of its deep and interconnected root system.

Attracts Beneficial Insects

  • White Clover rarely attracts harmful pests and is helpful in attracting beneficial insects to your garden with its flowers. These insects include bumblebees and honeybees which aid in pollination of plants. As well as this, White Clover attracts parasitoid wasps which help to control pests like aphids and whiteflies. 

Erosion Prevention

  • The deep and complex root system of White Clover make it a great option when trying to prevent soil runoff and erosion, keeping key nutrients for your plants and soil in place.

Weed Suppressant

  • Anyone who has tried to get rid of a clover patch in their garden know that the plant can be competitive. Because of its complex root system once it is established, White Clover competes well with weeds and is great at keeping unwanted weeds at bay.

Living Mulch

  • Planting White Clover as a ground cover works great as as a living mulch system as the plants do not grow very tall, allowing the soil to retain moisture and remain moist.
  • Protects the soil from exposure to heat and radiation  
  • For the living mulch system to be most beneficial, management is the key. Ensure that the living mulch system does not compete with the main crop for light, nutrients and moisture. Consider planting White Clover once the main crop is established.

 

How to Use

  • Season: Spring to Autumn
  • Germinate 7-10 days
  • Depth: 10 cm
  • Spacing: 25 x 25 cm
  • Harvest: 60 – 70 days
  • Height: 15 - 25 cm
  • Flowering Season: Summer
  • Exposure: Full Sun/Partial Shade

Ideal Growing Conditions:

  • For the living mulch system to be most beneficial, management is the key. Ensure that the living mulch system does not compete with the main crop for light, nutrients and moisture. Consider planting White Clover once the main crop is established. Therefore sow in spring or summer as soon as the main crop has established itself.
  • Mulching: Sow in autumn so that plants can become established before cold weather comes. Cut the clover just below the surface, late in winter/early spring and allow the foliage to die down naturally into the soil surface, or alternatively take the green matter / green manure and give your compost pile a high organic nitrogen boost. 

 

     

    For placement of large orders contact us at: office@greenhouston.co.za