Do Granular Post Emergent Herbicides Work
Im not a big fan of granular post emergent herbicides for controlling dandelions. Once a dandelion plant is already establish youre going to have much better results using the weed puller, spot treating, or blanket spraying.
Granular post emergent herbicide products like Weed N Feed require very specific conditions to get the herbicide to stick to the plant. Even then, these products have mixed results.
Ortho B Gon Weed Killer For Lawns Concentrate Best Spray Concentrate
Ortho Weed B Gone Weed & Dandelion killer is for use on lawn and grass with a no harm guarantee. Their formula contains three base ingredients to create a powerful fast-acting weed-killing that is safe to use across a broad range of grass types including Bermudagrass, Buffalograss, Fescues, Kentucky Bluegrass, Ryegrass, and Zoysiagrass.
This product range offers four different types of applications, a Trigger Spray Bottle, Comfort Wand, Handy Ready To Spray, or a Concentrate for use with a tank or backpack sprayer. A product of this type is ideal for using as a Comfort Wand or Ready To Spray application for convenience.
How To Use: Spray the dandelion killer directly onto the weed, allowing the plant to absorb the liquid through its leaves. The killing agent works its way down to the roots of the week to destroy it. This fast-acting dandelion killer is rain-proof within 1 hour of spraying.
This product requires contact with the weed itself, not the soil. In my experience, it takes around 10 days to see a clear sign of the dandelions being destroyed. I would estimate around 90% of the plants were killed with the first application.
Pros
Why Are They Tough To Kill
Their overall hardiness and ability to spread an abundance of seed can make dandelions tough to control.
Unlike a lot of broad leaf weeds, dandelions dont die at the end of the growing season. Instead, dandelions are perennial meaning they go dormant during the winter months but will reappear in the spring.
Dandelions are also tough to kill because of their long tap root. A single tap root anchors deep into the soil making manual removal difficult. Its almost impossible to remove the full root of a mature plant with your bare hands, and if you dont remove the whole root then the plant will likely survive.
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How To Prevent Dandelions From Coming Back
Getting rid of your dandelion plants is only half the battle. They will come back if the entire root system isnt removed or killed. And because youre dealing with a perennial, you can expect the same plants to pop up year after year until you use the correct lawn management strategy. Experts recommend this three-point dandelion-prevention strategy:
How To Prevent Dandelion From Growing
Now, the time has come to answer your question, How to prevent a Dandelion from Growing.
1) The best defense against dandelions is to keep the grass lush, and healthy. Cut your lawn to the appropriate height irrespective of the grass variety you have. Why? Because a large lawn shadows the soil, preventing the germination of dandelion and other seeds. In a single cutting, never remove more than one-third of the grass blade.
2) Mowing down dandelions when theyre blooming can help prevent them from spreading too. Although it isnt a way to get rid of dandelions, it is a very effective way to keep thousands of dandelion seeds from flying into your yard.
3) If dandelions appear in your landscape or garden, mulch to a depth of 23 inches to prevent them from growing. Its simple to pick the entire plant if you detect dandelions growing on the mulch.
4) After handling the dandelions, you might want to try a pre-emergent herbicide four to six weeks before they grow. It wont destroy the weeds that are already there, but it will assist prevent seeds from developing. Furthermore, use fertilizer regularly to keep your grass healthy and lush, which is your best defense against dandelions.
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Scuff And Spray Works
This dandelion was scuffed just prior to spraying a weedkiller. It died quickly and completely, never to return. The best time to spray dandelions is in the fall, because this is when plants are naturally shifting materials from leaves to roots for winter storage. Weedkiller applied in fall moves directly to roots, which helps get rid of dandelions permanently. Avoid using lawn weed and feed products in fall to kill dandelions, though, because if your lawn goes dormant for winter, it won’t absorb the fertilizer. Instead, any weeds present take up the fertilizer and grow stronger.
How To Successfully Identify Dandelions
Other names
Lions tooth, blowball, clock flower, Irish daisy, tell time, puffball, priests crown
Characteristics
This common weed is easy to misidentify as there are other plants that have similar leaves. However, the way to distinguish the difference is to look at the dandelions leaves and stems: hairless with toothed edges and only one flower per stem. The deeply toothed leaves emerge from the plants crown at ground level and the puffball seeds of the flower look like hairs that can be blown with the slightest breeze. These seeds can travel as far as 5 miles with the help of the wind!
Origin
Dandelions are native to Europe, but they were unintentionally introduced in the 15th century to America, Australia, and just about everywhere else in the world by European settlers. Dandelions were cultivated in gardens and used for food and medicine before getting out of control. Since the mid-1600s, they proved to spread like a weed through continents.
