The characteristic differences of the clover plant, tips for growing in the garden, recommendations for reproduction, possible diseases and pests, interesting notes, species and varieties.
Clover (Trifolium) is referred by botanists to the genus of herbaceous plants, which are included in the subfamily Moths (Faboideae). It, in turn, is included in the legume family (Fabaceae). The native lands on which this representative of the flora is found in the wild are considered to be territories in a temperate climatic zone. It includes European and Asian regions, as well as areas of the North American continent. In total, the number of species in the genus reaches 300 units, while up to 70 of them grow in the CIS countries.
| Family name | Legumes |
| Growth cycle | Annuals or perennials |
| Growth form | Grassy |
| Breeding type | Seed only |
| Transplant time to the garden | Depends on the species (spring or winter) |
| Disembarkation scheme | Evenly on the ground |
| Substrate | Loose, light, medium moisture, fertile |
| Indicators of soil acidity, pH | 5-6 (slightly acidic) or neutral (6, 5-7) |
| Lighting level | Sunny location with sufficient lighting or partial shade |
| Recommended humidity | In the summer heat, moderately once a week, waterlogging and drought are unacceptable |
| Special Requirements | Non-capricious |
| Height indicators | 0.3-0.8 m |
| Color of flowers | Snow white, pink, yellow, red, red-violet or multicolored |
| Inflorescences or type of flowers | Racemose, umbellate, capitate, in rare cases, flowers are solitary |
| Flowering time | From May to mid-summer, depending on the species and place of growth |
| Decorative period | Spring-summer |
| Places of application | Creation of lawns and lawns, in alpine slides and rockeries |
| USDA zone | 4–6 |
The plant got its scientific name due to the shape of the leaf plate, which is divided into 3 small lobes, therefore in Latin it corresponds to the term "Trifolium" or "trifolium", that is, literally - trefoil. On the lands of the southern regions of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, for the fact that it is used to feed livestock (namely, horses), you can hear how clover is called "stable", but there are many other synonyms - gruel, dalyanik, red woodpecker or woodpecker, Trojan or trinity, crown or triple potion.
All varieties of clover are represented by annual or perennial herbaceous plants. Some of them have a rhizome that becomes woody over time. The root system has a rod-like-fibrous form, it tends to saturate the soil with nitrogen, it is located in the arable layer of the soil. The stems are thin, their height varies in the range of 30–80 cm. The leaf plates, which gave the name to this representative of the flora, are usually distinguished by trifoliate outlines, only in rare cases they have a claw-like shape or can be composed of two pairs of leaf lobes. Their stipules are filmy and are usually interconnected to one degree or another.
Usually, the flowers of different types of clover can have petals colored in white and red, but sometimes they are not colored. The size of the flowers is small or very small, they are collected in the form of inflorescences-heads, sometimes having the shape of umbrellas or brushes. Those, in turn, can, at the beginning of flowering, cover themselves with one or a pair of upper leaves, forming a kind of dragging. Only in some cases does the flowers grow singly. Like many representatives of the moth family, the clover flower has the same structure - there are 5 pairs of stamens in the flower, 9 of them have splicing threads, and only one remains free. Flowers are excellent suppliers of nectar and attract pollinating insects, and only bees or bumblebees can handle this task.
The flowering process of clover directly depends on its type and place of cultivation. On average, the beginning of flowering occurs in the last week of May and until the beginning of July, it can stretch from 30 to 65 days.
After the corolla fades, it remains on the flower stem and envelops the ripening bean. In such a fruit, a clover contains one or a pair of seeds, sometimes their number is many. The autopsy of such a bean is quite late, and it happens that it remains unopened. Clover seeds are almost spherical or slightly elongated.
The plant is distinguished by its unpretentiousness and can beautify your garden plot with a little effort.
Tips for growing clover in the garden - planting and care
- Landing site. Mostly sunny areas are suitable, and since many varietal forms have leaf plates with a multi-colored color, in the shade all this beauty will disappear and the foliage will simply turn green. But if the color is initially dark or bright green, then such a clover will be comfortable in partial shade. It is good that cereals were grown at the planting site before. It is desirable to exclude the proximity of groundwater.
