Hi Barry,

Clover is an option, but I'm curious as to why you'd like to add it to the current grass? Is it for aesthetics? Pollinators? Nitrogen fixation? 

Clover does need full sun and regular water. It might be helpful for you to share a little bit more about your current lawn and what is growing, how you're maintaining it, and what you use it for. 

I'm attaching a publication that our turf specialist, Dr. Tony Koski, wrote a couple years ago. Seeding all 2.3 acres would be quite pricey, as you need 1 pound of clover seed per 1,000 square feet. Also, to keep it "micro", it does need frequent mowing. Otherwise it will develop into regular-size clover, and at that point, it would be cheaper just to seed regular clover. 

Thanks for your response,

We have approximatly 1.5 acres of open space and are not very successful with growing what is half buffalo grass and the front half closer to the house is blue grass. This also includes a portion outside the fence that is the leach field. It is just mowed.

I am trying like everyone else to minimize water and fetilizer as it is very expensive to keep a large piece like this looking great or atleast resonable.

Our soil is as many clay. It holds water but not on the surface. There is moisture 6 to 8 inches deep. My thoughts were for something with deep roots that could penatrate the clay below and not drown.

I am attaching photos to help.

Any input is greatly appreciated!

more photoes attached.

Hi Barry,

One option is to stop mowing the buffalograss. Unless you're using it for recreation, just let it go unmowed. This is a native species and will naturally thin. Mowing will generally encourage some weeds, especially if you're not irrigating it. The max height, with flowers, will probably be less than 6". It depends on how much moisture we have this growing season.

In terms of the bluegrass and mixing clover in, it may not be as successful as you hope. But have you tried adjusting the amount of irrigation you're applying to the bluegrass? If quality isn't necessarily your priority, then you can reduce the amount of irrigation. Bluegrass can survive with at little as 8-10 supplemental inches of water per year. It's not going to be a high-quality "golf course" lawn, but it will survive.

So perhaps that's where you can start--play with the irrigation. If you're watering 4 days/week, drop it to 3 days. Or even two days. See what happens. It's likely the bluegrass will go dormant during the hot parts of the year, but is that ok? 

If you want to seed the clover, just understand that it will need some irrigation to do well, and will absolutely need irrigation to get established. 

You can also consider converting more parts of the bluegrass to buffalograss. Or a mix of buffalo/blue grama. 

So after soil tests we have determined our soil is Alkaline and needs to be adjusted. Can you advise as to the best way to bring it back to neutral?

Hi Barry,

This will be impossible...or at the very least, take decades. The problem is that we have free lime in our soils, which neutralizes any acid added to it. So adjusting the pH in our soils isn't something that's possible.

What was your pH? 7.5-8.5?

As always your help is greatly appreciated. 

8.5

We were thinking of adding some sulfur to our granular fertilizer. Yes/No?

Hi again,

It's fine to use that fertilizer; just know the sulfur (acidic) will eventually be neutralized by any base in the soil, but it can have short-term effects on acidifying the root systems of plants.

They do sell sulfur-coated fertilizer...if you want to make it easier.

Great thanks again, we will give it a go.