Detailed Guide to Propagating White Clover by Seed
White clover has strong adaptability, with wild populations found in Yunnan, Guizhou and other parts of China, and large-scale cultivation in the provinces south of the Yangtze River. White clover is widely distributed in temperate and subtropical high-altitude regions. It is not only used for ornamental purposes, but is also one of the world's main forage grasses.
White clover has strong adaptability, with wild populations found in Yunnan, Guizhou and other parts of China, and large-scale cultivation in the provinces south of the Yangtze River. White clover is widely distributed in temperate and subtropical high-altitude regions. It is not only used for ornamental purposes, but is also one of the world's main forage grasses.
White Clover
For seed-production fields of white clover, Grade I seed as specified in the national or provincial forage seed quality standards should be sown; for sown pastures, Grade I, II or III seed may all be used. White clover seed has a high percentage of hard seed, so before sowing the seed coat must be scarified mechanically, or corroded by soaking in concentrated sulfuric acid, and other such methods, and the seed treated before sowing. The sulfuric acid soaking method is: soak for 20-30 minutes, remove, rinse clean with water, dry and sow. Seed-production fields are sown at 0.2-0.25 kg per mu. Sown pastures are sown at 0.4-0.5 kg per mu; the sowing rate should be smaller in humid areas and larger in dry areas. Sowing depth is 1-2 cm. Sowing too deep makes emergence difficult, so it should be controlled appropriately according to soil texture and moisture conditions. Sowing period: spring, summer and autumn are all suitable, but in colder high-altitude areas spring and summer sowing are preferable; if autumn sowing is carried out, it should be done early so that the seedlings have more than one month of growth time, which helps them overwinter. Sowing methods are varied: sole cropping or mixed sowing, drilling or broadcasting. Seed-production fields must be sole-cropped and drilled, with row spacing of 40-50 cm; sown pastures may be sole-cropped or mixed, drilled or broadcast, with drilling row spacing of 20-30 cm; for mixed sowing there are many suitable grasses and legumes, the best-matched being cocksfoot, meadow fescue, tall fescue and perennial ryegrass, followed by tall oatgrass, timothy, red clover and others. In mixtures with grasses, white clover accounts for 40-50%; in mixtures with red clover, white clover accounts for 50-60%. It is not suitable for mixing with subterranean clover, alfalfa and other forages containing estrogen (coumestrol), to prevent reproductive disorders in cattle and sheep from long-term grazing.
After sowing and before emergence, if the soil becomes crusted, it should be harrowed promptly to break the crust layer and favor emergence. Seedling growth is slow, so to prevent weed damage, cultivate and loosen the soil to weed 1-2 times; if pests are found, control them promptly. For grassland older than two years, the soil layer is compact and poorly aerated, so before green-up in spring and autumn and before regrowth after grazing or mowing, the land should be harrowed and loosened, and fertilizer applied together with the loosening, at 20-25 kg superphosphate per mu, or 5-8 kg diammonium phosphate, to favor the growth and development of new shoots and roots. White clover has a relatively high demand for soil moisture; where irrigation is available, irrigate when the soil is dry or together with topdressing. In mixed grassland, when the forages grow at different rates in early and late stages, leading to uncoordinated competition for light, water and nutrients, or when excessive nitrogen application suppresses white clover growth, growth should be adjusted by favoring phosphorus and potassium fertilizer and by mowing or grazing, controlling grass growth so that white clover is not suppressed or lost from the mixed grassland.
White Clover Trifolium repens White Clover Gallery: How to Grow White Clover / How to Propagate White Clover
White Clover ProfileWhite Clover Trifolium repens
How to Grow White Clover and Points to Note: An Introduction to White Clover
White clover (also known as white trefoil, white flower three-leaf clover, white clover, white three-leaf, axle clover, Dutch clover), a perennial herb; stems creeping, hairless, 30-60 cm long. Palmately compound leaves with 3 leaflets; leaflets obovate or obcordate, 1.2-2.5 cm long, 1-2 cm wide, cultivated leaves up to 5 cm long and 3.8 cm wide, apex rounded or slightly notched, base broadly cuneate, margins finely toothed, upper surface hairless, lower surface slightly hairy; stipules elliptical, apex pointed, clasping the stem. Inflorescence head-like, with a long peduncle, rising above the leaves; calyx tubular, calyx teeth triangular, shorter than the calyx tube; corolla white or pale pink, standard petal elliptical. Pod obovate-elliptical, with 3-4 seeds; seeds tiny, nearly round, yellowish brown. Flowering in May, fruiting in August-September.