- Priming for clover it is recommended with neutral (pH 6, 5-7) or slightly acidic acidity values - pH 5-6. It is best when the soil is light, nutritious and well-drained, but some species and varieties can take root on heavy clay substrates. It is recommended to prepare the soil before planting.
- Planting clover. Since this plant is quite common in nature, it can be concluded that it is unpretentious. It is important before planting to deep plow the lawn, remove weeds.
- Watering clover is the most important aspect when growing it. If there is no precipitation for a long time on hot summer days, then the clover bushes will suffer, such lawns will quickly lose their decorative effect. However, a substrate that is too moist will also negatively affect the plants, as it will lead to rotting of the root system. At the same time, the species pink clover (Trifolium hybridum) can perfectly survive in places where groundwater is very close. When growing any variety of this representative of legumes, you should adhere to regular watering, the frequency of which is once every 7 days, while the soil is moderately moistened.
- Fertilizers. Since the root system of clover has the ability to release nitrogen itself, feeding with this content is not used too diligently. In the autumn, before digging, it is necessary to apply manure - this will have a positive effect on the subsequent harvest. Do not apply organic fertilizing before planting. For this, it is better to use phosphorus-potassium preparations. If the soil on the site is podzolic, it is also recommended to use boric fertilizers, spraying plants with the same means as soon as flowering begins.
- Seed collection. It is recommended to cut off ripening large legumes and dry them for 7 days in a shaded place with good ventilation. Store the seeds before planting in a cardboard box or paper bag. Seed beans are best cut from second year plants, as the seed will be more tenacious in them.
- Application of plantings of clover. It is usually customary to plant clover on lawns or lawns. With the help of such plantings, you can fill empty spaces in alpine slides between stones or plant rockeries, but then you will need to plant varieties with creeping shoots. In this case, when mowing the lawn, the whole species will not "show off" with bare stems. You can not be afraid of trampling clover plantings, as the plant is quite resistant to endure many troubles. You can decorate tree trunks with clover bushes. As the clover stalks grow back, it is recommended that you trim the lawn to keep it looking neat and tidy. For such a procedure, a trimmer is used, since the stems treated with such a tool are restored at a faster rate, and the subsequent flowering will be more abundant. It is also necessary to monitor so that the clover plantings do not grow too much, since they can drown out other flowers and "crawl" to neighboring beds and flower beds. It will be extremely difficult to remove such an aggressor later.
Recommendations for breeding clover
In order to obtain a lawn from clover plants, only the seed method is applicable. Seed material is best used taken from bushes of the second year of growth or purchased in a specialized store. Occasionally, overgrown bushes are separated, but as practice shows, such delenki take root badly.
Before sowing, it is important to dig up the soil in the selected area, then start removing weeds, and then level the soil a little. It is recommended to use about 320 seeds per m2. Some gardeners advise to pre-soak them in warm water for an hour. Also, the seed is sometimes mixed with the substrate in a separate container; a garden wheelbarrow can be adapted for this. Then the combined compound can be easily spread over the lawn.
Seeds are sprinkled on top with a small layer of soil, its thickness should be no more than 1 cm. Crops are irrigated using a garden watering can with a sprinkler nozzle; it is not recommended to use a garden hose, as a stream of water can spray the seeds. For 7 days from the moment of sowing, it is important to keep the substrate moist; walking on the lawn with crops is prohibited. After two weeks, the first clover sprouts can be seen.
If you do not follow the above tips for sowing clover seeds, but manually distribute them, then such a lawn will grow uneven. Although clover has a long life cycle, it still does not differ in duration and after about 3 years the sowing procedure is repeated again. Sowing seeds must be carried out with the arrival of spring heat, since if sprouts appear at the end of summer, then before the onset of cold weather, rooting may not take place and will die. Occasionally, seeds are sown before winter so that they begin their growth as soon as the snow melts and the earth warms up.