Growing conditions
With over 250 species that grow all over the world, dandelions are thought to thrive just about anywhere: from forests and gardens to fields or even wastelands. Basically anywhere with adequate sunlight and soil temperatures of 50-75 degrees Fahrenheit can be the hotspot for dandelion growth. This perennial weed grows in hardiness zones 3 through 10 and especially loves moist soil to thrive.
Relatives
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How To Get Rid Of Dandelions In A Lawn With Weed Killer
If working by hand wont solve this weed problem, you might want to know how to get rid of dandelions from a lawn with weed killer. If this is the route you take, be aware that herbicides can be harmful to other plants and be mindful of the implications for humans and wildlife.
A weed killer containing 2,4-D or dicamba, for example, can kill dandelions in lawns with one or two applications necessary. Always make sure the weed killer you select is suitable for the type of grass in your lawn, and follow the manufacturers instructions.
Boiling Water And Vinegar
Mix some boiling water and vinegar together and pour it all over the dandelions in question.
Then, remove the plant with a weeding knife or spade and fill the hole up with the solution to prevent any growing back.
This is a very effective solution, but it will destroy any nearby plants and leave the area barren for a while.
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Get Rid Of Dandelions With Vinegar
Vinegar is very often used as a natural ingredient in the recipe. It also works as the fastest and effective anti-dandelion. Here is the vinegar weed killer that you can choose for your next purchase-
You have poured down little vinegar the center of the dandelion plant, quite simply. Be sure the vinegar reaches the roots of the dandelion. It is better to mix 1-litter vinegar and 1-liter water and spray on dandelion plants with a spray gun.
For an even more effective result add coarse salt to the base of the dandelion before pouring the vinegar. This is the quick way of eliminating dandelions, so what are you waiting for? Test it right now on your lawn.
How To Prevent Dandelions
As with most ailments, prevention is the best medicine, and the best way to avoid dandelions in your yard is to have a thick carpet of lush, dense grass. This literally “weeds out” your enemies, leaving no room for them to grow in the first place. But if it’s already too late, and the enemy is upon you, never fear. There are multiple weapons at your disposal.
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Are There Any Benefits To Leaving Dandelions In Your Lawn
The main benefit for most gardeners is that the dandelion flowers are a bee-friendly plant, providing bees with valuable nectar. But some people eat dandelions and like to grow them as edible flowers: for instance, the young, peppery, vitamin-rich leaves can be added to salads.
Anyone plagued by dandelions in their lawn may shriek with horror at learning that in times gone by dandelion was cultivated as an herb for food and medicine. The plant is a diuretic, which explains another of its common names: pee-in-the-bed . The flowers were once used to make wine and, during World War II, the roots were used to make a coffee substitute.
If you fancy trying dandelion coffee, it is sold in most health food shops, as is dandelion herbal tea, which is drunk to aid digestion. Fizzy, delicious dandelion and burdock pop has been drunk in Britain since the Middle Ages and is similar to root beer.
If you’ve been considering rewilding part of your garden, a good option could be to let dandelions grow on a section of your lawn to help boost the wildlife in your plot.
Regular Feeding Of The Lawn
A weak and unhealthy lawn is at more of a threat than one that is treated with love. Be sure to invest in a high-quality fertilizer and feed your lawn regularly during growing season. This helps your lawn stay weighty and full, leaving little space for weeds like dandelions, meaning a lack of direct sunlight for the pesky little plants to grow, giving you a happy garden.
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Pulling Dandelions By Hand The Natural Way
Hand pulling dandelions is one of the best ways you can get rid of them. If you do this at the right time of year, you can pull out the whole plant, including the root. Early spring or early fall are the best times of year to clear your yard of dandelions.
In spring, new seedlings wont have taken hold. In fall, mature plants wont have the chance to store nutrients in their roots to survive winter frosts. So, when spring comes, any remaining roots should have died, and your yard will be dandelion-free. Pulling these weeds or digging them out is also easier when the soil is wet. You stand a much better chance of removing the whole weed intact. Leaving behind even the smallest part of the taproot can allow the dandelion to grow back.
To hand pull dandelions, try following these steps:
Endure The Dandelions On The Lawn
Why do you want to snatch dandelions from the lawn at all costs?
Did you know that dandelions are generally a sign of good health in your land? So why not just run the mower every week to remove the dandelions. Also, the dandelion plant is not in bloom throughout the summer so why so much effort to eliminate dandelions?
Look at how good it is to take beautiful pictures of dandelions.
