Kill Dandelions In The Lawn
Control Dandelions in the Lawn Even the best cared for lawns will have an occasional dandelion. They are difficult to completely eliminate, and the entire plant of the dandelion needs to be removed or they can grow right back. To rid your lawn of dandelions, use a product such as Scotts® Weed B Gon® MAX. Apply it to the dandelions to kill them without harming the lawn.
Using Other Tools Instead
Its possible to remove dandelions from a lawn using a similar technique with tools readily found around a garden. For instance, run a trowel or screwdriver shaft next to the centre of the plant. This should roughly run down the side of the tap root. Gently, wiggle the trowel or screwdriver to loosen the soil around the tap root. Grip the base of the plant and pull upwards to begin to remove the dandelion from the lawn.
Win The War On Dandelions
The first step in winning any war, including the one against dandelions, is to know your opponent. Equal parts perky and pesky, dandelion plants can live for 5 to 10 years, growing up to 20 inches across. Because they spread by wind-blown seed, no lawn or planting bed is immune to a parachuting invasion of dandelion seeds. Dandelions have some weedy superpowers, but if you understand how they grow, you can beat ’em and get rid of them permanently.
Recommended Reading: Choking Out Quackgrass
How To Remove Dandelions Naturally
Removing dandelions naturally might take a bit more work than just spraying them with chemicals. However, by doing this, youre safe in the knowledge that other plants, grass, pets and children wont be harmed.
There are a few ways you can get rid of dandelions permanently without using Roundup or other herbicides.
These include:
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.
Don’t Miss: Dylox Lowes
Preen Lawn Dandelion Weed Control 10 Lb
Preen Lawn Weed Control treats hundreds of weeds and runs a close second place to Scotts Turf Builder Weed and Feed. The main difference between the two products is the additional fertilizer in the Scotts formula. This has pros and cons. As fertilizers can on occasions cause burn to vegetation if used too aggressively or in very hot sunny conditions, Preen may appeal to folks wishing to apply a treatment mid-summer but are not confident enough to use Scotts.
A really good product and one I can recommend with confidence. Check the latest prices here
Pros
- No fertilizer included
Are Dandelions A Weed
When growing in a pristine, well-kept lawn, a dandelion can be considered a weed, says Dave Holmes of The Grounds Guys. Keep in mind a weed is defined by Merriam-Webster as a plant that is not valued where it is growing and is usually of vigorous growth. However, dandelions do have redeeming qualities.
Don’t Miss: Lowes 0 Turn Lawn Mowers
Spray Surrounding Areas Carefully And Correctly
During dandelion removal, you may not be able to extract all of the taproot, especially in fully developed weeds that have had time to form deeper, more elaborate root systems. Because of this, using a combination of hand pulling and herbicides is recommended for most dandelion outbreaks.
Pouring an herbicide down the open hole after weeding will kill whatevers left of the root in the soil.When killing dandelions with herbicides, ensure youre being careful of surrounding areas. Dont spray on windy days, as this may transport the herbicides to other areas of the flowerbed and kill off plants you want in your garden, versus those that you dont.
Dont use too many applications of herbicide either. In most cases, over-spraying damages the soil and drains it of many of the nutrients needed for other plants and grasses to survive. Weed killers should only be used about once a week to prevent these issues from occurring.
Organic Or Natural Dandelion Killer
There are non-chemical organic herbicides you can use as a safer alternative to chemical weed killers. Organic dandelion killer works in the same way as a chemical herbicide it kills the weeds from the root and prevents them from coming back.
You can spray the organic herbicide to the walkways, along fences, or just anywhere you see dandelions. While using a chemical weed killer has proven to be much more effective not to mention quicker- it may harm pets and children.
Organic dandelion killer takes a little longer to take effect so youll need to apply it more than once. Here are some organic dandelion killer ideas to try:
Corn gluten is an organic pre-emergent herbicide that can be applied using a pump sprayer. For best dandelion-killing results, apply 20 pounds of corn gluten on a 1,000 square foot lawn. If your lawn is bigger, increase the amount of corn gluten appropriately. After spraying the entire lawn, water it thoroughly to help absorb the corn gluten.
Another organic dandelion spray you can use as a post-emergent herbicide is borax, a natural household cleaning product. Simply mix 300 grams of borax powder with 6 liters of water. Pour the solution into a pump sprayer and spray it on dandelion leaves. You will need to spray this homemade weed killer a few times for the best results.
Read Also: Spiders In Lawn
When It Comes To Removing Dandelions Organically A Swiss Army Knife Is The Most Reliable Tool Around
Dandelions as cute and happy as they might look with their bright-yellow flowers can actually become a menace, once the flower transforms into a globe of fluffy seed pods ready to fly off and invade other parts of your lawn and garden.