First cultivated in the Netherlands in the late 16th century, it is widely distributed in temperate and subtropical high-altitude regions. Wild populations are found in Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, Hunan, Hubei, ** and other parts of China, and it is cultivated on a large scale in the provinces south of the Yangtze River. White trefoil is a perennial herb that roots where it touches the ground. Stems slender and soft, creeping on the ground, plants 30-60 cm tall. Petioles long; leaflets obovate or nearly obcordate, leaf margins finely serrate. Head-like inflorescence, bearing 10-80 flowers, white, cream-yellow or pale pink. Pod oblong, with 3-4 seeds per pod. Seeds nearly broadly ovate, yellow, thousand-seed weight 0.5-0.7 g. [2] It prefers a warm, humid climate, has wide adaptability and strong acid tolerance, and can still grow in soil at pH 4.5; aside from saline-alkaline soil, it can grow in any well-drained soil. It has good regrowth and tolerates trampling, and is a grazing-type forage. Before flowering, fresh grass contains 5.1% crude protein, 0.6% crude fat, 2.8% crude fiber, 9.2% nitrogen-free extract and 2.1% ash. Although its yield is lower than that of red clover, its palatability is good and its nutritional value is also relatively high.
White flower three-leaf clover is a herbaceous and perennial plant. They are low-growing, with white flowers, often some pink or cream-white. The corolla is generally 1.5-2 cm wide, with a pedicel up to 7 cm long at the end. The leaves are trifoliolate, smooth, elliptical to egg-shaped, and long-stalked. The stems function as stolons, growing creeping, so white flower three-leaf clover often forms a mat; the stems grow 18 cm per year and produce roots at the nodes.
White flower three-leaf clover branches much at the base, with solid, smooth, slender and soft creeping stems 30-50 cm long, rooting at the nodes where they touch the ground. Palmately trifoliolate compound leaves; petioles slender, emerging from the rhizome or the nodes of the creeping stems. Leaflets obovate, with an inverted "V"-shaped pale marking in the middle; the inverted "V"-shaped pale markings of the three leaflets connect, almost forming an equilateral triangle.
A ground-cover plant of the legume family; as a ground cover it not only covers the ground surface but also has the ability to fix nitrogen and raise the soil nitrogen level. White trefoil clover, with creeping stems, likes a cool, humid climate, reproduces quickly, is strongly invasive, and forms a turf quickly; it tolerates trampling, grows well in ordinary soil, and also tolerates a certain degree of salinity and alkalinity and extensive management, and is therefore called a ground-cover plant that kills two birds with one stone. It has very good prospects for promotion.
Morphological Characteristics of White Clover
Perennial herb; stems creeping, hairless. Leaves with 3 leaflets; leaflets obovate to nearly obcordate, 1.2-2 cm long, apex rounded or notched, base cuneate, margins finely serrate, upper surface hairless, lower surface slightly hairy; almost no petiolule; stipules elliptical, clasping the stem. Inflorescence head-like, with a long peduncle; calyx tubular, calyx teeth triangular, shorter than the calyx tube, all slightly hairy; corolla white or pale pink. Pod obovate-rectangular, about 3 mm long, enclosed in a membranous, swollen calyx about 1 cm long, containing 2-4 seeds; seeds brown, nearly round.
Stems creeping, hairless. Compound leaves with 3 leaflets; leaflets obovate or obcordate, 1.2-2.5 cm long, 1-2 cm wide, cultivated leaves up to 5 cm long and 3.8 cm wide, apex rounded or slightly notched, base broadly cuneate, margins finely toothed, upper surface hairless, lower surface slightly hairy; stipules elliptical, apex pointed, clasping the stem. Inflorescence head-like, with a long peduncle, rising above the leaves; calyx tubular, calyx teeth triangular, shorter than the calyx tube; corolla white or pale pink. Pod obovate-elliptical, with 3-4 seeds; seeds tiny, nearly round, yellowish brown.
Ecological Habits of White Clover
It likes a warm, sunny environment and well-drained silty loam or clay loam. It has wide adaptability, with an altitude adaptation range of 500-3600, where it can grow normally. It can grow in soil at pH 5.5-7. It is cold-resistant, heat-resistant, frost-resistant, drought-resistant and trampling-resistant. It does not tolerate shade and does not adapt to saline-alkaline soil. It is a creeping-growth-type perennial forage that likes a cool, humid climate, with an optimum growth temperature of 16°C-25°C; it is more widely adaptable than other clovers, and its heat and cold tolerance is stronger than that of red clover and crimson clover, adapting to the high summer temperatures of the subtropics, and in the Northeast and ** it can overwinter safely when covered with snow. It is relatively shade-tolerant and grows well under partial shade. It has low soil requirements, tolerates poor and acid soils, and is best suited to well-drained clayey soil rich in calcium and humus, but does not tolerate saline-alkaline conditions.
