Clover care (Trifolium)
Clover (genus Trifolium) is a genus of about 300 annual and perennial species in the pea family (Fabaceae). Clovers occur in most temperate and subtropical regions of the world, except Southeast Asia and Australia; cultivated species have become naturalized in delicate areas worldwide, according to Britannica.
The clover is considered by many to be a weed that invades the garden. But if we reflect a little on it, it is not an ugly plant that will make us remove it, as it can have many benefits for our garden.
The clover is part of the family of herbaceous perennials, which stands out as the first form it has, hence its name. Its color is matt green most of the time, but varying the color of its flowers.
It is known to have small heights of 4 to 6 inches. It is native to Europe; over time, it has spread widely over several states, forming large portions of lawns.
The clover is also cultivated mainly to feed the animals, being an excellent feed for them.
Clover is quickly grown from seed, and once it is caught, get rid of it, having a fast growth and development. And if it is planted in slightly moist soil, sun and shade, you will enjoy abundant flowering that attracts all bees in your garden.
Clover flowers varieties
In addition to the beauty of the small petals, it also produces flowers that can have different colors white, pink, and red.
White Clover (Trifolium repens)
White-flowered or Dutch clover is often grown for its abundance of white flowers, which are a great attraction for bees, with a large amount of pollen and nectar.
The clover’s flowers are spherical and make up many white bouquets of mini petals. They may look like spikes, slightly dangerous, but if we approach and analyze them better, the structure is quite delicate and harmless.
Red clover (Trifolium pratense)
The pratense clover is different from other species in its inflorescence in shape. The clover flower has an aspherical head, which is composed of many pink to purple flowers. It tolerates frost and can grow in soil not very rich in minerals.
It is widespread in North America, the clover flowers and the leaves being edible. You can also use clover flowers in aromatherapy due to the strong scent.
Crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum)
Crimson clover is the most beautiful variety of clover due to its inflorescence. The bright red color of the tall flowers cannot go unnoticed. Crimson clover blooms in spring, and its flowers last until autumn. We can also use clover flowers in culinary preparations.
Advantages of the clover lawn
- The most significant advantage of having a clover lawn is that it is resistant to pet urine, as green as before. It will not be a problem for animal lovers to destroy the lawn.
2. Given the climate change in the last period, rainfall is becoming increasingly rare in some regions of the world; the clover is the solution to have a lawn resistant to these changes. It is resistant to drought, surviving in small quantities of water.
3. One of the advantages of a clover lawn, which I love very much, is that it always stays green, even with little or no watering. It remains green from spring until the frost period comes, quite a long time.
4. Unlike the lawn, the clover does not have to be cut, and it does not grow very tall. We can intervene with a cut to prevent it from blooming or have an orderly appearance.
5. We will not waste money buying clover fertilizer because it does not need it.
He makes his fertilizer and, in addition, jute and other plants near him for fertilization.
6. Another significant advantage is the minimum expenses we can have with the clover lawn. Clover seeds are relatively cheap. We will not use a lot of water to water it; being resistant to drought and does not require any fertilizer.
7. Unlike the classic lawn, the clover blooms and otherwise attract insects that will help pollinate your garden.
8. Clover grows in almost all soil types, even in the most nutrient-poor ones, and it can grow in shady places in the garden.
9. Clover can also act as a natural herbicide for other weeds that may appear in our garden—having some pretty strong roots that make them grab unwanted plants.
10. The clover lawn is resistant to human trafficking, especially if we have children who love to play outdoors. Nothing compares when you take off your shoes and walk on your soft and slightly cold clover lawn for a moment of relaxation after a working day.
Four Leaf Clover Meaning
The four-leaf clover is a rarity, and because of this fact, it is considered that the one who finds such a clover is a lucky man.
There are many myths about the four-leaf clover. Still, I think that the one who is closer to something true would be the one who considers that each leaf of the clover represents something: one would be represented by hope, another by faith, another by love, and the last by good luck to the one who finds this clover.
If we want to believe that a four-leaf clover brings us luck, this cannot mean anything wrong, but to imagine that, at least with the thought, we could achieve something we wanted if we were a little lucky. But let’s not forget that all this luck comes only from God.
