Clover in the garden: red, white and crimson

How red, white and crimson clover differ, how to sow clover as green manure, in a lawn or in a meadow, and what to do when it spreads in the lawn.

In brief: Three clovers are mainly grown in the garden: red (2–3 years), white (perennial, for lawns) and crimson (annual, with crimson flower spikes). They are sown from March to August 0.5–1 cm deep. As green manure they fix nitrogen from the air and are dug in at the latest at the start of flowering.

Red clover	Trifolium pratense, 20–60 cm, pinkish-red heads, lives 2–3 years
White clover	Trifolium repens, 5–20 cm, white heads, perennial, tolerates trampling
Crimson clover	Trifolium incarnatum, 30–50 cm, crimson spikes, annual
Sowing	March–August, 0.5–1 cm deep, germinates in 5–10 days
Seed rate	roughly 2–3 g/m² of pure clover, for lawns 5–10 % of the weight of the grass mix
Incorporation	before or at the start of flowering, sow the next crop no sooner than 4 weeks later

Everyone knows clover from meadows and lawns. In the garden, however, it can do more than provide four-leaf clovers. Thanks to nodule bacteria on its roots it takes nitrogen from the air, so it enriches the soil instead of exhausting it. That is why it is one of the oldest green manures, and today it is also returning to lawns that are not meant to be just a green carpet.

In this article you will find how red, white and crimson clover differ, how to sow clover as green manure, in a lawn or in a meadow, and what to do when, on the contrary, it spreads in your lawn more than you want.

Red, white and crimson clover: which for what

	Red clover	White clover	Crimson clover
Lifespan	2–3 years	perennial, spreads by runners	annual
Height	20–60 cm	5–20 cm	30–50 cm
Root	deep taproot, loosens the soil	shallow, creeping stems root	medium-deep
Best use	green manure for the whole season and over winter, meadow, fodder	clover lawn, undersowing among vegetables, garden paths	quick green manure, ornamental meadow for pollinators
Soil	loamy, rather moister, neutral	almost any, tolerates trampling	light and warm

Red clover is the one with large pinkish-red heads that grows in meadows and on field margins. It flowers from May to September and bumblebees in particular visit its flowers, because the nectar lies deep in the flower tubes. White clover has smaller white heads and is one of the most important sources of nectar for bees in a lawn.

Clover as green manure

A legume on a bed after harvest or before planting demanding vegetables is a simple way to get organic matter and nitrogen into the soil without bought fertilisers. The general method for green manures is described in the article Green manure – how to improve the soil without chemicals. With clover it goes like this:

Timing. Sow from March to August. Leave crimson clover to grow for 2–3 months, red clover happily for the whole year, and red clover also over winter.
Preparation. Clear the bed of weeds and rake it to a fine, crumbly structure. On clods the tiny seeds get lost.
Sowing. Scatter the seeds broadcast, roughly 2–3 g per m², and rake them in 0.5–1 cm deep. Then firm the soil with a board or a roller.
Watering. Keep the surface moist until emergence. At a temperature above 10 °C clover comes up in 5–10 days.
Cutting and incorporation. The stand has the most nutrients just before or at the start of flowering. Cut it, let it wilt for a few days and dig it into the top 20–25 cm of soil, or leave it on the surface as mulch.
Pause. Sow or plant the next vegetables no sooner than 4 weeks later. Decomposing material would harm young plants.

Anyone who needs green manure for just a few weeks between two crops will rather reach for the faster mustard. Clover is slower, but it supplies nitrogen to the soil, while mustard only captures it. On beds where brassicas will grow, mustard is not recommended, as it belongs to the same family.

	Clover (red, crimson)	White mustard
Speed	2–3 months and longer	6–8 weeks
Nitrogen	fixes it from the air	only captures what is in the soil
Overwinters	red clover yes	freezes, is simply dug in in spring
Not suitable	where clover grew in the last 4–5 years (soil sickness)	before cabbage, kohlrabi, radishes

A clover lawn

White clover in a lawn was long regarded as a weed. Today many people sow it in deliberately: it stays green even in drought, when grass turns brown, it does not need nitrogen feeding and can be mown just like grass. Low, small-leaved varieties are sold under the name microclover.

How much. Add 5–10 % white clover seed by weight to the grass mix. More clover makes the lawn uneven and slippery.
When. Best in spring or at the end of summer, together with grass or into a scarified existing lawn.
Bear the drawbacks in mind. Flowering clover attracts bees, so it is not suitable for a playground for barefoot children. In winter clover dies back and the lawn is thinner.

How to establish a lawn so that it is dense and healthy is described in the article Lawn – how to establish, maintain and renovate it.

When there is more and more clover in the lawn

Clover spreads in a lawn mainly where the grass suffers from a lack of nitrogen and where it is mown too low. Feeding with a nitrogen lawn fertiliser, mowing to a height of 5–6 cm and raking out clover clumps with a rake before mowing help. The grass then thickens and gradually pushes the clover out.

Clover in a wildflower meadow

Red and crimson clover belong in every wildflower meadow. They flower for a long time, feed bumblebees and butterflies and, by fixing nitrogen, help the other plants. For a meadow a smaller share of seed is enough, otherwise clover outgrows the other species. How to prepare a meadow, sow it and when to mow can be found in the article Wildflower meadow – how to establish and maintain it.

Red clover and its traditional use

In folk medicine red clover flowers were added to tea blends, and in the kitchen fresh heads can be used to decorate a salad. Red clover contains isoflavones, substances similar to female hormones, and is therefore sold in food supplements for women during the menopause. The American institute NCCIH, however, states that the results of studies are inconclusive and the effect on hot flushes is not clearly proven.

Clover supplements are not suitable in pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Anyone who takes medicines or has a hormone-sensitive condition should discuss their use with a doctor. Tea from your own flowers is a different matter from a concentrated extract, but even that does not replace treatment.

Clover as fodder

Fresh clover is excellent fodder for rabbits, guinea pigs and goats, but animals must be moved onto it gradually. A large portion of wet or heated clover can cause dangerous bloat. Give it wilted and in smaller amounts together with hay.

Frequently asked questions

When is clover sown?

From March to August, ideally in moist weather. Red clover as green manure over winter is sown by the end of August, so that it has time to strengthen before frost.

Is clover a perennial?

White clover is perennial and spreads by runners. Red clover usually lives 2–3 years and crimson clover is annual, dying after flowering.

How do I get clover out of a lawn?

Feed the lawn with nitrogen, mow higher, to 5–6 cm, and rake out the clover with a rake before mowing. Dense, well-fed grass pushes the clover out by itself. Chemicals are only a last resort.

Why does clover improve the soil?

On its roots it has nodules with bacteria that fix nitrogen from the air. After the stand is dug in, the nitrogen and organic matter get into the soil and are used by the next crop.

How does clover differ from lucerne?

Both are legumes that fix nitrogen. Lucerne has violet flowers in racemes, a very deep root and lasts several years in one place; red clover has round heads and is content with moister soil.

Sources

Updated: 27 September 2026

Author: Jana Vránová, the editorial name of the Pěstík.cz team. She writes about the garden, herbs and essential oils. We take safety and dosage information from specialist literature and official sources, which we cite in every article.