CINCINNATI — April showers bring May flowers, but many in the Tri-State say they have yards full of weeds instead.
Homeowners like Stan McGhee say they’ve seen dandelions all over their neighborhoods this year.
"There’s been a lot more dandelions this year, and they're traveling from yard to yard," McGhee said.
McGhee used to work in lawn care services and treats his yard for dandelions, but even with a treatment, he is still mowing his lawn more frequently than usual.
"I have a program that I use that helps to control them, but I’ve still been getting more than I normally do because of them traveling from yard to yard," said McGhee.
WATCH: Why dandelions are taking over yards in the Tri-State this year
We spoke with Ron Robben, who is the third generation owner of Robben Florist and Garden Center, and asked him why the Tri-State is seeing more dandelions this year.
"The flower is in full bloom, and (when) wind blows, it can blow that seed, and that’s what you’re seeing," Robben said. "And with the storms this year, we’ve had a lot more and we had a lot more rain, and I think that’s what’s causing you know more of the dandelions."
Robben said the rain also causes grass and weeds to grow quicker, meaning people mow their lawns more. Which can also spread dandelion seeds.
Some people want to keep dandelions in their yards, as they’re one of the early pollinators for bees. And Robben said neither keeping nor removing dandelions is the wrong choice.
For those who do wish to remove them, Robben said the best method is to treat your yard with a weed killer.
"There is a product it's made by Ferti-Lome, it’s called Weed Out, and you can spray your yard," said Robben. "If you don’t have a lot of them, then you can do what we call a spot treatment."
If you prefer a more natural method for removing dandelions, Robben said there are some home remedies, but they don’t always work the best. He said the next best thing is picking them out by hand, but warns that shaking them can also spread the seeds.
