Your One-Stop Guide to Best Weed Killers for Clover Plants

We’ve probably all heard about clovers by now. On first glance, they’re just ordinary plants with one of the prettiest leaves. Nature outdid itself there. They do have some utility as well.

Hence, it’s natural for us to ask, does it fall into the category of weeds?

Well, if you consider modern categorization, then yes. Clovers are generally seen as unwanted plants when they disrupt your lawn and vegetable gardens.

Let me ask you this, “Suppose, you have a well-shaped and beautifully decorated lawn… would you want to see a myriad of clovers growing all around and sucking their share of nutrients uninvitingly?”

The answer is a simple and resounding, “No!”. Before we get into the array of products that I’d deem ideal for dealing with clover weeds, let’s get to know a bit more. Let’s talk about the best weed killer for clover plants while we’re at it.

I’ll be laying down my research process as well. This is just to help you find your poison should you not choose one from my list.

Identifying A Clover

If you look around and do your research (I did it for you) there isn’t only one single type of clover. As a matter of fact, there are actually two. The clover we generally have to deal with is the white clover, otherwise known as, Trifolium repens. Let’s go over “How you’ll find it lying around?”

The first thing you want to look for is the three petal-shaped leaves. These are commonly known as Three-Leave clovers.

Three-Leave clovers grow in the exact same number on each stem. There’s a particular timeframe within which the white flowers grow. You’d commonly see them around early spring and late fall. Not to worry, they “Will” grow back each year.

The root system of clovers is considerably shallow. The stems are seen to creep along the surface of the ground. As for the size of the stems, they usually reach the maximum height of six inches. The flowers are sometimes pale pink in color. Unless we’re talking about red clovers.

Red clovers aren’t the type that grows on lawns. They are pretty common nevertheless. These clovers have dark pink flowers and their stems grow to the maximum height of 14-inches. Now that we’ve dealt with the basics, let’s move on to other matters.

Clovers Grow in Lawns for a Reason

There are a few conditions for clover to grow. These guys are survivors. Even if your entire lawn turns yellow, there’s a high possibility that the clovers will remain as green as ever (Even if the flowers don’t bloom). The growing conditions are much more favorable for clovers than grass. Let me explain.

Clovers strive in the most unfavorable circumstances where grass would generally perish. You see, there’s an interesting part of this. If the soil pH level is messed up, its highly probable that clovers will grow successfully. Clovers also have the tendency to grow in soil that lacks the necessary nutrients.

I know it sounds a bit weird as we all know how normal plants have a lot of requirements when it comes to their natural growth and well-being. In most cases, something like nitrogen deficiency simply won’t do. But when it comes to clovers, it isn’t an issue at all.

This particularly portrays that, if you have clovers growing in your lawn in huge numbers, your lawn sir… has nitrogen deficiency. If you’re not cool with it, then it’s time to get some fertilizers to fix things.

Yet another reason for clover growing in your lawn can be simply lack of care. Lack of nourishment and maintenance make the grass more stressed and less healthy. If the roots of the plants that you have don’t grow deep, it leaves room for clover to grow.

The final reason I can think of is compacted soil. If the soil is compact, the roots can’t really go deep since they get obstructed. But that’s not an issue for clovers. You might’ve guessed by now that these guys are hardcore survivors. They’ll thrive where most other vegetation simply can’t.

What Benefits Do They Bring?

Even though in this writeup we’re basically discussing clovers as weeds, they do have an array of benefits. Hey… the clover can be greener on the other side, right?

Leaving my awkward jokes aside, let’s talk about the benefits clovers have to offer (Apparently, they do have some).

As I’ve said before, these are pretty easy to grow and don’t need much attention. If you’re a clover person then you can actually afford to be lazy. These guys can grow in shady areas and under sunlight too. Plus, they don’t require much watering.

Clovers actually play a vital role in fixing the nitrogen levels in your lawn’s soil. Clover roots contain nitrogen fixing bacteria. By absorbing nitrogen from the air, they fix the soil by enriching it. It pretty much works like natural fertilizers.

If you prefer clovers over fertilizers, then these obviously smell better than whatever you’ll manage to get. The chemical odor that fertilizers have isn’t actually what I’d prefer in my lawn either.

It’s a win-win situation for the homeowners that like the distinct look that clovers have to offer. If the weather isn’t very suitable for grass growth, clovers can very well take their place and offer a fresh look to your lawn. The plant is the very first one that goes green in adversely high temperatures.

As we all know, harmful bugs can really be frustrating. These little critters do a lot of harm to the backyard vegetation. Clovers attract bees and wasps that feed on these small insects. Pollen grains of fruits, flowers, and vegetables get carried by these insects who feed on the clover nectar.

