Clover vs. Lilacs

[nfollis914]

Hi!

I have a lilac bush that is brand new to me last season. My yard is full of clover that we have been fighting for 5 years now. It has decided to surrond my lilac and I am afraid it will hurt it. Is there a smart way to kill the clover without hurting my tree?

Thanks!!

[The Helpful Gardener]

Better question is how smart is it to kill clover?

Clover actually fixes atmospheric nitrogen and in corporates it into the soil. Big fertilizer companies hate the idea of you getting nitrogen for free when they want to sell it to you, so they came up with Weed 'N' Seed, which labels clover a weed and kills it, reducing competition.

So don't be hatin'; that clover is in some ways helping more than it hurts (just give more water to make up for any competition).

HG

[nfollis914]

Really?! That is interesting. So - I shouldn't worry about the clover being mixed in with my mulch around the trees? I just didn't want it to strangle it because I know that grass can do that - correct? So - pull the grass and keep the clover and water a bit more and I should be good?!

THANKS!

[The Helpful Gardener]

Yep, that'd work fine...