Getting Rid of Dandelions

You probably enjoyed them as a child but dandelions can be a pesky weed in anyone’s prized lawn. The dandelion is a perennial, herbaceous plant with long, lance-shaped leaves. The leaves are 3″ to 12″ long, and 1/2″ to 2-1/2″ wide, with the familiar 1-2” bright yellow flower. The flower head can change into a white, globular seed head overnight. Each seed has a tiny parachute, to spread far and wide in the wind. There are few thing to keep in mind when trying to rid your lawns of dandelions.

Hand weeding is not the best cure for dandelions because the more you try to weed them up, the faster they grow. The taproot can grow up to 10 to 15 feet long, but most grow 6 to 18 inches and unless you remove it completely, it will regenerate.

Special dandelion knives and similar specialized tools are available (link to tools) for removing individual weeds and their roots while minimizing soil disturbance (known as grubbing). It is best to remove the plants before they set seed to reduce the potential for further invasion by this weed. To facilitate weeding, water the lawn first (weeds are more easily extricated from wet soil).

A general weed & feed will kill broadleaf weeds (link to weed & feed), such as dandelions once they have germinated. Look for ones that contain 2,4-D, triclopyr, MCPA, or mecoprop. Despite what the package may say, early fall is the best time to kill dandelions with herbicides. Since their leaves die back in winter, it is through their roots that the plants live on. In early fall, nutrients are transferred from the dandelion leaves down to the roots. Herbicides applied during this time are absorbed by the leaves and passed on to the roots, following the same path down as the nutrients.

For at least 2-3 days prior to applying herbicides, don’t mow the lawn. The bigger the surface area of the dandelion leaves, the more effective your application can be. Likewise, following the application of herbicide, wait at least 2-3 days before mowing, to allow time for the herbicide to be transferred to the roots.

Promoting lawn health is the best method of dandelion control. One of the easiest things to do is to mow “high”, leaving the lawn grass at a height of 2 1/2″-3″. This will allow the lawn grass to “protect its own turf” better, depriving dandelions and other weeds of the light they need.

No related posts.