Such a clover lawn will bloom only next year. When young plants appear, it is recommended that they immediately provide the correct growing conditions, since at this stage they are very susceptible to both diseases and pests.
Possible diseases and pests when growing clover
If the rules of agricultural technology are violated, then the planting of clover may begin to suffer from the following problems:
- Fusarium or powdery mildew - can affect plants of any age. Not only the root tip, but also the hypocotal knee on the seedlings acquire a brown color. Such plants usually die before they appear above the soil surface, and if they do sprout, they begin to lag behind in development and often fall out.
- Rust well distinguishable on leaf blades, stems and petioles in the form of brown or reddish spots.
- Anthracnose all plant organs above the soil surface are affected. All parts are covered with streaks or dark spots. Stems affected by the disease begin to break.
- Ascochitosis looks like concentric spots with a light center on the foliage and sometimes on the stems. Under a magnifying glass, dots, called pycnidia, can be distinguished on the upper part of a leaf of a brown shade.
- Brown spotted clover affects leaves on which small specks of a brown or yellow-brown hue are visible. The edges of these markings are uneven and separate from healthy leaf tissue. There is a brown bulge in the center of each such speck.
Other problems in the cultivation of clover are cancer, typhulosis and bacteriosis of the roots, flower mold and vein mosaics are also possible.
If any incomprehensible formations appear on the leaves and stems, it is recommended to remove the affected parts of the plant and treat the clover with fungicidal preparations, for example, Bordeaux liquid or Fundazol.
If pests such as clover cyst nematodes, clover weevils or alfalfa bugs are identified, an insecticidal treatment such as Fufanon or Aktellik should be performed.
Interesting notes about the clover plant
The plant is an excellent honey plant. Clover honey is considered one of the best, as it has transparency, pleasant aroma and delicate, mild taste. When it crystallizes, a solid whitish mass is formed.
The clover foliage with triple outlines in European countries is considered a symbol of the Holy Trinity. Its shape is often found in patterns, jewelry, embroidery, and even in architectural styles (Gothic). It was believed among the people to get great luck by finding a clover leaf with two pairs of leaf lobes.
It was the clover leaf that gave the name to one of the card suits - "clubs".
Meadow clover has many useful components, for a long time the juice of white clover has been used by folk healers to heal the skin (wounds, burns). This remedy relieves the manifestation of pain that occurs with rheumatism, stops bleeding. The aerial part of red clover is full of useful components, which include essential oils, carotene, vitamins and minerals, coumarin and isoflavones, saponin, steroids and carbohydrates.
The benefits of red clover for women is the presence of 4 substances comparable to hormones that slow down aging. However, if a person cannot tolerate some of these phytohormones, such a remedy is more likely to be harmful.
Any type of clover helps:
- Cleanse the body of intoxication if chemical poisoning occurs.
- Replenish nutritional deficiencies with a poor diet.
- Increase the protective functions of the body.
- Remove acute allergies, manifestations of puffiness, remove excess water from the body.
- Improve the health of menopause.
Description of types and varieties of clover
Red clover (Trifolium rubens)
occurs under the name The clover is reddish. This species grows most of all in the CIS countries and neighboring territories. Perennial has a herbaceous form of growth, has a tap-like root, which can be buried in the ground up to 2 meters. An interesting property of the clover root: it can shrink under adverse weather conditions and pull the root collar under the soil. This increases the plant's resilience, both during drought and temperature drops.
The stem is rounded, there are 6-9 internodes on it, branching is present. The height of the stem varies in the range of 0.5–0.7 m, in very rare cases this figure is 1.5 m. If the growing conditions are favorable, the stems begin to bush. Often, one plant can count 20-30 stems, and sometimes more. The leaves that form on the stems have a triple shape. When flowering, capitate inflorescences, formed by flowers of a violet-red hue, flaunt. In each such inflorescence, the number reaches 30–70 units.
