White clover

I have white clover growing in both my front and back yards. I realize that a lot of folks like the white clover, that it has beneficial aspects for insects, and that it is a nitrogen fixer and is good for the soil.... But I also know it is actually outcompeting and shading out my turf. Its growing in such thick mats that nothing else can get established. It has begun to take over my perennial beds and I spent 3 hours cutting out the top 1/2" + of soil in order to remove the mess. Anyone have any ideas of how to control it without spraying my entire yard with roundup?

Most likely your lawn is low in nitrogen which favors the clover and impedes the grass. A blend is great, but you have to give the lawn what it needs to thrive alongside the clover. If you're like me, tending the lawn is not nearly as fun as gardening. LOL. But if you want a nice lawn you have to follow a regular regimen of liming, fertilizing, aerating, and over-seeding each year. I use organic fertilizers like alfalfa pellets in the spring and soybean meal in the fall. There is lots of good info on the web on how to maintain an organic lawn regimen. : )

I find regular weeding generally keeps it out of the garden beds as does a good mulch to cover bare soil.

2,4d will remove it but if the soil is poor you'll have bald spots. Many people grow clover for years, let the clippings return, to enhance the soil. That way i can feed the soil and not over due it. Keep the kids and dogs off the clover if you use 2,4d. It has been implicated in canine bladder cancer, and birth defects.