Best Clover Killer for Lawns

Clovers are eco-friendly and provide food to bees and deer. However, clover growing on the lawn sometimes is a nuisance. The bees make the lawns uncomfortable as they might sting your, kids, pets, or you. Furthermore, colored clover flowers disrupt the lawn’s green aesthetic. Therefore, removing them could be the best solution. 

There aren`t many clover killers in the market so it’s challenging to know which one works best for your grass. Still, I’ve compiled options that i will narrow your search.

Here are also the primary factors to consider before deciding which clover-killing product best fits your needs.

8 Best clover killers for lawns

All the clover killers here have one advantage; they are selective herbicides. They will not damage or kill your grass if you accidentally spill them on the lawn. 

1. Ortho Weed B Gon, Chickweed, Clover & Oxalis Killer

Ortho Weed B Gon is our first pick for the best clover killer. It starts working in the first 24 hours after application and acts fast.

Ortho Weed B Gon killer removes clover, chickweed, creeping Charlie, violet, and speedwell from the lawn.

The product comes as ready-to-spray. Ready-to-spray is simple to use as you don’t have to dilute. Just attach it to a garden hose and sprinkle it on the clover.

Apply Ortho Weed B Gon killer in summer or spring when clover is actively growing. What’s fascinating about this product is that it’s 6 hours rainproof. You don’t have to worry about rain destroying the product before killing the clovers.

One 32-ounce bottle covers 6,400 square feet of lawn.

 Ortho Weed B Gon pros

• It kills many weeds.
• It acts fast within 24 hours.
• You’ll save costs.
• It covers a wide area.

 Ortho Weed B Gon cons

• It’s not safe for use around pets and people
• It’s harmful to centipede grass, bermudagrass, and St. Augustine grass

2. Spectracide Weed Stop For Lawns

Spectracide Weed Stop For Lawns comes second on our list. It’s potent enough to kill over 470 varieties of broadleaf and grassy weeds. This selected product works within 8 hours of application. It removes clovers on bermudagrass, bahiagrass, perennial ryegrass, zoysia grass, buffalo grass, Kentucky bluegrass, and fescues.

One bottle has 32 ounces and treats 5000 square feet of lawn. The product is 3 hours rainproof.

Apply Spectracide weed killer when the average temperature is 45^oF-90^oF. Higher temperatures damage the grass. The product is ready to use.

Spectracide Weed Stop For Lawns pros

• Safe for use on many types of grass
• Kills numerous weeds from the lawn
• Works fast in 8 hours
• Has wide coverage
• It comes with a sprayer

Spectracide Weed Stop For Lawns cons

• It needs multiple applications to kill tougher weeds
• Harmful for vegetables and flowering plants

3. Compare-N-Save 2-4-D Amine Broadleaf Weed Killer

The Compare-N-Save 2-4D Amine Broadlife weed killer controls over 150 weeds, including clover, and has the widest coverage of 43,280 square feet.

The best bit about this product is you can use it on corn, small grains, pastures, and soybeans to kill tough weeds.

Though it comes as a concentrate, 2-4-D killer requires multiple applications to kill tougher weeds. You’ll have to follow the directions on the package to dilute and use. 

Compare-N-Save 2-4-D pros

• Best area coverage
• Also used on pastures, corn, and small grains
• Harmless on many types of grass

Compare-N-Save 2-4-D cons

• Not ready for use

4. Bonide Chickweed, Clover, Oxalis Weed Killer

The Bonide weed killer, kills various tough weeds like clover, dandelions, chickweed, grounding ivy, and oxalis, among 100 others from the lawn. This product contacts the weeds overnight and streams down the roots to kill them. It begins work a few hours after spraying. Leave grass unmowed two days before and after application.

Bonide comes ready to use in a one-gallon bottle. 

However, don’t use this product on St Augustine and centipede grass lawns. Test it on a small lawn section and monitor the results before full application. 

Bonide Chickweed, Clover & Oxalis Killer pros

• Ready to use
• Quick action after spraying
• It doesn’t harm most grasses. 

Bonide Chickweed, Clover & Oxalis Killer cons

• Harmful for St Augustine and centipedegrass lawns
• Requires multiple applications or concentrated applications in some areas. 

5. Roundup For Lawns

The Roundup weedkiller is designed for removing many weeds like dandelions, crabgrass, clover, nutsedge, and 250 others. It’s touted as the most potent for Northern grasses, too.  Ensure you pick the Roundup formulated for your grass. The label should tell you if it’s for warm-season grass or cold-season grass. 

Roundup For Lawns is ready to use and starts working immediately after application. It effectively kills young, actively growing weeds and their entire root system. Roundup weedkiller is rainproof 3 hours after application.