Facing the facts, clovers aren’t as harmful as regular weeds. They even help out in improving the conditions of the lawn soil. Plus, it makes it more pest-resistant. You might even become a fan of the aesthetics. I mean, a land area filled with dotted clover flowers might not look too shabby to many.

The Setbacks That These Plants Cause

Just because Clovers are tough little lifeforms doesn’t mean they’re always welcome. They certainly do have their drawbacks as well. The primary problem they cause is incorporated with the aesthetic beauty we have in our lawns. It literally messes everything up.

Bringing up the lawn in proper shape according to your design takes tons of work. Not to mention, lots of money! I don’t know about you, but I’d hate to see a huge army of clovers ruining my investment with their contrastive color and form.

Having clovers on the lawn can be a messy business as well. You’ll know what I mean if you’ve ever got clover stains on your newly bought summer T-Shirt.  These stains are far more stubborn than your usual lawn grass stains. Yeah, I know. These guys are pretty darn troublesome.

Clovers grow easy, but they die even easier. They aren’t very durable, to be honest. If they are grown in high traffic areas, they tend to die out. That’ll definitely make your lawn or backyard look patchy. I doubt you’d want that.

Top Clover Weed Killers You’ll Find on the Market

Are you thinking of killing these plants off? Good! I and you are on the same page then!

Let me tell you about some of the most efficient products that’ll take care of the “Clover” nuisance for you. Below, you’ll find reviews of some of the products with benefits that I found on the internet.

It took me a lot of hours of trial and error before I could get started on the right foot. But the research was worth every minute.

Green Gobbler Vinegar Weed & Grass Killer

If you’ve been in the weed-killing business for quite some time now (not that you should be proud of this), then you’ve probably heard of Green Gobbler.

These guys have been producing satisfactory solutions for various types of weeds for years now. Even when it comes to dealing with clovers, they do have an ace up their sleeves.

Allow me to introduce the Green Gobbler Vinegar Weed and Grass Killer. This product offers the promise of time efficiency. This means they ensure that the job gets done in far less time than your average weed killer. Eliminating particularly any type of weed in a matter of hours becomes a possibility.

Hey, I’ve gone onto details about how this particular product goes on the crusade of killing your weeds. Read my Green Gobbler Weed Killer Review to know more. Okay, I’m done with my 20-second plug, let’s get back to the “Shortened” review, shall we?

After you’re done killing the weed with the green gobbler, it’ll take about 24 hours for them to get fully desiccated. If time isn’t of the essence, then you might consider this option.

The question is, what makes this weed-killing formula so effective? The mixture contains 20% acetic acid. This blend is specially made for dealing with crabgrass, dandelions, clover weed, white clover, moss, etc. This means you can kiss your clover problems goodbye (For Good) with the help of this one.

Get Green Gobbler Vinegar at Amazon

The ingredients apart, this weed killing solution is rather easy to use. It can be applied straight out of the container. Plus, it’s safe to use for residential, commercial, industrial, and agricultural purposes. Just apply it anywhere you don’t want clovers to grow.

By anywhere, I mean to say driveways, sidewalks, concrete, mulch beds, pavers, flower beds, parking lots, farmlands, barns, etc. This proves that it has a wide variety of applications. The landscape definitely won’t be a problem in this aspect.

Remember when I said it’s safe to use? What I meant to highlight is the fact that there are no potentially harmful chemicals used in this weed killer’s formula. Zero cancer-causing chemicals and completely glyphosate free.

The 20% formula used in this one is potentially four times more effective than the conventional table vinegar. This is ensured by the ingredient that’s made from ethanol distilled from corn grain. It has been approved for organic use by OMRI. So, there’s no further need to worry about health issues.

Before wrapping this up, I should say that the package includes a trigger sprayer with the package. Just spray it on the annoying inhabitants and watch them wilt away. This product is available in the one-gallon size variant.

Final tip! Try not to use it on healthy plants that you want to keep in your garden or lawn. The results might be very “Toxic.” As the commercials say, “Handle with Care.” I’m pretty sure they mean it.

Spectracide HG-95703 Lawn Weed Killer

While compiling a list of best weed killers for clover, I came across the Spectracide HG-95703 Lawn Weed Killer. It would be simply a shame to leave this one out. Considering the efficiency, this one proves itself to be a worthy contender when paired with the best of them.

Many would suggest that this weed killer is primarily focused on crabgrass only. But let me clear the misconception. This mixture is very much capable, oh handling quite a variety of unwanted growth. The list does include clovers too. If you’re also plagued with dandelion and chickweed, then look no further.

Still, if you’re concerned about more varieties of weeds, then just look into the list that’s in the label. You’ll find that this one is capable of making short work of it’s more than 250 types of weeds (Including foxtail and yellow nutsedge).

