White Microclover Seed

Microclover (Trifolium repens) is a leguminous species which is great to use in lawn mixtures as a natural fertilizer. Legumes can fix nitrogen from the air. This N-fixation takes place in root nodules that are formed by the symbiotic Rhizobium bacteria. The continuous process of parts of the roots dying and degenerating means that the accumulated nitrogen is made available to the surrounding grass plants. Microclover® also produces stolons so that it can spread itself evenly over the pitch. Adding 5% of Microclover® to the turf seed mixture will result in a much-improved pitch.

Use Microclover For:

• Lawn alternative
• As a lawn additive into existing grass
• Erosion control
• Cover crop
• Ground cover

Growing conditions:
Microclover® is adapted to a wide range of climatic and soil conditions. Microclover® tolerates wet and shade conditions, as well as drought. However it can only tolerate wet conditions as long as the area is not flooded for long periods. The type of shade normally occurring in parks and on golf courses is not a problem for Microclover®. Its stolons allow it to regenerate itself after severe stress. spring and early summer. The nitrogen will favor the growth of the grasses.

Fertilizer application is most important in the year of installation. As the Microclover® doesn’t fix P, K or Mg from the atmosphere, these elements have to be applied as usual.

Wear tolerant:
The appearance of turf containing Microclover® will be superior to traditional turf. The clover permanently fertilizes the sward, thus increasing its’ wear tolerance. In addition it weaves its stolons with the grass, spreading evenly and integrating its leaves homogeneously into the sward. Microclover® will improve the performance of even the highest-ranking wear tolerant varieties.

The improved wear tolerance of Microclover® swards is very important, particularly for areas such as the goalmouths of sports fields, where ground cover can be difficult to retain. Users in different countries in Europe confirmed these results, and increased the use of Microclover® in their pitches. The dense stolon microstructure also results in an improved tolerance to cutting, allowing lower mowing heights.

Sustainable:
Mixed with grasses, the Microclover® grows around the grass plants and feeds them nitrogen. The nitrogen continues to be released into the soil during the growing season until the first night frosts occur. The nitrogen is therefore available when and where it is needed, and so there is no risk of leaching, nor is there a risk of fertilizer burning in the field. The use of Microclover® can be equivalent to fertilizer-applications of up to 180 kg N per ha per year. For turf Microclover® is the perfect permanent slow release N-fertilizer.

Additionally Microclover® is an aggressive species, filling in gaps quickly. It competes well with weeds, thus reducing the need for herbicides. Herbicides should even be avoided as they may harm the Microclover®.

As nitrogen is continually available during the growing season there is a reduced presence of disease like red thread, rusts and Fusarium. Microclover® fertilizes the grass and helps to maintain its healthy appearance. Microclover® acts as a constant drip feed.

Cost effective:
Apart from being wear tolerant and sustainable, Microclover® is also very cost effective. The price of a mixture containing Microclover® is easily recovered during the first year after sowing, because of reductions in the cost of fertilizer and it’s application, weed control, mowing and irrigation.

Improved visual merit:
Clover remains greener much longer than grasses do, in both drought and cold conditions. Swards containing Microclover® are a brighter green earlier and later in the year. It has a good summer colour, as it is particularly resistant to drought because of its deep rooting system.

Normal white clover looks considerably different to turf grass. Microclover® has such tiny leaves (one third of the size of ordinary white clover) and short stems, so that from a distance of two meters it looks like ordinary grass. Microclover® does well in shaded areas that receive at least some sunshine during a day. Microclover® is evenly distributed in the sward; it doesn’t have the patchy and weedy appearance as seen with ordinary white clover.

Microclover seed package:
Microclover is now a coated seed. This means it has a clay-based coating material on it which enhances seed germination, seedling survival, and growth. Planting rates are the same as raw seed for most applications. Approximately 35% of the weight will be the coating material so it will be listed as inert matter on the package label. Also listed on the label is approximately 1% fine fescue. This is a requirement we must fulfill in order to sell microclover. In most cases, the fine fescue will not even establish as it is such a small percentage of the blend. If it does establish in a lawn, you will never see it. If you are using the microclover as a stand alone product and the small percentage of grass seed establishes, you can easily kill it with a grass herbicide.

Seeding Rate:
Seed at 1/2 - 1 lb per 1,000 square feet

Inoculant - Our clover seed is NOT preinoculated. For best inoculation, it should take place within 24 hours prior to planting; therefore, it is not advisable to preinocluate seed. For your convenience, we do sell inoculant separately at this link: Inoculant. However, inoculation has NO effect on germination and is rarely needed. Inoculant is normally only used in certain cover crop situations where extra nitrogen fixation is required or in very, very poor soil conditions.