Pollination is carried out by bees, bumblebees. After this, the maturation of the one- or two-seeded pod takes place. The shape of the seeds is rounded-ovate, their surface is smooth and shiny. The seeds are very small, their number in 1, 5-2 grams reaches 1000 pieces.
On the territory of the CIS, some subspecies of this variety can be found, but the most common are: single-cut northern clover and two-cut early-ripening southern clover.
- One-cut clover in contrast to the two-crop, it has a higher stem, which has a greater number of branches and increased tillering. Also, the number of internodes in it is higher (7-9 pieces) than that of the double-cut one (5-7 units). In the first year of its life, the plant forms a rosette pressed against the soil surface, which does not bloom. The second year usually yields one cut. One-cut clover blooms two weeks later than two-cut clover. After mowing it, the stems do not grow back quickly. Usually, if the growing conditions are favorable, then it is used as a biennial. It tolerates frost well.
- Two-cut clover does not have such a branched stem, its flowers open earlier. The second year of growth gives two cuttings, which are used as hay, or the 1st - for hay, the 2nd - for collecting seeds. Its winter hardiness is lower, but it does not need much moisture for growth, it easily tolerates hot weather. This subspecies is mainly grown on the territory of Ukraine.
Pink clover (Trifolium hybridum)
may appear under the names Hybrid clover or Clover swedish … The height of the stems of this species is slightly less than the previous one; pink flowers are combined into capitate inflorescences, which crown high flowering stems. Its branches are well leafy. The fruit is a single or two-seeded pod, the shape of the seeds is correct in the form of a heart. There is a marbled droplet pattern on their green surface. The plant can tolerate heavy and acidic soil, without changing place, can grow for 7-8 years. After the crops have been used to collect seed, they die off. Cold resistance - high. Sowing is carried out on peat soils.
The variety has two ecological forms, which differ in stems:
- hollow (prefers to settle in wet locations);
- core-filled, feels comfortable in drier terrain.
White clover (Trifolium repens)
has a creeping stem. May occur under the names White cup or Amoria creeping … Perennial with a root system located in the upper part of the substrate (reaches a depth of only 30–34 cm). Stems are branched, easily rooted in bonds. The leaf plates are trifoliate, with rounded outlines. The flowering stems grow erect, the color of the flowers is snow-white. The beans contain 3-4 small seeds. Their color is variegated, the shape is correct, heart-shaped. In the wild, it is found in pastures and meadows; when grown in fields nearby, various types of clover and wheat are planted. The plant has increased vitality and endurance, can tolerate frost and trampling, but it also grows aggressively, filling everything in the flower garden.
Basically, when landscaping areas, the following varietal forms are used:
- Atropurpurea with leaf plates with 3 or 4 lobes, the color of the foliage is unusual: the middle of the leaf lobe is purple, and the edge is green. It is intended for growing in a sunny location, as in the shade of the foliage it will become just a green color.
- Purpurascen - the foliage of this variety has a reddish-brown tint, the edge is decorated with a gentle green tone. The sheet consists of two pairs of blades. It has a tendency to aggressive growth, while it can cover all available flower beds and flower beds with its stems.
- Good Luck has a 4-lobed leaf, which is colored green or sometimes with a purple central part, but with a predominance of green color around the edges.
Red clover (Trifolium pratense)
sometimes it can be called red clover. Prefers to grow on moderately moist soils. The territory of distribution falls on the lands of Europe, the northern regions of the African continent, the western and middle regions of Asia. The plant is biennial or perennial, has a herbaceous form and varies in height within the range of 15–55 cm. Stems grow ascending, branched. The foliage of the trifoliate lobe has a broad ovate outline and a fine serration at the edge.
Inflorescences are represented by loose heads, which have a spherical shape, often have a pairwise arrangement and are covered with a pair of upper leaves. The corolla is colored red, but sometimes white or non-colored forms are found. The calyx has five pairs of veins. The flowering process stretches from early summer to September. Fruits ripening in August-October are egg-shaped. These are single-seeded beans, the seeds of which can be either round or angular. Painted in red-yellow or purple tones.
Clover cultivation video:
