How to Grow Red Clover
Red Clover At a Glance
Difficulty
Easy
Category
Herb
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Frost Tolerance
Frost Hardy
Cold Hardiness
Survives to -23°C
Plant Family
Fabaceae
Growing Season
Cool Season
Plant Lifecycle
Perennial
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
Red clover handles frost, so sow it in early spring, from about 4 weeks before your last frost up to your frost date, or again in late summer. Rake the soil smooth, scatter the seeds, then rake lightly so they sit no deeper than 1 cm, and press the soil down. They sprout in 3 to 7 days: if you are growing it for flowers, thin them (pull the extras so each has room) to about 15 cm apart.
Red clover lives 2 to 3 years and feeds the soil as it grows: tiny bacteria on its roots take nitrogen from the air and leave it in the soil for the next crop. Bumblebees love its pink flowers. Many gardeners grow it as a cover crop (a crop that protects and feeds the soil), then cut it and mix it into the soil before planting vegetables.
When To Start
First chance to plant
30 Days Before Last Frost
Last chance to plant
30 Days Before First Frost
When should you plant Red Clover?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Red Clover Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
Your Red Clover Calendar
Set your location to turn these into exact dates and reminders.
Scatter red clover seed now, or again in late summer
Around your last frost· every year
Cut red clover as it flowers and mix it in, or leave it for bees
90 days after your last frost· every year· optional
Did you water your red clover seedlings today? Keep the top of the soil damp until they are up and growing.
About 1 days after you plant it
Time to thin the red clover seedlings: snip the extras at soil level so each one has room to grow.
About 17 days after you plant it
Your red clover is filling in! Keep the soil lightly moist until the plants are well established.
About 42 days after you plant it
Your red clover is getting close! Its round pinkish-red flower heads are what you harvest.
About 77 days after you plant it
Picking time may be here: check your red clover.
About 105 days after you plant it
The Journey Ahead
Red Clover's Lifecycle
Seedling
Mature Plant
Seed Production
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Expect sprouts in 3–7 days
Growing Tips
- 1Grow red clover in full sun, though it handles a little shade.
- 2It grows in most soils, and a little compost raked in before sowing is all it needs.
- 3Keep the soil moist until the seedlings are up, then water only in long dry spells.
- 4Do not feed it, since it makes its own food from the air.
- 5Cut it back by half after the first flush of flowers to keep it tidy and bring on more blooms.
- 6Give plants room for air to move so the leaves stay free of mildew.
Seedling Phase
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
~105
Days to Maturity
50 cm
Mature Height
30 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Mature Plant
Step 4
Harvesting
Harvest Window
30 days
When to Pick
Harvest tops or mow when flowers appear
How to Harvest
- 1Pick the flower heads when they are fully open and bright pink, on a dry morning.
- 2Pinch or snip off the heads, leaving the leaves so the plant blooms again.
- 3Spread the flowers on a screen or tray in a shady, airy spot until they are dry and crisp, then keep them in a jar for tea.
- 4Throw out any flowers that have turned brown, since only bright ones are good for tea.
- 5As a cover crop, cut the plants down just as they start to flower and mix them into the top of the soil, or leave them on top as mulch.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
How to Save Seeds
Red clover needs bees, mostly bumblebees, to carry pollen between plants, so seed only forms where bees visit. Leave the flower heads on the plant until they turn brown and dry. Snip them into a paper bag and let them dry for another week in a cool, airy spot. Rub the heads between your hands to free the tiny seeds, then blow gently to clear away the bits of husk. Store the seeds labelled in a cool, dark, dry place, where they keep for several years.
Seed Production
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