Planting a clover lawn in Fort Collins - Ask Extension
Would clover do well in my Fort Collins very shady backyard? If so, which type and is it too late in the season to plant clover? My yard is currently ...
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Planting a clover lawn in Fort Collins #873202
Asked June 15, 2024, 9:22 AM EDT
Would clover do well in my Fort Collins very shady backyard? If so, which type and is it too late in the season to plant clover? My yard is currently a mixture of dirt grass and weeds. I have a big tree in the middle of the lawn that creates a lot of shade.
Larimer County Colorado
Expert Response
Hi Michelle,
Clover prefers full sun and will do best when it gets at least 8 hours of sun per day. We also speculate that clover may need regular amounts of irrigation too - and getting it to grow in the space below the tree (which has a lot of roots and will be more competitive), will be difficult.
If you want to have something green, you could consider planting the fine fescues (Chewings, creeping red, hard), which are the most shade tolerant, but still need 4-6 hours a day. Seed at a rate of 4-6 pounds/1000 square feet. Or you could also just mulch the area with wood chips - any organic wood mulch will work, including the free stuff available from the city.
If you do want to seed clover, you'll want to poke holes in the soil and put about 2-3 pounds of clover/1000 square feet. It will need contact with the soil to germinate. Then water regularly to keep the seed coat moist.
Clover prefers full sun and will do best when it gets at least 8 hours of sun per day. We also speculate that clover may need regular amounts of irrigation too - and getting it to grow in the space below the tree (which has a lot of roots and will be more competitive), will be difficult.
If you want to have something green, you could consider planting the fine fescues (Chewings, creeping red, hard), which are the most shade tolerant, but still need 4-6 hours a day. Seed at a rate of 4-6 pounds/1000 square feet. Or you could also just mulch the area with wood chips - any organic wood mulch will work, including the free stuff available from the city.
If you do want to seed clover, you'll want to poke holes in the soil and put about 2-3 pounds of clover/1000 square feet. It will need contact with the soil to germinate. Then water regularly to keep the seed coat moist.
