How To Kill Dandelions With Weed Killer
There are two basic types of dandelion weed killers:
Selective Herbicide
A selective broadleaf herbicide will target broadleaf weeds, i.e. dandelions. This type of herbicide is perfect for use on lawns, as it wont damage the grass or other surrounding ornamental plants.
Non-Selective Herbicide
The second type of weed killer is a non-selective herbicide, which means it will kill any plant it comes into contact with. While this is another effective weed-killer treatment for dandelions, its best used in walkways and flower beds only. Otherwise, youll risk killing your green, lush grass, and other plants within your lawn such as bulbs or meadow flowers.
So depending on the area you are treating be sure you check the manufacturers label and purchase the right product or you will be seriously disappointed with the results.
How To Get Rid Of Dandelions In Borders
Where removal by hand isnt possible in borders and beds, a spot treatment could be the answer, allowing the weed killer to be applied to individual plants. We like RoundUp Precision Gel Weed & Grass Killer from Amazon. The gel is applied to the leaves, so other plants arent affected, and it promises to kill the roots of dandelions so they dont come back.
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Why Is Trugreen Bad
Although a growing pool of research links exposure to the pesticides used by TruGreen ChemLawn to nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and headaches and chronic illnesses like lymphoma, leukemia, bladder cancer, and learning disabilities, the USEPA continues to register these pesticides for commercial and residential use.
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How Can I Naturally Kill Dandelions
Is there a solution I can spray on dandelions instead of pulling them up? Not Roundup…. does vinegar, dawn soap and Epson salts work? Or is there a better one?
Dandelion plants are difficult to kill because of the long tap root, small pieces of which can grow again. Dandelions are perennial weeds, living several years. They lose their leaves in the fall, then grow again in the spring.
The best time to control them is in the fall when dandelions are transferring sugars from the leaves down into the roots for winter storage. At this time herbicides will also get taken down into the roots to help kill the dandelion. Triclopyr is effective against dandelions, and does not kill grasses. Be sure and carefully read the instructions on the herbicide container for proper dilution, safety and application rates.
Household vinegar is not strong enough to kill dandelions. Household vinegar is only 5% acetic acid. Horticultural vinegar which is used to kill weeds is 20% acetic acid. That’s a very strong acid and can cause significant injury to you.
Dawn detergent won’t affect the dandelion, and epsom salts are magnesium sulfate. If your soil is deficient in magnesium epsom salts can provide it, acting like a fertilizer.
If you want to control dandelions without herbicides the best way would be to pull the dandelion when the soil is soft and moist and much of the tap root can be removed. You can also cut off the dandelion 4-5 inches below the surface.
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.
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Get Rid Of Dandelions With Corn Gluten Meal
Corn gluten is a pre-emergent herbicide. Pre-emergent means it is applied before weed seeds germinate. For best weed-killing results, apply twenty pounds of corn gluten per 1,000 square feet into the lawn. Then lightly water it to help the absorption of the corn gluten.
Be sure to apply only in areas where you have unwanted plants because it may kill not just the dandelion seeds but other plants as well .
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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.
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Killing Dandelions Without Damaging Your Lawn
Some people love how dandelions look. Children may love to play with them. We have all blown the white fluffy seeds across the grass or stopped to pick a bright yellow flower. But if you are a homeowner, they may be infesting your yard and becoming a nightmare for your lawn.
So, how do you kill dandelions without damaging your lawn? The best way to kill dandelions without damaging your lawn is by pulling them out the old-fashioned way or by using a broadleaf herbicide. While this can be a time-consuming task, your dandelion-free lawn will be well worth the effort.
Dandelions are among the subset of weeds called broadleaf perennials, which are notoriously challenging to remove. Once a dandelion plant has fully established its 10-inch-long taproot, the weed will come back year after year, spreading its spawn across your lawn. That long root is the key to total extermination. If you want to truly rid yourself of a dandelion, you must kill or remove all of the taproots, or the unwanted sprout will come back again with a vengeance.
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Why Are Dandelions So Hard To Get Rid Of Theyre Built To Survive
Its not your imagination, dandelions are one of the most difficult weeds to control. The anatomy of a dandelion makes them a formidable foe and difficult to eradicate. They easily evade your mower blades by hugging the ground as they grow.
Dandelions produce an abundance of seeds, with or without cross-fertilization from another flower. The parachute-like seed structure makes them ideal for traveling freely on even the slightest breeze, expanding the weeds territory far and wide. There can be anywhere from 50 to 170 seeds on a single flower head and a single plant can producewait for itmore than 5,000 seeds annually! A prolific nuisance.
Dandelions grow deep, sturdy taproots, generally 618 in length and in ideal conditions they can grow to feet in length! By the time you see the dandelions bright golden flowers, its already well established. Undisturbed, dandelions can live for 10 to 13 years.
