Dandelions (lawn, landscaping, grow, grass)

[Sarah Maske]

Hi All,

In MN we are prone to profuse Dandelion problems this time of year. Last year we dug them out, all roots and so on. This year, the problem is worse than ever. We have a neighbor who has it really thick in their yard and they don't do anything about it, so obviously the seeds are finding their way to our yard.

There are patches in the yard that are ALL Dandelion and NO GRASS and our yard is very large. We have two small dogs and I have concerns about spraying. Does anyone have any recommendations about what could be used to kill the Dandelions? Is there one broadleaf weed killer that is more effective or safer than others? Any suggestions are helpful! Also, please share your thoughts about killing Creeping Charlie. I have heard it's completely futile! Again, the safety of my pets would be a concern when it comes to killing any of these invasive plants.

Thank you!
Sarah

[mystree]

I'm in southern Minnesota and I have the same problem,they are everywhere.

[Aconitum]

Originally Posted by Sarah Maske

Hi All,

In MN we are prone to profuse Dandelion problems this time of year. Last year we dug them out, all roots and so on. This year, the problem is worse than ever. We have a neighbor who has it really thick in their yard and they don't do anything about it, so obviously the seeds are finding their way to our yard.

There are patches in the yard that are ALL Dandelion and NO GRASS and our yard is very large. We have two small dogs and I have concerns about spraying. Does anyone have any recommendations about what could be used to kill the Dandelions? Is there one broadleaf weed killer that is more effective or safer than others? Any suggestions are helpful! Also, please share your thoughts about killing Creeping Charlie. I have heard it's completely futile! Again, the safety of my pets would be a concern when it comes to killing any of these invasive plants.

Thank you!
Sarah

dandelions are edible. i'd just let them grow & eat them. help yourself to your neighbor's, too. when they see you out there picking them for salads, they might be offended enough or weirded out enough by you to kill them off & you won't have to worry about it.

[hcgCali]

Scot's Turfbuilder Plus2

[Rtom45]

Any of the Ortho products labeled for broadleaf weed control. Or go to one of the big box stores and buy the lesco product for brodleaf weed control in lawns. Follow the label directions and apply accordingly. Most products applied as a spray are more effective than granules. Most have been tested repeatedly and are safe if applied according to the label. You will commonly see instructions that allow you to re enter a treated area after the application has dried. If you are concerned about your pets, just treat half your lawn one time and the rest at a later date. These will also kill creeping charlie, but will probably require repeat applications.

[wit-nit]

Quote Sarah; We have a neighbor who has it really thick in their yard and they don't do anything about it, so obviously the seeds are finding their way to our yard. Quote.

In many city's there are laws about nuisance yards, especially invasive weeds. You may want to contact your city inspector about this problem and let the city talk, or cite, your neighbor and help you get rid of those obnoxious weeds.

[andthentherewere3]

Dandelions are everywhere here, too. And in our town, homes are on mostly one+ or more acre lots, so digging dandelions out by hand isn't an option when you've got hundreds. And even if you kill them all out one year, their seeds can prompt new plants the following year. And it doesn't help if your 4 year likes to pick them and blow the seeds everywhere.

Last year I tried a spray that hooks up to the water hose, I think it was by Ortho. It killed all the living dandelions at the time, and this year it's just the "offspring" of last year's dandelions I'm dealing with. The spray was surprisingly effective. We also have two dogs and two cats that go out in the backyard; I just kept them off the grass until it dried, which was a matter of hours. I think if you use the spray in combination with a preventative such as Scott's Turfbuilder Plus2, you can effectively rid your yard of most, if not all dandelions eventually.

I did try a natural solution for preventing dandelions once, made with corn. The dandelions loved it, and thrived.

[Sarah Maske]

Originally Posted by andthentherewere3

Dandelions are everywhere here, too. And in our town, homes are on mostly one+ or more acre lots, so digging dandelions out by hand isn't an option when you've got hundreds. And even if you kill them all out one year, their seeds can prompt new plants the following year. And it doesn't help if your 4 year likes to pick them and blow the seeds everywhere.

Last year I tried a spray that hooks up to the water hose, I think it was by Ortho. It killed all the living dandelions at the time, and this year it's just the "offspring" of last year's dandelions I'm dealing with. The spray was surprisingly effective. We also have two dogs and two cats that go out in the backyard; I just kept them off the grass until it dried, which was a matter of hours. I think if you use the spray in combination with a preventative such as Scott's Turfbuilder Plus2, you can effectively rid your yard of most, if not all dandelions eventually.

I did try a natural solution for preventing dandelions once, made with corn. The dandelions loved it, and thrived.

Thank you for your helpful comments. I have heard of the corn solution. There was an article on "green" weed killer solutions. There is a company here who does it and it's pretty expensive. I have heard that after the first couple of applications of this solution, the weeds explode and are huge...but it's suppose to work by making the weed grow too fast while minimizing its root system, making the plant too big that its root system can't support the plant so it dies off. For those who've tried it, it worked but it took a long time. I can't afford this technique as it was somewhere around $300+ for the first few apps. (I'd rather buy more perennials with that money!).

I will try that Ortho spray accompanied with the Turfbuilder Plus2.

Thank you!

[Dave1215]

Originally Posted by Rtom45

Or go to one of the big box stores and buy

Originally Posted by Sarah Maske

I will try that Ortho spray accompanied with the Turfbuilder Plus2.

I fought my Dandelions for years and used the name brand products from the "big box stores" - never was happy with the results.

I then was talking to a master gardener who said a lot of the formulations differ between what is sold to the big box stores versus what is sold to professional garden centers. Encouraged me to go to a true garden center (not one set up at the big box) and get their like product. Did that this year and I have never been happier - most dandelions are gone... I then got their spot treatment spray for dandelions so I could attack the misc ones - for this first time in 14 years you don't see dandelions in my yard.

The only difference between this year and all prior years is I bought my product from a true garden center and not a big box store.

Paid more, but from this actual experience it was well worth the money.

[Rtom45]

Dave:
I worked for a landscaping company for 7 years and have supervised grounds crews at 2 colleges for over 27 years. I will never pay top price for brand names. Look for the active ingredient in the name brand then purchase that ingredient in an "off" brand. If the concentration is the same, the product will perform the same.