Cultivation Techniques for White Clover
White trefoil is a perennial lawn plant of the legume family, with a low plant height and a well-developed root system, generally living more than 10 years. The main stem is short, producing creeping stems from the nodes; the nodes produce adventitious roots downward and leaves upward, with strong invasiveness and rapid turf formation. The roots have strong tillering and regenerative capacity and retain the characteristic of symbiosis with legume rhizobia. The three leaflets are borne at the tip of a long stalk, hence the name "three-leaf clover." Racemose inflorescence, continuously producing inflorescences in summer and autumn. After the seeds mature, it has self-seeding ability. White trefoil likes light and a warm, humid climate, with an optimum growth temperature of 20-25°C; it tolerates half shade and has strong adaptability. It is widely cultivated in the Yangtze River basin of China, and can remain evergreen without withering in winter. It has low soil requirements; as long as drainage is good, it can grow in all kinds of soil, and especially likes clayey soil rich in calcium and humus.
Land preparation. White trefoil seeds are tiny and the seedlings have poor soil-penetrating ability, so before sowing the land must be leveled and raked fine to favor emergence. In areas with heavy soil and high rainfall, furrows should be opened and beds made to favor drainage.
Sowing. Autumn sowing in September-October is best, but spring sowing in March-April is also possible. In the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, sowing is generally done around mid-September, at a seeding rate of 10-15 g per sq m, broadcast or drilled, with drilling row spacing of 30 cm. It is better to sow after mixing the seed with an equal amount of fertile soil. After sowing, keep the soil moist; seedlings emerge in 3-5 days, and full stands are achieved after 10 days.
Fertilization. Fertilization is mainly with phosphorus and potassium fertilizer; applying a small amount of nitrogen fertilizer helps strengthen the seedlings. Before sowing, apply 20-25 kg superphosphate per mu plus a certain amount of barnyard manure as base fertilizer. After emergence, if plants are short and leaf color is yellow, apply a small amount of nitrogen fertilizer, 10 kg urea per mu or a corresponding amount of ammonium sulfate, to promote strong seedlings. In March, apply a topdressing of compound fertilizer once, at 30-40 kg per mu, placed in furrows at the lawn roots, then water, which can markedly enhance growth, improve tolerance to high temperatures, and reduce grass death.
Field management. White trefoil grows slowly at the seedling stage and is easily invaded by weeds, so weeds should be frequently removed at the seedling stage, especially for spring-sown stands. When the grass layer is 20-25 cm tall, it may be mowed appropriately to enhance ventilation. Regrowth after mowing is strong, and a second grass layer can quickly form. In the high-temperature season, white trefoil stops growing. In the 2-3 years after the grass layer forms and covers the ground, large weeds should be removed promptly. If missing plants occur due to high summer temperatures and drought, reseeding can be done in autumn to restore a neat lawn. White trefoil has few diseases, though brown patch and powdery mildew sometimes occur; first mow, then control with Bordeaux mixture, lime sulfur mixture or carbendazim and the like. White trefoil has many insect pests, especially severe damage from white grubs and snails. For white grubs, the chosen pesticide is 50% isofenphos-methyl, at 3 kg per mu diluted in 3 tons of water, sprayed respectively in mid-April and from late July to early August; after spraying, water promptly so that the solution soaks 7-10 cm into the ground, and the white grubs die after contact with the treated soil. This method is still not ideal for a small number of older larvae. For snails, spraying insecticides gives very poor control, whereas applying snail-killing granules in the lawn in the evening gives very good results, with a kill rate above 90%.
Winter management. Remove dead branches and dead leaves. During the growth of white trefoil clover, as old and new branches and leaves are continuously renewed and grow, a relatively thick layer of dead branches and leaves gradually forms on the ground surface, which is a place for pathogens and insect eggs to overwinter. Removing dead branches and leaves will have a good inhibitory effect on the occurrence of pests and diseases the following year. Before the cold winter arrives, water once with wintering water (soaking about 15-20 cm), and apply a round of organic fertilizer together with frost protection, which not only provides sufficient nutrients for lawn growth the following year but also has a certain insulating effect.