Although they grow best in moist soil and full sun, once established, theyll survive in dry and shady conditions. Youll find them growing in your lawn where grass cover is thin, in bare patches and compacted soilweeds often prefer places where grass would struggle.
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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.
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How Do I Remove Dandelions Without Damaging My Lawn
My lawn is infested with dandelions. Although they’re benign, the flowers are fun to play with and the plant has several useful properties, it sure is an eyesore and I’d like to get rid of it. How can I eradicate this weed without damaging my lawn?
There are several ways of removing these dandelions from your lawn:
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If you have a cool-season lawn and are happy to take the chemical route, you could use a selective weedkiller containing 2,4-D or MCPP, such as Trimec, Speedzone or Momentum, which are best applied in mid-spring or early fall
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You could hand-weed using this tool which has received excellent reviews, and would make your task much easier however, bear in mind that if you leave even a small fragment of dandelion root in the soil, it will produce a new plant.
Good lawn maintenance is also essential to keep your lawn weed-free:
When we moved into our current home 4 years ago, the front and back lawns were covered in dandelions . I didn’t want to go the herbicide route, and after speaking with my mum, she said the only way to truly get rid of dandelions is to hand remove them and recommended using a small hand garden trowel for doing so.
I didn’t have a “small hand garden trowel”, instead I bought a small builders trowel and used that for 3 years:
Then last year on clearance I picked up a Fiskars Softouch Weeder:
Both of the above hand-tools have worked well in removing dandelions .
If you wish to read more about how I approach “organic” lawn care, go here on SE:
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Dont Let Seeds Sprout
Killing actual dandelion plants is one tactic in the war on this weed. Another is creating an environment where dandelion seeds cant successfully germinate. To do this, use a pre-emergent herbicide like corn gluten meal or Preen. This type of weedkiller interferes with seed germination, which means seeds cant produce a plant. Use corn gluten meal in fall and early spring . Another technique to make your yard unfriendly to dandelion seeds is to mulch planting beds, and dont cut your lawn shorter than 2 to 3 inches. Taller grass grows thicker, shading soil so dandelion seeds cant sprout.
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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.
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S To Get Rid Of Dandelions Organically Or Using A Weed
- The Organic way digging the weed out by hand, following up using common-sense methods of preventative garden maintenance.
- The weed killer method that completely kills the whole plant and root in one go.
When I’m clearing dandelions and other broad leafed weeds from lawns, even small areas, I avoid using the expensive branded glyphosate based weed-killers like roundup and instead dilute the concentrated (360g/l glyphosate available here. It is cheaper and works better!
Click on the amazon advert for more information about treating dandelions with a weed killer that kills the whole plant and the root.
I was going to promise a way to eradicate dandelions completely, but here are two reasons I can’t.
How Do Dandelions Spread
Each dandelion plant makes about 15,000 seeds that spread like parachutes in the wind. These invasive weeds can travel as far as the breeze will take them. Even though dandelion seeds dont live long in the soil, they dont get dormant. They can germinate instantly in the same year the plant matures.
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S For Easy Dandelion Removal
- Wet the soil around the plant so that it is moist and easy to dig
- Insert your weed remover tool down below the dandelion roots
- At the same time that you pull up on the stem and flower of the plant, put up with the weed remover tool
- As you do this, you should feel the entire plant become loose, and you will help prevent more dandelion seeds from germinating by removing the whole plant
- Ensure that the entire taproot is out and if you have any doubts, apply a herbicide in the area where the hand pulling took place
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:
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Tips For Removing Dandelions
If you’re serious about nontoxic removal methods, purchase a dandelion puller. This garden tool is specifically built to get the job done.
Horticultural vinegar can be used in place of a chemical herbicide. The high level of acetic acid gives it an herbicidal punch. But note that vinegar kills grass, so be very careful during application.
For at least two or three days before applying herbicide, don’t mow the lawn. The bigger the dandelion leaves are, the more effective your application will be. Likewise, wait at least two or three days before mowing after your application to allow time for the chemical to be transferred to the roots.
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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.
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Hand Digging For Dandelion Removal
The most effective, but also the most time consuming, method for dandelion control is hand digging them. Hand digging should be done in the spring, right when the first dandelion seedlings appear. Special dandelion pullers or similar tools can be bought to help with hand digging.
When hand digging as a way of how to kill dandelions, it is important to remember that you must remove the entire taproot of the dandelion. Dandelion taproots can run deep.
Because dandelion taproots grow deep, it is unlikely that you will kill every dandelion in your yard during the first round of hand digging. Every few weeks, hand dig any dandelions that re-emerge from their taproots.
How To Prevent Dandelions
Your first defense against dandelions is to make sure you have a nice, thick, healthy lawn. That means don’t mow too short or too often because you’ll invite weed seeds to sprout in scalped areas. Know the proper mowing height for your grass if you’re not sure what you have, your local university coop extension service can help you identify the species in your yard.
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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.