Clovers are a fall and winter weed germinating in cooler temperatures and maturing into spring. The legume family of clovers are problematic for most turf grasses. Clovers have leaves with three lobes and pea like blooms. There are two types of clovers, an annual and perennial clover. Clovers typically found in sod are the perennial species know as the white clover and strawberry clover.
Prevention
Proper lawn maintenance is always the best prevention plan to control weeds. Keep weeds under control by implementing a proper watering, fertilization and mowing schedule based on your species of turf grass. Also, not allowing bare spots in the lawn will discourage weed seed germination. Remove dead or dying grass and replace it with sod. Keep the lawn thick and make it difficult for clover seeds to germinate.
Control
Control clovers and broad leaf weeds by applying preemergent herbicide formulations containig oryzalin, trifluralin and pendimthalin. The best post emergent herbicide to use depends upon the species of turfgrass. Bermuda grass and zoysia grass tolerate products containing mecoprop and dicamba but not triclopyr. A three-way herbicide may be used safely on bermuda grass, zoysia grass, centipede grass, St. Augustine grass and tall fescue. The active ingredients are 2,4-D, dicamba, and mecoprop. Apply these chemicals after the clover seeds have germinated.
