(trifolium repens var. pirouette)
Micro-Clover (trifolium repens var. pirouette) is a miniature version of the Dutch White Clover, once common in lawns before pesticides targeted broadleaf plants. Micro-Clover has been around for over a decade in Europe and has slowly made its way to North America as a grass alternative. Its tiny leaves are about a third the size of traditional clover and it does not clump together, making it even more like an evergreen lawn people love. Micro-Clover is more drought tolerant and requires less fertilizing & mowing than other grass varieties. With its deep roots, clover is more drought resistant and will reduce your water bill, compared to traditional grasses. A pure clover yard only needs to be mowed a few times a year and can be trained to stay very short for a more manicured look. Micro-Clover is resistant to lawn weeds and over time will crowd them out. A Micro-Clover lawn discourages insect pests, particularly white grubs and is highly resistant to dog urine, making yellow spots a thing of the past. Micro-Clover blooms a white flower that can be retained as a pollinator or it can be mowed off if bees are undesirable. Micro-Clover spreads by sending out stolons separated from the mother plant to create a new clover plant. Because of this method of spreading, it can be irrigated with subsurface irrigation, thus eliminating overhead spray and reducing water consumption.
Some of the benefits of Micro-Clover are:
• Drought-Tolerant; Uses 30-45% less water than fescue grass
• Safe for children and pets & tolerates light to moderate foot traffic
• Grows in full sun, and can handle partial shade
• Performs well in temperatures from 25 to 120 degrees
• Grows 2” - 3” high, but can be mowed to a shorter height
• Blooms white flowers that can be mowed off if desired
• Low maintenance care
• Stays green all year
• Can be planted year round, it even spreads in the winter
• Immune to pet-urine, no more yellow spots!
First, the existing grass should be sprayed with some form of grass killer and removed. Next, a subsurface irrigation system, such as Netafim, should be properly installed to allow for 6" spacing between plants. You can purchase 6" spaced subsurface irrigation and plant a plug next to each emitter. You can also use 12" spacing, but use a triangular planting method. This means your lines of irrigation are offset so that one emitter is centered between two emitters on the neighboring irrigation lines. Then you water long enough that the pools of water from each emitter overlap to ensure all the plugs are receiving adequate water.
If you purchased Micro-Clover in flats, the plants can be cut into 2"-3" squares and planted in like-manner to the plugs described above.
Plants will need to be watered daily to make sure the area surrounding the Micro-Clover stays moist. An application of 15-15-15 or 16-20-0 can be added to the soil mix to increase root growth. Also, an application of pre-emergent weed killer can be added after everything is completed to reduce the chance of weed invasion.
We will help you and/or your landscaper through every step of the planting or conversion process! We are committed to your success!
Micro-Clover should be watered on a regular basis to stay moist but not overwatered. Underwatering or overwatering are the most common causes of any Micro-Clover stress. Underwatering will cause the plants to wilt and brown off, while overwatering can cause the plants to suffer from root rot. Because no location has the same sun-exposure, irrigation layout, shade, etc., it is very difficult to give exact irrigation time instructions. Your goal is to keep the plants damp, but not soggy. Micro-Clover is relatively pest and disease free. If you notice damage from grubs or flea beetles, the Micro-Clover can be sprayed with a product called Mallet, or its comparable chemicals. Follow directions on the label. Micro-Clover can be mowed with a regular rotary mower for a more groomed appearance.
Micro-Clover produces its own nitrogen, which means, in addition to being immune to pet urine, it typically requires less fertilizer and maintenance to thrive. Do NOT use any broadleaf weed killers on this product.
Microclover is generally resistant to disease, but it can be susceptible to southern blight in hot, moist climates with high humidity and warm night temperatures. Consequently, during the Vegas monsoon season (late June to mid September) you'll want to mow it more regularly to allow wind to reduce the humidity of the area. You should also monitor watering more closely to ensure it has enough water to stay healthy but isn't wet enough to invite southern blight. If you do manage to get blight in your Microclover (or if you just want to ensure prevention), you can treat your lawn with fungicides that target blight. Follow the instructions on the packaging for application times, quantities, methods, etc.
If you have further questions, you can call our office at (702) 645-4070 for addition assistance.
Orders can be placed by calling (702) 645-4070 Phone orders are taken at our office in Las Vegas Monday thru Friday from 8:00AM till 5:00PM PST
Shipments for next day delivery must be received by 11:00 a.m.
Payments can be made directly to our sales office in Las Vegas or over the phone using VISA, MasterCard, American Express or DISCOVERY. All orders must be paid in advance of shipment
Valley Sod Office
3725 W. Teco Avenue, Suite 9
Las Vegas, Nevada 89118