Roundup For Lawns pros

• Removes tough weeds with several applications
• It has various application methods, from ready-to-use to refills
• The 1.33-gallon ready-to-use bottle can cover 1,330 square feet
• It acts fast against fast-growing weeds

Roundup For Lawns cons

• Requires multiple applications
• Similar bottle designs for northern and southern grasses can make a buyer choose the wrong Roundup for his lawn.
• It is sometimes ineffective on tougher weeds

6. Scotts Turf Builder Weed and Feed

Scotts Turf builder weed and feed double-action put it as a viable option on this list. This product thickens the grass while crowding weeds like clover and dandelions from the lawn.

This clover killer also works on grasses like Kentucky bluegrass, fescues, ryegrass, centipedegrass, bahiagrass, bermudagrass, and zoysiagrass.

Scotts turf builder weed and feed crowds out weeds after 7 to 8 days.

This product is an excellent choice for people who want to remove clovers while feeding the grass.

Scotts turf builder weed and feed pros

• It feeds grass as it kills weeds
• Removes over 50 species of weeds
• It covers up to 5000 square feet

Scotts turf builder weed and feed cons

• Harmful to children and pets

7. Gordon’s SpeedZone Lawn Weed Killer

Gordon`s speedZone weedkiller is fast-acting and kills weeds such as creeping Charlie, ground ivy, clover, etc., in 24 hours. The product kills the weeds best when you dilute and spot spray. Gordons speedZone Lawn Weed Killer covers up to 18,000 sq ft of lawn, making it excellent for expansive yards

This weed killer is safe for fescues, Kentucky bluegrass, zoysiagrass, and bermudagrass. However, it is harmful to St Augustine, bentgrass, and carpet grass.

Apply the product on a calm day when the average temperature is below 80^oF.

Gordons speedZone Lawn Weed Killer pros

• It removes weed fast
• It covers up to 18000 square feet

Gordons speedZone Lawn Weed Killer cons 

• It’s harmful to bentgrass, carpetgrass, and St Augustinegrass

8. Ortho Weed B Gon plus Crabgrass Control Concentrate

Ortho Weed B Gon Plus kills clovers, crabgrass, dandelions, and other broadleaf weeds (over 200) from the lawn. The product comes as ready to use. Concentrate Ortho weed B Gon has 32 ounces and covers up to 54 000 square feet of lawn. However, it doesn’t come with a sprayer, you will to get one for application.

Ready to use is available in 24 ouches or 1.33 gallons. They come with a comfort wand and a trigger that uses propane to spray the product on the weeds.

Ortho weed B Gon plus kills actively growing weeds immediately when sprayed. It is also 1-hour waterproof.

Ortho weed B Gon pros

· Starts working immediately

· It doesn’t require multiple applications

Ortho weed B Gon cons

· Concentrate requirements can be tiring or time-consuming 

Buyers guide: what to look for in a clover killer?

With the numerous clover weed killers in the market, it’s easy to buy the wrong product that might damage your grass. Other products may not work as effectively as you expect. When buying a clover killer, you want to get one that doesn’t damage the grass.

Here are some factors to consider before buying a clover killer.

If it is selective or non-selective

Selective clover killers don’t kill the existing grass, while non-selective ones do. 

Selective clover killers are suitable when protecting existing grass from weedkiller damage or planting new grass soon. However, non-selective weed killers are better where you don’t intend to grow plants or grass soon.

The type of grass on your lawn

Some clover weed killers are harmless on certain turfgrasses but harmful if used on other grasses. Always check the label to see if the clover killer is safe for use on the grass type on your lawn before purchasing it. Otherwise, you can end up damaging the grass with the wrong herbicide.

Single or multiple application

Some clover killers are effective with a single application, while others require multiple applications. Always choose ones with a single application to save time and effort.

Need for extra tools to apply the weedkiller

Some clover killers come with sprayers that only need to attach to a garden hose to use. Meanwhile, others like concentrate and solids need you to dilute the solution in water or apply it as solid then water in.

Ready-to-use liquid weed killers are simple to apply. They’re preferable to concentrate, which needs an extra sprayer, or solids requiring a spreader to apply.

The availability of extra tools such as spreaders, sprayers, and mix bottles removes the extra cost of purchasing them. Choose ready-to-use clover killers to save the cost of additional tools. 

Price of the weedkiller

Price is among the vital factors that might influence your clover weedkiller choice. Some products can be pricy but cover small clover areas. Sometimes, the product’s effectiveness may not justify its steep price tag. 

Compare the product’s value and area coverage against cost before choosing a clover killer. 

The consideration that may make you keep clover on your lawn

Clover has some benefits that might make you reconsider breaking out the clover killer.

They include;

• The clover’s evergreen nature is great for all-year aesthetic appeal
• Clovers don’t require nitrogen fertilizer application
• Clovers require less mowing
• Clovers outcompete other weeds 
• Clovers attract pollinators
• Clover doesn’t discolor from dogs’ urine
• Clover helps lawns withstand drought.

Reference

1. Lowa State University: How do I control clover in my lawn?