Arney: Irish luck and clover season

Published 5:00 am Saturday, March 16, 2024

1. Planting Guide
2. Clover Management Guide
3. Plants that protect your family from mosquitoes

I’m not superstitious but I wouldn’t turn down a four-leaf clover or 10. I’ll share one if I find 11.

Clover season is one of my favorite seasons. Every spring clover pops up everywhere here. Red clover, white clover, clover with little yellow flowers that makes stickers.

I don’t know the name of that one, can you tell?

I always look for little leprechaun hats amongst the fields of clover when I’m a passenger in the car. I try not to do that when I’m driving, you know, I don’t want to run off the road and run over a leprechaun!

There are over 300 species of clover.

Some people try to get rid of it and some try to grow it.

Clover is used for many things. One of them is a cover crop or living mulch as it can improve soil condition and reduce the need for artificial fertilizers or for some grazing. This appears to be a commercial farming thing, not sure if I want to do this in my front yard but I am going to look into it. Not the grazing, I only do that in the backyard, my neighbors might complain.

Some grow it as a lawn. That one surprised me. White clover, also known as Dutch clover is low growing, green and nitrogen rich and grass replacement for some.

Some people plant it to attract beneficial insects. That one didn’t surprise me. I think many of us, like me, were raised to see it as a weed and to pull it or rid of it. Well maybe that’s why my mom told us about four leaf clovers as to get us to pull it…

A beneficial insect is an insect that acts as a pollinator or pest control, like bees. I do not like bees but I like honey and flowers! I guess I like bees.

One of the articles read that it can act as a mosquito repellant as it releases a slight lemony citronella scent.

I may let some grow. Crimson clover is my favorite. Yes, I’m humming that one to myself. Who knows maybe I’ll find a four clover or ten. Maybe I’ll plant a patch and put little leprechaun hats on it just for kicks.

Best of luck to ye.

There has to be a four-leaf clover in there somewhere.