The specialty of the Spectracide HG-95703 is that it targets the roots first. Visible results in 5-8 hours guaranteed. Now that’s what I call some fast extermination.

We all prefer our lawns and backyards to stay as clean and tidy as possible. For that to be ensured, the weed killers that we apply should last. Just hold your horses for three hours after application. Don’t water your plants until then. Unless there’s some unexpected rainfall, it shouldn’t wash away.

Get Spectracide HG-95703 weed killer at Amazon

If Area of Effect or AOE (it’s a “Gaming” term) is a concern for you, then you’ll be glad to know that it can treat up to 5,000 square ft. All you have to do is, use if the temperature is between 45 to 90 degrees. Crossing it won’t be a good idea as it’ll decrease the efficiency a lot.

Here’s some FYI. Spectracide HG-95703 is a selective post-emergent herbicide. The manufacturers suggest that you wait four weeks after applying the product to over-seed the area. This implies that the product affects weed seeds that come in contact.

You know what they say, “If you’re gonna do it, do it right!”

This product specializing in terminating all weeds that it comes in contact with. Make sure you attach a garden hose to the sprayer nozzle. It’s always better to be safe than sorry. Like all well-concocted weed killers, this one too should be used with care.

Ortho Weed B Gon Weed Killer

Moving on to the next one on our hitlist, let’s talk about the Ortho Weed B Gon Weed Killer. As the name suggests, you’ll be able to say goodbye to those pesky clover weeds. Provided you use the proper directions. It won’t do any damage to the regular vegetation as long as you don’t mess up.

Just like the previous one, this one here is well equipped to deal with a long list of weeds apart from clover as well. Take a wild guess as to how many it kills. 50? 75? 100? 150? No sir!

250 plus to be exact! Just check out the label for the detailed list. I bet you’d be amazed. The best part about this formula is that it works super-fast.

Keeping aside the time of results, I was especially impressed to see that the rainproofing period is very low. The formula becomes rainproof within only an hour. I doubt it can get any better than this. But wait, it does. The secret to its efficiency is that it kills the weeds to the root.

You’ve probably come across several weed killers that only work as a temporary solution. The Ortho Weed B Gon is a different beast entirely. It gobbles down weed and digests them entirely with zero chances of them actually respawning.

Get Ortho Weed B Gon at Amazon

This product is available with the one-gallon variant. I’d consider this to be a great value option. That’s because it covers both large and small areas of land. 32 oz. covers up to 16,000 sq. ft. and one gallon of this magic liquid covers up to 64,000 sq. ft. It’s better to use it with a Tank Sprayer or Ortho Dial N Spray.

Why take risks, right?

Let’s discuss a bit about the utility of this weed killer. You might want to use a comfort wand. What it’ll do is, provide a much more controlled spray than other methods. Spray only on the weeds that you don’t want to keep. The best bit is perhaps the fact that it’ll be reusable with the refill.

The product is really easy to use. There’s no need for additional mixtures at all. I’d suggest you to just use it as it comes from the container. It’s hassle-free. Not to mention time-efficient too!

Bonide (BND0613)

As far as weed killers go, there are plenty of them out there that aren’t actually what I’d call “Safe.” Some of them damage the vegetation that encircles the pesky overgrowth. Now, that’s the problem. Let’s discuss the solution that Bonide brings to the table.

The BND0613 is a solution that you’ll learn to appreciate. A powerful formula, there’s some variety in the application, and it’s ready to use straight out of the container.

I have to say, the guys at Bonide have a stronghold on the features that matter. Yeah, it’s pretty simplistic. But it isn’t ineffective in any way.

We all care about our lawns and the equation is pretty simple. I want the grass to stay, and the clover to leave. This weed killing formula does just that and excels in it. It’s safe for the grass. Also, apart from clovers, it can deal with 100+ types of weeds.

Well, you might be thinking that it might be a bit of a downgrade from the types of products I’ve discussed beforehand. Why would anyone settle for lesser weed variety? Let me tell you this, where Bonide falls short in numbers, it makes up for it through quality.

It not only exterminates the weed, but it goes to the very root of the problem to prevent future regrowth. Just make sure you use it the way it’s directed and you’ll be able to kiss your clover problems goodbye.

Even the most common “Problem Plants” like the eliminates chickweed, clover, dandelion, ground ivy, oxalis, wild violet, and broadleaf can be dealt with easily. There’s a secret to this. The formula contains Horsepower (Triclopyr + MCPA + Dicamba).

This is a selective herbicide trusted by landscapers and ground keepers all around the globe. Which means, you can rest at ease and exterminate all those weeding thoughts concerning reliability.