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Tip : Enjoy The Dandelions
America has waged a ware on dandelions for the past 50 years but are they really that bad? The yellow flowers can be beautiful in the Spring. The roots break up compacted soil. The leaves are very nutritious and are sold at the grocery store as an expensive addition to salads! You can even enjoy a Dandelion Tea that is an alternative to coffee. So, if fighting dandelions seems like too much work, just sit back and enjoy the flowers. But, if you don’t like dandelions, it’s important to know that you can minimize them without resorting to chemicals.
Why Do Dandelions Need To Be Removed From Lawns
A dandelion is a perennial weed that takes root in lawns, borders or on hard surfaces, like paths or driveways. Their dark green base leaves remain all year round and the yellow flowers appear between March and October.
These plants flower quickly and once they take hold, they will spread quickly. Before you know it, you could have more of these persistent weeds than you have grass.
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Use Boiling Water As Natural Weed Killer
One of the best home remedies for killing dandelion weeds or to get rid of moss in your lawn is to use boiling water. This natural weed killer requires minimal prep work and no added chemicals to kill dandelions and other weeds down to the roots.
Start by pouring the pot of boiling water over the whole plant, including dandelion leaves, flowers, and down around the soil to ensure it soaks down into the roots. You should notice the results within four hours. Once the flower has turned brown and dried up, itll be even easier to pull the entire plant, including the roots, from the soil.
While fantastic at getting rid of unwanted plants, this method will also kill any plants it touches, including grass, so be careful when using it. The best way to use this technique without harming other plants is to pour it over dandelions that are a safe enough distance away from other plants in your garden.
It is also the perfect dandelion killer, a way to kill grass naturally that is growing in gravel areas, to use on plants growing in concrete or between pavers, or as a quack grass killer for lawns.
Use boiling water as the best homemade chickweed killer for lawns, as well. The only trick to this method is protecting yourself from getting burned and ensuring you only pour the water on the plants you want to kill.
Boiling water is also an excellent way to get rid of unwanted ant piles that may be scattered throughout the yard. This method is easy and cheap and quite effective.
How To Prevent Dandelions From Growing
Maintaining a lush, healthy lawn is your best defense against weeds, including dandelions.
Tips for Preventing Dandelions from Sprouting
- Cut your lawn at the optimal height for your grass variety/ies. A thick lawn shades the soil, helping to prevent dandelion and other weed seeds from germinating. Never remove more than one-third of the grass blade in a single cutting.
- You can help prevent dandelions from spreading by mowing down them down when theyre bloomingbefore they go to seed. Although its not a method for getting rid of dandelions, its very effective in helping to prevent thousands more dandelion seeds from blowing throughout your yardand your neighbors.
- If dandelions are showing up in your landscape and garden, mulch to a minimum depth of 23 to keep them from growing. If you see dandelions growing on the mulch, its easy to pick the entire plant.
- Once you gain some control over the dandelions, you might consider a pre-emergent herbicide applied four to six weeks before dandelions generally sprout. It wont kill existing weeds, but it will help prevent seeds from germinating.
- Fertilize regularly with Milorganite to help maintain a healthy, lush lawn, which is your best defense against dandelions and other weeds.
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Plucking Them By The Heads
If you cant be bothered going to the effort of digging down to the roots to remove dandelions permanently from your lawn you can simply focus on the head.
If you only have a few dandelions to deal with this may be all thats required.
You will have to do this once or twice a week though as they will grow back.
You also have to make sure you remove the heads before they get to the puffball stage.
Once theyve had a chance to transform to this stage, they can quickly spread around your lawn.
This can lead to dozens, or even hundreds of dandelions depending on the size of your lawn.
At that stage, simply plucking of the heads will probably be too much work to be practical.
Killing Dandelions With Herbicide
It’s best to avoid using chemicals when alternative weed protocols exist. However, if your pulling efforts don’t eliminate the problem, you might want to use a broadleaf herbicide as a last resort. However, make sure you check safety warnings on the product for kids, pets, and the environment. And verify that it won’t kill wanted plants, including your grass.
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How To Remove Dandelions From Your Yard
- Pin
- Skill Level: Beginner
- Estimated Cost: $0 to 20
Dandelions, with their little yellow flowers and fluffy seed puffs, can be a nuisance to gardeners when they pop up where they’re not wanted. Above ground their seeds ride the wind currents to propagate the species. And below ground the weed sends down a taproot up to 10 inches long that can be difficult to remove in its entirety. Gardeners typically approach dandelion removal in two ways: pulling the plant or spraying it with herbicide.
