# When clover takes over a yard how do you deal with it?



## Orion Nebula (Apr 22, 2020)

My front yard is probably 50% clover and the rest tall fescue. It's been this way for a few years. After everything greens up and the first mow happens I am ashamed to say it doesn't look _that_ bad... everything is green and even. However you aren't supposed to have a yard of clover as far as I know, so I have been wanting to fix it. However I have been hesitant as I know if I kill it my yard would become a barren landscape.

What would you guys do in this situation?


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## macattack (Nov 2, 2020)

The bees like clover, if you happen to see any. You would have to wait to overseed if you hit it with anything other than glyphosate. Triclopyr is tough on clover too, with a 3-week wait.
Depends on what you want. You could rake it out and overseed with topdressing. There is enough time for that, as a dethatch rake would level the area. Lots of work though. Maybe do a small trial section with several different experiments. Glyphosate, dethatch and triclopyr. Put it somewhere not so obvious.


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## hawkman248 (6 mo ago)

I tried some 2,4-D (Unison) on clover in my yard last year, just testing it in a few places. Smoked it.
A broadleaf herbicide - it left the grass just fine. However, various formulations of 2,4-D are known to volatilize after application and then move in the air, killing other broadleaf vegetation nearby. (It's not the same as drift during application). Gotta be careful.


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## Pannellde (7 mo ago)

hawkman248 said:


> I tried some 2,4-D (Unison) on clover in my yard last year, just testing it in a few places. Smoked it.
> A broadleaf herbicide - it left the grass just fine. However, various formulations of 2,4-D are known to volatilize after application and then move in the air, killing other broadleaf vegetation nearby. (It's not the same as drift during application). Gotta be careful.


+1. We have cotton fields close by. Definitely have to be careful.


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## Orion Nebula (Apr 22, 2020)

hawkman248 said:


> I tried some 2,4-D (Unison) on clover in my yard last year, just testing it in a few places. Smoked it.
> A broadleaf herbicide - it left the grass just fine. However, various formulations of 2,4-D are known to volatilize after application and then move in the air, killing other broadleaf vegetation nearby. (It's not the same as drift during application). Gotta be careful.


How far away is "nearby"? I have some various bushes, an arborvitae and some drift roses a few inches from the grass line. Not sure if any typical landscaping plants are considered broadleaf though.


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