The Swiss actually came up with the first all-natural and organic method of eliminating dandelions from a lawn.
Its called the Swiss Army Knife.
Remove Dandelions From New Lawns
Its best to apply a selective weedkiller on a weed that resides within a lawn. A selective weedkiller is one that kills broad leave plants, such as dandelions, without affecting narrow leave plants such as grass. Selective weedkillers suitable for new lawns contain should only contain fluroxypyr. Do not use weedkillers containing Dicamba, 2,4-D or clopyralid. Remember to read the instructions and ingredients before applying the weedkiller.
Here are some key points to remember:
- Wait for at least six months before applying any weedkiller to a new lawn.
- Weedkillers containing fluroxypyr can be used on new lawns after 3 months of laying the turf.
- Only apply weedkiller while the weeds are actively growing. If not, the weedkiller will not cycle through the plants vascular system and therefore kill the plant.
- Reapply the treatment if the dandelion does not die within 14 days.
- Small outbreaks of dandelions can be treated with handheld weedkiller guns.
- Larger outbreaks might need to be treated with a weedkiller pump sprayer. It is unlikely that a new lawn will be affected by a large outbreak of dandelions.
- Do not use a non-selective weedkiller such as glyphosate as it will kill any plant it comes into contact with, including your new turf.
You May Like: Estimating Lawn Mowing
How To Get Rid Of Dandelions
Searching the yard for white puffballs to blow is a favorite summer pastime for kids, but most adults are more interested in learning how to get rid of dandelions marring a perfect lawn.
Its understandable. Dandelions are weeds.
Or are they?
Dandelions, which are technically herbs, were first brought to this continent by the colonists, and the yellow flowers and their greens were loved for their numerous health benefits. You can use dandelions to make tea, wine, salads, and other edible side dishes. They are also rich in vitamins and antioxidants.
One cup of dandelion greens contains almost twice as much iron as spinach and over 500 percent of your daily intake of vitamin K, which may play a role in fighting Alzheimers disease, according to the Michigan State University Extension services Michelle Jarvie. root extract has been shown, in some studies, to fight certain types of cancer.
Just the same, few people want the spots of yellow and white seed crowns dotting their fields of green.
How To Kill Dandelions With Herbicide
There are two basic types of herbicide that can be used on dandelions. The first is a selective broadleaf herbicide. A broadleaf herbicide will only kill broadleaf weeds, such as dandelions. A broadleaf herbicide is good for killing dandelions in lawns, as the herbicide will kill the dandelions and not the grass.
The other kind of effective dandelion herbicide is a non-selective herbicide. Non-selective means that the herbicide will kill any plant that it comes in contact with. Non-selective herbicide is effective for spot dandelion removal, such as killing dandelions in flower beds and in walkways.
When using any herbicide for dandelion control, it will work best to apply the herbicide before the dandelion has developed flowers. Once dandelion flowers have emerged, the dandelion is far more resistant to herbicides and the herbicide, broadleaf or non-selective, will not be as effective.
Read Also: Racoons Tearing Up Lawn
How To Use Dandelions
Other than watching out for the rare allergy, “dandelions are safe to eat, use in medicine making, or for external applications,” assures Wiles. She explains that all parts of the dandelionfrom the roots to the flowering topsare high in minerals, essential nutrients, and vitamins. The most common preparations are making dandelion greens or adding the young, raw leaves into salad blends, but other culinary uses include adding them to baked goods, using the unbloomed flower heads like capers and then frying, pickling, brining, or fermenting them for a tangy pop in dishes like puttanesca.
Dandelion leaf or root tea is also said to have benefits for liver, bladder, kidney and gut health. “The bitter taste helps to trigger digestion and breakdown of foods, which leads to better absorption of the nutrients you are putting in your body at meal time,” says Wiles. She adds that the tea can be used to sooth urinary tract infections while the leaf can tame allergies by helping to dry up the mucous membranes. A good source of vitamins C and D, and beta-carotene , dandelions have also been used historically as a mild pain killer and to treat heartburn, bruises, joint pain, and skin problems. For this reason, dandelions are a great ingredient in creating soaps, salves, and, as Wiles suggests, topical oils.
Where Do Dandelions Come From
Dandelions are native to Europe and Asia and have been used as an herb and for medicinal purposes since the Roman Empire. Its rumored that European settlers intentionally introduced them to the new world for medicinal purposes and to remind them of home. Once introduced to foreign lands, there werent the pests and diseases that would normally keep them in check, giving them an unfair advantage over native species.
