A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion Landscape trials and triumphs Clover in my grass

We moved here in Dec. of 2004. In the spring of 2005 we planted our yard with a 5 way Fescue Mix. Apparenlty people in this area usually plant Kentucky blue grass but the guy who sowed our yard talked DH into the 5 way mix. When it was planted, it was fertilized with a 12-12-12 fertilizer.
Since that time to now, my DH has put a 12-12-12 on the whole yard at least 2 other times.
This yesr he did not--
this year we have about 85% of our yard growing in clover complete with flower heads. the yard to our north, one year newer, has some of the same problem, but the ones to our East & South do not at all.

I have 2 questions.

1) what can we do to get rid of the clover, short of the broadleaf weed killer stuff. (DH told me the name but I cannot recall it)

2) since it has rained for the last week, the grass is plenty tall, & I was looking forward to using the lawn sweeper to pick the grass up to use as mulch on my veggie garden.---BUT now I am concerned about putting clover flower heads on my garden. would I be, in effect, planting clover in my garden ???

any & all help/advice would be appreciated.

I don't have any answers, Carol, but I did want to say that when I was looking out the window this morning at the backyard, I was dismayed to see how much of it is filling in with clover here as well. Especially the newer seeded area right in front of the pond.

Not sure on an answer either but I wish I had your clover...looks so much better than my dandelions

Well you'll attract more bees to pollinate your garden (if needed). I do.
There is a product by Gordons (speed zone) which should take care of the clover, but I am saving that stuff to kill my nasty knot weed.
Don't like chemicals, but for me it was a must, cause sifting through the soil had unpleasing results. Those knotweeds regrew through the rhizomes, and I sifted for hours. Missed more than a few I guess.
Thanks Garden helper, all I do is read your articals.
I'm learning

Does anyone have an idea about my grass & why it is being over-run by clover???

Mine is in full bloom now - I'd also like to get rid of it once and for all!

Clover is a prolific self seeding, tender perennial that also spreads by rhizomes so you have to fight it above and below ground. Probably the most important thing to do is to get the flower heads cut right away so they don't get a chance to go to seed. You could try spraying existing clumps with vinegar...
As far as using the flower heads in your mulch goes... If you keep the weed seedlings scuffled out as soon as they sprout, they are easy to get rid of...
Annual Weeds
Perennial Weeds
General Weed Control

Bless you for getting back to me, Bill. I appreciate it.

it was all the rain that let it get this far. DH could not get out to cut as soon as he would have liked.

PS: thanks for the links

Those weeds are obnoxious, huh? I stopped using all chemicals last year as part of a bigger health/ecological consciousness. We now have lots of weeds trying to invade. I do spray vinegar on weeds that are in sidewalk cracks, but the vinegar will kill things around it as well. Also, I'm fairly sure that the vinegar doesn't do anything for the roots. The other alternative is to remove grass and have more garden beds. We have a lot of lawn. I am slowly creating more beds, though my kids and dh don't want all of the grass gone, which I understand. I think that I am just coming to terms with nature and, rather than constantly fighting it - and subsequently destroying our health and the planet - I am doing what I can manually and naturally and leaving the rest as is. (Of course my neighbors will be less-than pleased and my dh hates the weeds, but I am at a point in my life where I just don't care. Our health is way more important than temporarily conquering a few weeds.)
Good luck!
Angie