Overwintering Management
As winter sets in, how should overwintering protection management for white trefoil lawns be done in northern regions? Based on management experience, the author believes it should start from the following three aspects:
Remove dead branches and dead leaves. Some may ask, aren't the dead branches and leaves precisely a "quilt" against the cold in winter? Indeed, dead branches and leaves have a certain insulating effect in winter, but during the growth of white trefoil clover it is generally not pruned, so as old and new branches and leaves are continuously renewed and grow, a relatively thick layer of dead branches and leaves gradually forms on the ground surface. Due to the large outbreaks of pests and diseases in recent years, chemical pesticide control alone has limited effect, and this layer of dead branches and leaves is also a place for pathogens and insect eggs to overwinter. Therefore, removing dead branches and leaves will have a good inhibitory effect on the occurrence of pests and diseases the following year.
A round of organic fertilizer should be applied together with frost protection, not only providing sufficient nutrients for lawn growth the following year but also having a certain insulating effect.
Before the cold winter arrives, water once with wintering water (soaking about 15 to 20 cm).
In this way, through winter fertilizer and freezing water, not only can soil nutrients and moisture conditions be improved, ensuring safe overwintering, but also good conditions are created for the green-up growth of the lawn the following year.
Cultivation Techniques: Soil and Tillage
White trefoil has strong stress resistance and wide adaptability, with low soil requirements; as long as there is sufficient rainfall, a humid climate, good drainage and the soil is not strongly saline-alkaline, it can grow normally in all kinds of soil; it can even be planted under garden trees. White trefoil seeds are tiny, the seedlings are slender with weak emergence ability, and growth at the seedling stage is extremely slow; to ensure a full stand, land preparation must be meticulous. Whether spring-sown or autumn-sown, the land must be prepared in advance: first shallow plowing to kill stubble, removing debris, storing water and conserving moisture; after 10-15 days, deep plowing and harrowing, leveling the ground so that soil clods are fine and broken and the sowing-layer soil is loose, in preparation for sowing.
Fertilization
Apply sufficient base fertilizer together with deep plowing, at 1500-2000 kg organic fertilizer per mu, mixed with 15-20 kg superphosphate, piled and fermented to full decomposition for 20-30 days in a humid environment, then applied; before sowing, shallow-plow the soil again and apply 5-8 kg ammonium nitrate and the like per mu, to promote seedling growth and give full play to production potential.
Sowing
For seed-production fields, Grade I seed as specified in the national or provincial forage seed quality standards should be sown; for sown pastures, Grade I, II or III seed may all be used. White trefoil seed has a high percentage of hard seed, so before sowing the seed coat must be scarified mechanically, or corroded by soaking in concentrated sulfuric acid, and other such methods, and the seed treated before sowing. The sulfuric acid soaking method is: soak for 20-30 minutes, remove, rinse clean with water, dry and sow. Seed-production fields are sown at 0.2-0.25 kg per mu. Sown pastures are sown at 0.4-0.5 kg per mu; the sowing rate should be smaller in humid areas and larger in dry areas. Sowing depth is 1-2 cm. Sowing too deep makes emergence difficult, so it should be controlled appropriately according to soil texture and moisture conditions. Sowing period: spring, summer and autumn are all suitable, but in colder high-altitude areas spring and summer sowing are preferable; if autumn sowing is carried out, it should be done early so that the seedlings have more than one month of growth time, which helps them overwinter. Sowing methods are varied: sole cropping or mixed sowing, drilling or broadcasting. Seed-production fields must be sole-cropped and drilled, with row spacing of 40-50 cm; sown pastures may be sole-cropped or mixed, drilled or broadcast, with drilling row spacing of 20-30 cm; for mixed sowing there are many suitable grasses and legumes, the best-matched being cocksfoot, meadow fescue, tall fescue and perennial ryegrass, followed by tall oatgrass, timothy, red clover and others. In mixtures with grasses, white trefoil accounts for 40-50%; in mixtures with red clover, white trefoil accounts for 50-60%. It is not suitable for mixing with subterranean clover, alfalfa and other forages containing estrogen (coumestrol), to prevent reproductive disorders in cattle and sheep from long-term grazing.
Field Management
After sowing and before emergence, if the soil becomes crusted, it should be harrowed promptly to break the crust layer and favor emergence. Seedling growth is slow, so to prevent weed damage, cultivate and loosen the soil to weed 1-2 times; if pests are found, control them promptly. For grassland older than two years, the soil layer is compact and poorly aerated, so before green-up in spring and autumn and before regrowth after grazing or mowing, the land should be harrowed and loosened, and fertilizer applied together with the loosening, at 20-25 kg superphosphate per mu, or 5-8 kg diammonium phosphate, to favor the growth and development of new shoots and roots. White trefoil has a relatively high demand for soil moisture; where irrigation is available, irrigate when the soil is dry or together with topdressing. In mixed grassland, when the forages grow at different rates in early and late stages, leading to uncoordinated competition for light, water and nutrients, or when excessive nitrogen application suppresses white trefoil growth, growth should be adjusted by favoring phosphorus and potassium fertilizer and by mowing or grazing, controlling grass growth so that white trefoil is not suppressed or lost from the mixed grassland.
