How to Grow Red Clovers

Growth Stages

Stage	BBCH	Notes
Sowing	0	RHS/NC State: propagate by seed.
Establishment	3	NC State: fast-growing with an erect, ascending habit. RHS: generally pest-free and disease-free once established, fixing nitrogen through its root system.
Flowering	6	RHS: rounded clusters of pinkish-red flowers, 2-3cm across, from May to October -- an excellent nectar source for bees and other pollinators.
Harvest (leaves and flowers)	8	NC State: harvest young leaves before flowering for the mildest flavour; flowering heads can be picked through the flowering season and eaten fresh or dried.

Quick Facts

Factor	Value
Drainage	Moist but well-drained or well-drained (RHS); NC State: good drainage or occasionally dry, acidic or neutral soil, clay or loam.
Lifecycle	NC State: a short-lived perennial with medium maintenance needs.
Edible parts	leaves, flowers

At a Glance

Harvest & Storage

When to pick: NC State: pick young leaves before the plant flowers for salads or cooking like spinach; flowering heads can be picked once open and used raw, cooked, or dried.

Storage

NC State: flower heads can be dried and used as a flour substitute.

Diseases

Clover rot

Sclerotinia trifoliorum

NC State names clover rot as a possible disease -- not mentioned by RHS, whose UK-context page reports the species as generally disease-free.

What the research guides add

Red clover is mostly a forage and soil-building plant, though NC State also notes the leaves and flowers are edible.

• It is grown as a forage crop for pasture, hay and green manure; as a nitrogen-fixing plant it is often grown as a cover crop to improve soil fertility. (NC State Extension)
• Both the flowering heads and the foliage are edible, raw or cooked. Young leaves should be harvested before the plant flowers. (NC State Extension)
• Do not eat the flowers if pregnant or nursing. (NC State Extension)

Sources for this section

• NC State Extension: Trifolium pratense (Plant Toolbox)

Section researched and checked on 25 October 2026 by the SoilCommander Editorial Team. How we check facts: editorial policy.

Sources

The full list of 2 sources behind this guide (North Carolina State University Extension (Plant Toolbox), Royal Horticultural Society) is in the references of our UK guide to red clover; they describe the plant itself, which is the same wherever it grows.