Getting a healthier, more luscious lawn is a pertinent goal for many homeowners and landscapers. One Reddit user has an unconventional way of ensuring their lawn grows strong.
The before-and-after photos were posted to the r/NoLawns forum. The before picture shows some patchy Bermuda grass covered with clover, while the after-mowing image suggests a more vibrant lawn with a darker color.
The Redditor explained in the comments that the lawn was grown without the addition of insecticides, fertilizers, or herbicides. The user claims not to have even watered the lawn yet.
The Redditor attributes the success of their garden to red, white, and micro-clover. Clover is a nitrogen-fixing plant species, meaning that its roots can take up growth-limiting nitrogen and convert it into a form that other plants can use.
While some lawn-scapers will add artificial fertilizers containing nitrogen and potassium into the soil, these synthetic products have the potential to run off into surrounding waterways and ecosystems. The proliferation of nutrients in waterways contributes to harmful algae blooms via eutrophication.
Clover also provides numerous benefits to the ecosystem besides just fixing nitrogen. The clover flowers attract natural pollinators, like bees and parasitoid wasps, which prey on harmful bugs.
The pollinators can move from lawns to other plants in the vicinity, thus increasing the growth and vibrancy of your entire property. Creating a biodiverse lawn, in turn, also deters pests and diseases that could jeopardize the health of other species.
Unlike other grass species, clover also has a deep root system that allows the plant to remain green, even during periodic droughts or water stress. This gives off a better visual aesthetic and the impression of a greener lawn, as shown in the before-and-after images.
One user commented, "Looks so much healthier than your neighbors' yards. I can see the fixed nitrogen from here." Another shared, "It's just so much greener! In both senses of the word."
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