Harvest and Utilization
The flowering period of white trefoil lasts as long as 2 months, and seed maturation is very uneven, so seed should be collected in several harvests, or all cut at once when 60-70% of the inflorescences turn dark brown. Threshing the seed is rather difficult; it must be fully sun-dried and then rolled or threshed with special threshing equipment; after cleaning, the seed is stored in a ventilated, dry place, with attention to moisture and rat protection. The utilization life of sown grassland varies in length depending on management, utilization and purpose, generally 3-7 years. For mowing utilization, the suitable growth stage is from early flowering to full flowering, with a stubble height of 2-3 cm to favor regrowth; in mixed grassland, the suitable mowing stage of the other forages should also be considered. For grazing utilization, start from the full branching stage to the bud stage, or when the grass layer reaches 20 cm in height, and end grazing at a height of 5-8 cm; grazing should not be too heavy, to avoid damaging vigor; after each grazing, grazing should be suspended for 2-3 weeks to favor regrowth; when grazing cattle and sheep, do not do so after rain or when there is dew, to avoid bloat. When making hay, stack and store promptly after drying, avoiding rain. For silage, it should be made to lose water rapidly to a semi-dry state, and the pit should be packed down and sealed tightly. When feeding ruminants with green feed, it should be combined with grasses to prevent bloat, with the proportion of grasses at 50-60%. For green manure utilization, this should be done in the high-yield period from early flowering to full flowering of stands two years or older; before plowing under, first mow low and cut into 5-10 cm short pieces, then plow under; plowing under must be done finely and buried thoroughly, to prevent stems and branches from regrowing; in irrigated areas, irrigate after plowing under to ret and decompose, while in dryland areas it is done in the rainy season. When used by towns and cities for establishing lawns and greening and beautifying the environment, it can be mixed and planted with red fescue, bluegrass, redtop, perennial ryegrass, red clover and other plants, with the mixing ratio determined by color tone requirements, generally with white trefoil accounting for 20-50%. For soil and water conservation utilization, fine land preparation is also needed at sowing, sowing opportunistically after rain while moisture remains, and mixing with timothy, perennial ryegrass, red clover and other forages gives better results. When used as a nectar source plant, it should be combined with seed fields and soil-and-water-conservation plantings, so that while increasing seed yield, honey yield is also increased, natural seed shattering of white trefoil is enhanced, grass clump renewal is promoted, and the years of soil and water conservation utilization are extended.
Lawn Advantages
Lawns established with grass-family lawn grass species have become a limiting factor in the lawn industry's development due to frequent mowing and large watering amounts, whereas establishing lawns with white flower three-leaf clover can overcome these shortcomings.
The advantages of establishing lawns with white flower three-leaf clover are:
(1) No mowing needed, low management intensity. The stems of white flower three-leaf clover are creeping stems, and the plants are low, generally 10-20 cm in height. Therefore, the established lawn does not need mowing.
(2) Fewer waterings, relatively extensive management. White flower three-leaf clover has a well-developed root system and can use moisture from deep soil layers, with relatively low demands on soil dryness and wetness. Therefore, watering frequency can be reduced, with extensive management.
(3) Natural renewal, a lawn that endures. White flower three-leaf clover needs no mowing, so the plants can flower and set seed. Seeds fall to the ground and grow on their own, enabling natural renewal and making the lawn endure.
(4) Strong invasiveness, relatively good ornamental value. The creeping stems of white flower three-leaf clover spread in all directions, rooting at the nodes where they touch the ground; when the mother plant dies or the stem is cut, the creeping stems can form new independent clumps. Therefore, it is strongly invasive. Clover is a broadleaf plant, with leaves spreading horizontally, effectively covering the ground and inhibiting weed growth. Therefore, once a white flower three-leaf clover lawn forms a turf, weeds cannot easily invade, making the lawn neat and attractive.
Perennial herb. Wide adaptability, strong heat and cold resistance, able to grow vigorously in acidic soil and also in sandy soil; sun-loving and shade-tolerant; a cultivated plant that sometimes escapes as a weed, invading dry crop fields, with light damage, and harming vegetables and young forests in local areas. Flowering in May.
Other Information
1. Adjustment of soil pH
The optimum pH for white trefoil growth is 6.0-7.0, whereas the soil in the Huabei Oilfield mining area is saline-alkaline, with pH values all around 8.0. Therefore, before planting white trefoil the soil pH must first be adjusted; soil pH is usually adjusted by two methods: applying organic fertilizer plus ferrous sulfate, or applying organic fertilizer plus sulfur powder. Organic fertilizer generally has a strong buffering effect on soil acidity and alkalinity, and can also increase the soil's organic matter content, favoring the formation of soil aggregates and making the soil less prone to crusting; in addition, the fertilizer effect of organic fertilizer is released slowly, so the lawn can stay green for a longer time. Applying a certain amount of ferrous sulfate or sulfur powder together with organic fertilizer can adjust the soil pH to between 6.0 and 7.0 within a relatively short time.
2. Soil disinfection
In order to eliminate pathogens and soil-dwelling pests in the soil, before sowing an appropriate disinfectant should be chosen according to actual conditions to disinfect the soil. A commonly used method is spraying the soil with 1%-3% ferrous sulfate solution, at a dosage of 2 kg-3 kg/100 sq m. After application, do not cover or turn it into the soil; there must be a period of volatilization to avoid phytotoxicity. To control soil pests such as white grubs, mole crickets and cutworms, an insecticide such as carbofuran may be mixed in when applying organic fertilizer, with 0.25 kg carbofuran mixed into each ton of organic fertilizer.
3. Plowing the land, clearing weeds, soil settling
If the planting site does not need soil replacement, the planting site should be plowed in the autumn of the previous year, to a depth of about 30 cm. When plowing, dead branches, rotten grass and other debris should be cleaned up, especially weed roots picked out clean. The main purpose of plowing the land is to clear weeds and turn hidden pests and diseases up to the surface to be killed by frost or sun. If the planting site has new replaced soil, the land should be roughly leveled before winter sets in, then flood-irrigated for soil settling, preferably with 3 consecutive settlings.
4. Applying base fertilizer, plowing, leveling, rolling
In the spring of the second year, before planting white trefoil, base fertilizer should be applied to the planting site; the base fertilizer is generally organic fertilizer, such as fully decomposed human and livestock manure and urine, barnyard manure and the like, at a rate generally of 1 kg/sq m. If conditions permit, it is best to mix a certain amount of compound fertilizer into the base fertilizer, at 10-15 kg per mu. After evenly spreading the organic fertilizer mixed with compound fertilizer over the surface, plow to a depth of 20-25 cm. Then rough-level so that the whole planting site is basically flat, without high and low undulations. After rough leveling, it is best to irrigate once thoroughly; irrigation both lays a foundation for the next fine land preparation (favoring operation and leveling) and increases the soil's water content, providing sufficient moisture for seed germination and favoring germination. Because white trefoil seeds are small, seedling growth is slow, and the root system does not go deep into the soil, after rough leveling and irrigation, when the soil is neither dry nor wet, fine land preparation should also be carried out. During fine land preparation, large clods of soil should be broken up and low-lying spots raked level, ensuring the whole plot is flat and free of clods. After preparing the land, in order to make the very loose surface soil more compact, increasing capillary porosity and reducing water evaporation, the planting site should also be rolled. For rolling, a 200 kg, 500 kg or 1000 kg roller may be chosen according to actual conditions such as soil texture and soil water content, rolling 1-2 times, to make the planting site flatter and fully prepare for sowing white trefoil.
Propagation Methods of White Clover
White clover propagates by seed
Disease and Pest Control of White Clover
The main insect pests of white clover are: leafhoppers, white butterflies, cutworms, tobacco cutworms and others; observe regularly and control promptly once found.
Leafhoppers: mainly larvae and adults rest on the underside of leaves, sucking leaf sap. In mild cases the leaves lose green and small white spots appear on the leaves; in severe cases the leaves turn pale white, greatly reducing ornamental value. Control method: inspect in late April; if larvae are found, spray with 50% fenitrothion at 1500 times dilution, or pyrethroid pesticides at 2000 times dilution. Spray evenly; the upper and lower leaf surfaces and the plant inside and out must all be sprayed.
Cutworms: damage root buds in early spring, occurring more heavily especially in sandy soil and continuous-cropping land; some bite through the root crown at the soil surface, while others gnaw the sprouts underground, causing plants to die in patches. For control, besides the commonly used poison bait trapping, carbofuran granules may be applied in furrows or holes, at 1500-2000 g per mu. This pesticide has a long residual effect; after application, plants can be free from damage for 7-8 weeks.
White butterfly: one of the several major pests of white clover. From April to October each year, white butterfly larvae often damage the leaves. It occurs most severely especially in dry, hot, rain-scarce summer seasons, and the larvae can eat the leaves bare. Affected plants weaken in growth. During the larval damage period, Bacillus thuringiensis preparations may be sprayed to kill them. Alternatively, when the morning dew has not dried, dust with 2.5% trichlorfon powder, at 3-4 jin per mu, with fairly ideal results.