Read Also: Cancel Trugreen Service
Use Of Selective Weed Killer
Selective weed killer kills broad-leaved weeds and plants, but not the grass. This type of weed killer does not tackle grassy weeds. If your lawn contains unwanted course grass, manual removal is a viable option.
A good time to spray a lawn with a selective weedkiller is before scarifying, but you should ensure to allow enough time for the weed to fully die. Scarifier will remove remaining foliage of the weeds and also remove shallow roots of weeds in most cases
Avoid using selective weedkillers on lawns younger than six months. Your lawn needs to be fully established before the application of certain chemicals. Premature application can cause serious damage to your new lawn. However, some weed killers are safe to use even on a new lawn.
When opting for selective weed killers, bear in mind that a single application may not suffice, especially when dealing with tougher weeds. You can repeat the application during spring and summer and early autumn in six weeks intervals.
For more information about selective weed killers, consult your local supplier. Please make sure to follow the manufacturers instructions before use.
Broadleaf Herbicides: Best Way To Kill Dandelions
When it comes to using a chemical herbicide on weeds, the best dandelion killer spray for lawns is a broadleaf herbicide. Using an herbicide specifically designed for broadleaf weeds allows you to spray areas of your yard without worrying about killing your grass.
Popular name brands like Roundup have a separate product from their weed and grass formulas, which are much more selective in the types of weeds they target than the all-encompassing plant killer of their more traditional herbicides.
The best time to use a broadleaf weed killer on dandelions is in the early fall. At this point in the year, the weeds are storing nutrients and food in their roots and stem to help them survive the winter. Having all those nutrients concentrated in a small area allows the herbicide to efficiently kill the plant by eliminating its food source in a few easy sprays.
Also Check: Houseplant Sticky Stakes Lowes
Remove Dandelions From An Established Lawn
Its best to apply a selective weedkiller on a weed that resides within a lawn. A selective weedkiller is one that kills broad leave plants, such as dandelions, without affecting narrow leave plants such as grass. Selective weedkillers suitable for established lawns contain the following chemicals Dicamba, 2,4-D, clopyralid or fluroxypyr. Remember to read the instructions and ingredients before applying the weedkiller.
Here are some key points to remember:
- Only apply weedkiller while the weeds are actively growing. If not, the weedkiller will not cycle through the plants vascular system and therefore kill the plant.
- Reapply the treatment if the dandelion does not die within 14 days.
- Small outbreaks of dandelions can be treated with handheld weedkiller guns.
- Larger outbreaks might need to be treated with a weedkiller pump sprayer.
- Any grass clippings containing clopyralid shouldnt be added to the compost heap from the first mow. Its fine to add the clippings from the 2nd to 5th mowings to the compost heap however, wait for 9 months before adding them to any borders.
- Do not use a non-selective weedkiller such as glyphosate as it will kill any plant it comes into contact with, including your new turf.
How To Kill Dandelionswithout Chemicals
There are lots of more eco-friendly options to choose from, too. Boiling water, vinegar, salt, and even cornmeal can be used as natural weed killers. BobVila.com recommends the following method: Fill a watering can and moisten the area around each dandelion well to loosen the soil. Dig as deep as you can with a weeding tool, then gently pull the plant and as much of the root out of the ground as you are able. Then, carefully apply the herbicide of your choice at the bottom of the hole, to kill any remaining taproot.
Once your lawn is a beautiful green carpet of dandelion-free happinessand it will be, I have faith in you!spread out a blanket, fix yourself a picnic, and drink a toast to summer.
Follow House Beautiful on .
Recommended Reading: When Should You Fertilize Your Lawn In Colorado
The Organic Way To Get Rid Of Dandelions In Your Lawn
On poor acidic soil you could leave them to grow and “slowly” help improve the soil.
Dandelions love acidic, low nutrient soil. They will continue to grow in this type of soil, slowly helping improve it until it is no longer acidic and is full of nutrients and then, job done they will be crowded out by healthy lawn grass. This Organic method of clearing dandelions from your lawn, could depending on the size of the area, take a long time, but can be sped up by addressing the pH and shortage of nutrients by adding material from your organic compost heap.
An important step if you use this organic method is to behead all dandelion flowers before they go to seed to minimise the volume of seeds. This will speed-up the process, but it is still going to be a slow way of getting rid of dandelions and does take a lot of work initially. Once under control, the removal of the odd dandelion isn’t a major time issue and there is a certain amount of satisfaction to be gained from knowing you have done it mother nature’s way
Even after you have cleared your lawn, you will get seeds from neighbours lawns who don’t bother to keep them under control and the important thing is to keep on top of it.
Another method of removing Dandelions from lawns without damaging the grass or using herbicides, is to dig out the whole plant and root.
These tools make digging out dandelion roots easy the first one is a great invention for removing dandelions, from lawns.
