A Month of Cloverberries

The lush fields of green clover are giving way to spring grasses and wildflowers. What remains of the clover is its seeds, thousands of them, shaped like tightly wound spirals. Each of these spirals dons dozens of spokes, ready to cling to anyone who happens by. Beginning around mid-April, our house becomes a repository for the stowaway seeds. Carried in on socks, jeans, shoelaces and especially via dog fur, they land on the rugs and furniture and hold fast. We’ve taken to affectionately calling these seasonal visitors cloverberries, in an attempt to assuage their annoying imposition on everyday life.

Cloverberries tend to drop off clothing readily. Not so when adhered to fluffy dog fur. If caught at the moment of contact, the cloverberry will release its hold with just a gentle tug. But within seconds of lodging itself into a few fur strands, the cloverberry tangles the dog’s coat, often rolling up towards the dog’s body. Extracting the burr requires a steady hand and a patient, willing dog. Our pups understand the consequences of leaving entrapped cloverberries unattended. As cloverberries dry, they sharpen. Lying on an old cloverberry is similar to the sensation of multiple, simultaneous pinpricks. Even with this incentive for quick removal, staying still while someone detaches ten or more cloverberries from your fur can be difficult. We often must carefully trim the enmeshed fur to rid the pup of the hanger-on.

Once free of their host, cloverberries seek out another carrier. Unfortunately, for them too, they often meet a dead end on a rug or carpeting. A good vacuum system with strong suction is mandatory for picking up these pests. Very light and well-suited for rolling, cloverberries can scoot quickly across bare floors propelled by the slightest breeze. In fabric or carpet strands, their spokes cling tight. As with dog fur, speedy removal is important. When a cloverberry dries, its spokes and spiral can break off into pieces, left embedded in the carpet. Pick out a cloverberry manually by hand, then pass your hand over that same spot. You’ll likely feel residual sharp bits. A rotating brushroll, such as in a power nozzle or turbine brush can clean the area better via vacuuming.

Luckily the month of cloverberries does wind down. Spring rains usually decompose the drying seeds, disarming their prickles. Yet, mushy, muddy cloverberries can carry a risk to dogs too. They still cling, become embedded in paw pad fur, wedging themselves between toes, which can lead to abrasion and infection. We’ve found that the dogs will alert us to the few discomforts that Spring may bring. But the dogs and we agree, the joys of a cool spring are worth the maintenance and extra care. Just think of it as more time together. The cloverberries enhance my appreciation for our vacuum too.