Tobacco cutworm: one of the main pests of white clover. It hides by day and is active at night; the 1st-2nd instars feed on leaf mesophyll, the 3rd-4th instars nibble the leaf margins, biting out notches, and the 5th-6th instars reach the voracious feeding stage, nibbling the leaves or even eating them bare. This insect has a death-feigning habit, and the larvae have a habit of burrowing into the soil (1-2 cm); rainfall favors it, while heavy rain or cold air intrusion is unfavorable to it. The most suitable growth temperature for the tobacco cutworm is 15-25°C; spray in the evening or morning, using 2.5% trichlorfon powder or 5% fenitrothion powder at 22.5-30 kg/hectare, or 90% trichlorfon crystal at 1000-1500 times dilution, 50% dichlorvos emulsion at 1000-2000 times dilution, or 50% fenitrothion emulsion at 1000 times dilution, 50-100 kg per mu, for spraying and killing.
The common diseases are mainly sclerotinia disease and virus infection. In plants infected by sclerotinia, the diseased part first shows water-soaked, light brown spots, then spreads upward. The color of the spots changes from light brown to grayish white. At this point the root crown base becomes soft-rotted, growing white flocculent matter or black sclerotia grains. In mild cases the plant turns yellow in scattered spots; in severe cases large areas wilt and die. Control method: first pull up the plants and dispose of them centrally to reduce spread. In rainy seasons, pay attention to drainage, avoiding waterlogging in the grassland and reducing disease conditions. Second, use chemical pesticides for control. The common vinclozolin agent can cause sclerotial cells to rupture. The commercially available 50% vinclozolin wettable powder, at 75-100 g per mu, diluted with water and sprayed, once a week for 3-4 consecutive times, can basically control it. 25% iprodione suspension concentrate may also be chosen, at 66-100 g per mu, diluted with water and sprayed, which likewise achieves control results. In white clover infected by virus, at first the leaves show mosaics or vein yellowing or wrinkling, and in severe cases the plants die. For control, one can only start from improving cultivation conditions; chemical control is rarely effective. Methods such as seed disinfection, soil treatment, and killing insect vectors of transmission may be used.
Variety Classification of White Clover
There are mainly 2 types, namely white flower three-leaf clover and red flower three-leaf clover. Clover is a high-quality legume forage, with slender and soft stems and leaves, abundant leaf mass, high crude protein content and low crude fiber content; it can both graze livestock and feed herbivorous fish.
Among them, white flower three-leaf clover, because of its low plant height and strong adaptability, can serve as an excellent plant for establishing lawns in urban greening.
Head-like inflorescences are borne in leaf axils, with long pedicels. The florets are labiate flowers, white or pink, with a cup-shaped, downy receptacle; each inflorescence has 20-40 florets, and the flowering period is from mid-April to mid-November. The pods are small and long, with 3-4 seeds per pod; seeds small, heart-shaped, yellow or brownish yellow, thousand-seed weight 0.5-0.7 g. The main root is relatively short, with well-developed lateral roots and many nodules.
Distribution Range of White Clover
Native to Europe, now widely distributed in temperate and subtropical high-altitude regions; cultivated in Jiangsu; cultivated in the Northeast, Hebei, East China and Southwest. In China it is distributed in the Northeast, Hebei, East China and Southwest.
Medicinal or Dietary Therapeutic Value of White Clover
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Medicinal Value
Main indications: clearing heat and cooling blood, calming the heart
Garden Uses of White Clover
Lawn and ground-cover foliage type; because of fast emergence, fast turf formation, strong invasiveness and a long green period, it is often used for ornamental lawns or for green spaces on slopes and roadsides for soil and water conservation, and can also be used for greening under open woodland. In China it is suitable for planting in most regions. It is a very important cultivated forage and an excellent lawn plant.
White flower three-leaf clover can grow in grassland, cropland and gardens. White flower three-leaf clover can tolerate low cutting and can grow in different soil types and pH values, though it prefers clay soil. They are a beneficial agent for natural or organic grassland care because they have nitrogen-fixing ability and outcompete weeds. Natural nitrogen fixation can reduce soil costs and prevent some diseases.
Besides being usable as livestock feed, white flower three-leaf clover is also a very nutritious food. It has high protein content and is abundant in quantity. Eating white flower three-leaf clover raw is not easy to digest, but after boiling for 5-10 minutes it is suitable for eating. Dried white clover and seed pods can be made into nutritious flour, eaten mixed with other foods, or drunk with boiled water.
