Any tips on killing those pesky dandelions? I'm specifically looking for the qualities of: effective, cheap, and safe (so the kids aren't poisoned).
Do most weed killers work the same?
Is it a hopeless cause to try to kill off every dandelion?
Should I really worry about safety?
Any help would be super-appreciated. Thanks.
We're in a pesticide/herbicide free zone - about the only recommendations here are to pull them and keep the lawn in good shape to discourage them from taking hold. Its actually amazing how fast you can pull them if you get the good tool. Do a little bit every day or so and its not too bad. And cut the grass often so they cant go to seed.
You have to pick the yellow flower before it turns to the white cottonball. This will help prevent spreading.
I use a liquid weed killer. I have RoundUp now. I like the concentrate and put it in a pump sprayer (should find this right by the weed killer in stores). I like it because you can spot treat the lawn instead of having weedkiller all over the yard. Fill up the sprayer and spray new weeds as they spring up. It dries quickly. I also try and spray when I know it is going to rain the next day, so it washes the excess away.
Works on other pesky weeds too.
You can eat the leaves like John said, they are actually very good for you but if you are looking for Kid - Pet - environment safe try this.
4 cups white vinegar
1/4 cup salt
some dish soap
I just crush the weed a bit to get the juices going and spray the weed. Try to avoid as much grass as you can because it will burn it. Not the most effective or quickest way but safest I have found.
The kids would be heartbroken to have all the pretty yellow flowers gone. LOL! I don't have any good advice for you...it's always been a losing battle with my yard.
Check out my ramblings on life at http://www.sahdguy.blogspot.com/
http://www.arbico-organics.com/beneficial-nematodes.html
I thought my wife was high on crack when she talked about then.... 4 yrs later and no grubs...( the link was more for info not an endorsement )
Chef Kev
Please stop hitting the dog with sticks !!!!!
JPhillip said it, therefor it is, Chef= C=Caring, H=Helpful, E=Excellent, F=Fubar
as long as the yard is mostly green and not brown or dirt, I don't care what's growing.
I'm Not a Slacker
I spread several bags of Scotts fertilizer plus weed control (not the crabgrass kind) over the whole lawn. It seems to have done the trick for all but the 5 to 15 dandelions that pop up on any given day. For those, I use my handy WeedHound tool that I bought. I actually bought two weed-pulling tools: one from Home Depot and one from Lowes. I can't remember which tool came from which store, but the green WeedHound works fantastically on dandelions. It yanks the whole puppy out of the ground, even the ones with the 9" root. I swear some of the roots look like carrots on these things. Ohio dandelions are scary! Anyway, if you go to Home Depot or Lowes to get the tool, don't get the black and orange one that has a single spike/blade. Go to the other store and but the green weedhound tool. It has several little nail-like spikes that grab all around the dandelion root when you shove it into the ground.
I try not to use too many chemicals because of the kids and just to be more eco-friendly. Today, I actually had my smallest boy hanging from my chest in the Bjorn while I walked around the yard popping dandelions out of the ground.
The WeedHound can be found at Home Depot. I have not purchased it yet, but I have always wanted it. Thanks for the review as I have always wondered if it worked as good as it looks.
Randy
Cincinnati, OH
SAHD to Ryder (2 yrs)
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Joined: 2006-11-06
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