I should also mention that this solution works overnight. Also, it becomes rainproof within mere hours of application. My suggestion would be not to mow your lawn for 1-2 days before or after use. That is if you want the formula to have the best effect.

This weed killer is available in the 1-gallon size variant. The utility of the hand pump spray can go a long way. Just spray it directly on to the clover or any other weed and you should see fast results. The amount of mixture should be enough to cover a pretty large area too. No worries there.

Ortho Weed B Gon Chickweed, Clover & Oxalis Killer

This product from Ortho Weed B Gon may sound pretty familiar. That’s because it’s identical to the previous product from the brand that we discussed. The difference lies in the application method. I mean… hey, there can always be room for improvement even if it’s the best weed killer ever.

Speaking of the “Best”, there’s an obvious reason behind this formula making its way in my list of best weed killers for clovers in particular. The first would be, efficiency which is followed by ease of use. I won’t leave you high and dry on this. Let’s discuss this in detail.

If you think of the peskiest kinds of weeds then you’ll think of Creeping Charlie (Ground Ivy), Chickweed, Clover, Oxalis, and Wild Violent among many others.

Have no fear! This awesome assassin from Ortho Weed B Gon can handle them all. Yup, there’s no need for people to go on a shopping spree for a weed killer for Charlie either.

Just like all the good ones, this deadly product strikes the core to make sure your weeds don’t make a second appearance. The guys at Ortho believe in the one-shot kill theory. That bit can clearly be seen in the super-powerful formula that they concocted in this product.

Even though I implied that this weed killer is deadly for the weeds, contrarily it’s perfectly safe for the lawn. All you have to do is apply the solution according to the instructions provided.

To make sure all your hard work doesn’t get washed up, the concentrate is capable of being rainproof in the timespan of 6 hours or so. Take note, spray when the temperature is below 90 degrees. Another concern should be, the drift to other desirable plants. You’re using a weed killer not a nuclear weapon.

The best part is, you get a variety of options to choose from. The container comes in 16 oz. However, it’s available in three packages: Concentrate, Concentrate + Spray, and Ready to Spray. I really liked the liberty they offered in terms of usage. A single method might not be everyone’s cookie.

My advice would be to be cautious of the amount that you get with the container. You might not be able to cover an area that’s too large. Yes, you’ll be able to work in a small garden or a homely backyard. Just don’t get ambitious and try it in a ridiculously large landscape. You’ll run out of the solution.

What to Keep in Mind When Choosing Clover Weed Killers?

Even though I’ve tried my best and referred you to some of the most potent weed killers in the business right now, some people won’t go with my line of thought. For curious minds out there, I’ll be laying out the process that benefited me in my research. Follow my footsteps and you’ll be able to find your partner in this weed killing-spree (THIS IS A JOKE) quite easily.

Kill Them Nicely

Yes, by “Nicely” I mean properly. It would be too far fetched to say, weed killing is an art. But there are certain tips and tricks that’ll definitely make the process smoother.

Not all clover weed killers have the “Ready to Use” tag on them. Concentrates need to be mixed with other substances. You need to keep the number of substances right. Be it soap, water, or other chemicals.

Suppose you got the first product that we discussed. The Green Gobbler works best with a surfactant. Make sure to add the right amount.  Something like orange oil should get the job done perfectly.

There are weed killers that you should only apply to the unwanted weeds (In this case, clovers). Contact with the plants that you want to keep might prove to be damaging if not fatal.

Most of these solutions are applied in the daytime. However, you should check the temps. There’s no point in applying the weed killers when the weather is too hot.

As I said while discussing the temperature threshold bit, each of them has a particular temperature limit to which it will have an effect.

Speaking of the weather, keep an eye on the sky. It’s not really practical to apply weed killers when it can rain at any time. It takes at least an hour even for the fastest of them to get waterproof after being applied.

Let’s Put A Pen in this Discussion for Now!

I must thank you if you’ve read through my guide on best weed killer for clover plants till now. Dudes/Dudettes, I must commend the patience you’ve shown. I’ve tried my best to explain the benefits (and downsides) of some of the top-tier products.

Every one of the brands brings something unique to the table. However, if you want me to point my fingers at one, I’d say “Green Gobbler Weed Killer” is my pick. I used it for quite some time. This thing is organic and easy to apply as well.

Although, I must say… the weed killer takes 24 hours to take effect. Also, it exudes a pungent odor. These are “Definite” downsides if you have a time constraint AND have pets at home. The results are a different thing entirely though.

Fear not! Even if you don’t find any of these products to your liking, the buying guide will surely point you in the direction of new ones. Here’s a toast to a “Happy and Content” lawn for you guys!