Before broadleaf herbicides were introduced, lawn seed was planted mixed with white flower three-leaf clover seed, so it could grow even on relatively poor lawns. Because the flowers of white flower three-leaf clover attract bees, many people think they are weeds.
White Clover Pictures
White Clover Picture Collection: White Clover Flower Language and Meaning
White clover is what people often call three-leaf clover, with high ornamental value. At present, white clover in China is mostly raised as feed on pastures. When it blooms it is very beautiful, and that unique scenery is unmatched by other flowers, so many flower lovers keep it as a potted plant. Today the editor will tell everyone about the correct cultivation methods for white clover.
Cultivation Methods for White Clover
1. Soil
It has low soil requirements, especially likes clay soil and tolerates acidic soil; it can also grow in sandy soil, at pH 5.5-7, and can even grow at 4.5; it likes weakly acidic soil and does not tolerate saline-alkaline soil; at pH 6-6.5 it is favorable for nodule formation.
2. Light
White clover is a long-day plant and does not tolerate shade; when sunshine exceeds 13.5 h the number of flowers can increase. White clover likes open ground with ample sunlight and has obvious phototropic movement, that is, the leaves can move with changes in weather and time of day as well as the angle and position of the incident light source.
3. Temperature
It has a certain drought tolerance; high temperatures around 35°C will not cause wilting, and its optimum growth temperature is 16-24°C. It likes light; in places with ample sunlight it grows luxuriantly and has strong competitive ability.
4. Watering
White clover has relatively strong drought resistance and somewhat poorer waterlogging tolerance. When moisture is sufficient, growth vigor is relatively strong; in drought, supplement water appropriately, and when there is too much rain, drain and reduce waterlogging promptly, to favor growth.
5. Fertilization
White clover seeds are tiny and seedling growth is slow, with weak resistance. Therefore, a certain amount of base fertilizer needs to be applied at sowing; calcium, magnesium and phosphorus fertilizers are all suitable, or plant ash and other materials are also very good fertilizers.
6. Propagation Method
White clover is generally propagated by seed.
II. Points to Note
1. Common pests and diseases
Common insect pests of white clover: leafhoppers, cutworms, white butterflies, tobacco cutworms. Common diseases of white clover: club leaf disease, dodder, leaf spot, sclerotinia disease, powdery mildew, powdery mildew
2. How to get through summer
Potted white clover enters a dormant period in summer, and the leaves will wither to a certain extent; flower lovers should not worry, nor rush to water and fertilize; just let it rest quietly. After summer, white clover will grow new shoots again.
White Clover Flower Language and Meaning
White clover, that is, three-leaf clover, yet each leaf has its own flower language.
Three-leaf clover: one leaf represents supplication, one leaf represents hope, one leaf represents love, and the last leaf of the hardest-to-find four-leaf clover symbolizes happiness. Legend says that whoever finds a four-leaf clover is the luckiest person and can obtain happiness.
How to Plant White Clover Seeds
1. Sowing time
Sowing can be done in spring or autumn; it can be sole-cropped or mixed, drilled or broadcast. Sowing depth
2. Planting method
The planting depth is about 1-2 cm; do not make it too deep, otherwise emergence is difficult. Of course, appropriate adjustments should also be made according to soil texture and moisture conditions.
3. Soil selection
White clover seeds do not have high soil requirements; it is still best to choose soil rich in calcium and humus and well-drained, so that more nutrients and a good growing environment can be provided to the seeds.
How should white clover seeds be treated before planting
1. Land preparation and fertilization
Because white clover seeds are relatively small and fine and inherently weakly competitive, and because of the presence of weeds in the surrounding environment, growth will certainly be relatively slow. Before sowing the seeds, land preparation must be done to clear those weeds away.
At the same time, base fertilizer should be applied, at about 25 kg calcium, magnesium and phosphorus fertilizer per mu. For some soils, such as those lacking organic matter, barnyard manure should also be applied; for soils that are too strongly acidic, an additional 50 kg lime may be applied.
2. Seed treatment
Before sowing, treat the seeds by mechanical means or by soaking and corroding them in concentrated sulfuric acid. When soaking in sulfuric acid, 20-30 minutes is enough; take them out, rinse them clean with clear water, let them dry, and then sow. In addition, before sowing, the seeds can be mixed with clover rhizobia, which helps the seeds germinate and the plants grow.
The cultivation method of white clover is not very difficult, and it reproduces quickly and easily covers the ground. Flower lovers who have a garden or courtyard might as well plant a patch of white clover; it can both protect the lawn and achieve a beautiful effect.