dandelions!

my lawn has become overrun with dandelions, does anyone know a good treatment to remedy this problem?

I am not into chemical solutions so I am hoping for something that will not harm any birds, wildlife etc that reside in my garden.

thanks in advance...

 

Dig them out - it's the only way if you don't want to use chemicals. I've found the best tool is a border fork. You sink the prongs into the ground about 7-8 centimetres from the dandelion and gently lever up the whole plant and the surrounding turf. You then tease the dandelion out of the clod, making sure you don't break the tap root or it'll just grow again. You then push the clod back down with your foot. Get rid of the dandelion fast or it may still run to seed if the flower is well developed.

Once you start popping dandelions out of your lawn like this, you'll find it's quite addictive.

 

Hi Sheepy,

You can lay salt over each indiviual dandelion as well.


You can also get weedkiller which comes in a dibber type pen applicator aswell. Should that still fail.

I have to disagree with my friend Flinty here-digging it makes a mess (possibly just me on this) and whilst you can just till over in a flowerbed it is far too conspicuous on the lawn.

 

Take two labrador bitches, let them pee on the lawn and heypresto, it will kill the dandelions and the daisies and the moss and the GRASS!:D:D

 

D'ya know, I was told to use womens wee on weeds before and I thought he was taking the pistachio nut.

 

If I remember I'll take a photo tonight to show you

 

:eek::eek::eek:DEAR GOD:eek::eek::eek:

A photo? Of what?

Please say the dogs.

 

Good God No!!:eek: I mean the lawn

 

cheers everyone,
I had been told about salt before, it seems worth a try.

I contemplated digging them out but there are so many there wouldnt be any lawn left!

 

spray it with verdone, its a selective turf weedkiller and perfectly safe once its dried.

 

Sheepy

Once you've experienced the satisfaction of performing a swift, clean "dandelionectomy", you'll never want to do it any other way. So much free, legal pleasure awaits you.

No, I don't get out much...

 

Nearly forgot the picture Claire:D

 

Thanks Chuckie egg, when I noticed you had replied I was a bit tentative scrolling down.


Phew!

 

It's all in the mind:D Just showing what two lab bitches can do to the grass!:o

 

I use a narrow-bladed dibber-type tool. Don't know what it's called but it has a forked tip. Push it down the side of the dandelion root, and slice the root through well below ground level and lift out the top - foliage and root. Sometimes the bottom of the root will re-grow after a month or two, so you have to do it again, but eventually the dandelion gives up. Regularly raking the lawn prior to mowing also helps supress dandelions.
Verdone may be effective, but the warning on the bottle says don't compost the first mowings. They have to go in the dustbin, so it can't be totally harmless.