How do you get rid of a dandelion on your property? The answer is not as easy as it seems. Dandelions are notoriously resilient plants, and even if you’ve tried every method in the book, there’s no guarantee that you will eliminate them for good.
They spread their seeds through the wind and can grow again by sending up new shoots from their 10-inch roots left behind after being pulled out.
Dandelions spread quickly and are hard to control once they’ve taken root, which is why so many gardeners have sworn off them for good.
But there is hope! Understanding how to clear dandelions from lawn will make the process less daunting and give you a good idea of what you need to do to prevent them from coming back.
Contents
- How to Clear Dandelions from Lawn
- 1. Using Herbicides
- 2. Using Vinegar
- 3. Using Hand Tools
- 4. Cultural Control Methods
- 1. Mowing the Lawn
- 2. Irrigation
- 3. Core Aeration
- 4. Feeding Your Lawn
- How to Get Rid of Dandelions in My Lawn
- Step By Step Guide:
- How to Remove Dandelions from Lawn (FAQs)
- What is the fastest way to get rid of dandelions?
- Will dandelions go away in their own?
- Are dandelions bad for your lawn?
- Author
How to Clear Dandelions from Lawn
1. Using Herbicides
The most common way to remove dandelions from lawns is to use herbicides. Essentially there are two types of herbicides you can go for: selective and non-selective.
Selective herbicides target specific plants, leaving others unharmed. This means that they work well on infestations of weeds like dandelions while causing minor damage to the other plants in your lawn.
Non-selective herbicides are much more harmful to your lawn and kill almost all plants in their path, which means that they’re best used only as a last resort.
The best dandelion killer for lawns is a selective broadleaf herbicide which you can find in garden centers and online stores like Amazon. This herbicide contains ingredients that prevent plants from taking water and nutrients, eventually choking them to death.
How quickly this happens depends on the particular herbicide you choose, but a dose applied early in spring is usually enough to kill dandelions.
Ideally, the best dandelion killer that won’t kill grass is one that contains Fluroxypyr or Florasulam, both of which target broadleaf weeds and are safe for use on lawns.
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2. Using Vinegar
Killing dandelions in a lawn with Vinegar is one of the oldest tricks in the book but often a very effective one. The natural acidity makes it useful for eliminating weeds, but you need to be careful about the type of Vinegar you use.
Fill a spray bottle with white distilled Vinegar and then spray the entire plant. The acid in the Vinegar will burn the leaves and roots of the weed, killing them off without harming your lawn. Ideally, doing this on a hot sunny day ensures faster and effective results.
There is a need to apply the Vinegar every time you see a new dandelion sprout. The longer you leave it, the harder it will be for Vinegar to have any impact on your lawn.
After a couple of applications, you’ll notice that the weed starts dying off and can no longer spread seeds in your lawn.
3. Using Hand Tools
Hand tools are often useful for dealing with weeds in lawns because they don’t damage the grass below. You can use them to get right into the middle of the plant without damaging any of its roots, which will give you more time to pull it out and prevent new ones from growing.
A weed puller is often considered the best dandelion removal tool. These forks come with long and wide tines that pry weeds out of the ground without damaging them. Their long prongs also make it easy to reach deep into the lawn.
You can also clear dandelions from the lawn using a hoe to get at the roots. However, this method is more time-consuming. You may have to dig around for a while before the plant comes out of the ground.
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4. Cultural Control Methods
Cultural control doesn’t involve using any form of chemicals but rather using specific procedures to prevent dandelions from coming back into your lawn.
A combination of several cultural control methods is often the most effective way to remove dandelions from lawns.
Some of this methods include:
1. Mowing the Lawn
An excellent way to get rid of dandelions is by ensuring that your lawn is always well-maintained and cut short.
The reason for this is that grass has a hard time growing when it’s already competing with weeds, especially those like the dandelion, which can spread seeds pretty quickly.
Regular mowing of the lawn prevents new weeds from growing in your yard, and it gives the grass time to grow and fill in spaces where you’ve pulled dandelions out.
2. Irrigation
A lawn that is well-moistened has a hard time growing weeds. Moreover, it is way easier to pull out weeds when the ground is wet, and you can spend a lot of time looking at your lawn rather than pulling out dandelions.
It’s also important to keep in mind that while irrigating, your grass is also getting the water it needs and won’t be as stressed when dandelions start sprouting.
3. Core Aeration
Core aeration is a process where holes are created into the lawn, allowing air and water to get through the ground. These holes also ensure that you can reach deep into your soil to pull out any weeds that may have sprouted there.
This keeps them from spreading seeds in your yard. In addition to dandelions, you can also use core aeration to eliminate other types of weeds.
4. Feeding Your Lawn
Another critical cultural control practice is feeding your lawn. Maintaining the health of your grass means it will have enough energy to grow and fight off weeds, including dandelions.
Choosing an organic fertilizer for your lawn will also improve its overall health and make it more effective at fighting against weed growth.
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How to Get Rid of Dandelions in My Lawn
Step By Step Guide:
- Ensure the ground is wet. Irrigate the soil and mow your lawn to ensure it is damp or moist.
- Pull out the dandelions. Use a weed puller to remove the dandelion from the lawn
- Apply herbicide on the area where you removed the dandelion. This step is optional. Suppose you’re using this technique to prevent dandelions from coming back into your lawn. In that case, it’s a good idea to apply an herbicide on the area where you’ve pulled out the weed while explicitly targeting the remaining root. This will prevent the weed from growing back.
- Cover with topsoil and re-seed the area. After applying the herbicide, cover the area with a thin layer of topsoil and then re-seed the area. The layer of topsoil will help hold moisture and prevent weeds from coming back in the future.
- Proper Lawn Maintenance. Continue to keep your lawn well-maintained by keeping it irrigated, mowed regularly, and fed with an organic fertilizer to make sure that dandelions do not come back.
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How to Remove Dandelions from Lawn (FAQs)
What is the fastest way to get rid of dandelions?
The fastest way to get rid of dandelions is through a combination of cultural control practices and chemical-based weed control.
The cultural control methods described above will ensure that your lawn stays healthy while giving it the energy needed to grow and keep weeds away.
Will dandelions go away in their own?
Unfortunately, dandelions are a stubborn weed and will be challenging to get rid of on your own.
They can also spread their seeds effectively through the wind and have deep roots that will still come back to life when you least expect.
Are dandelions bad for your lawn?
Dandelions are not bad for your lawn, but they compete with established grass for nutrients and water.
They also spread seeds that will turn into more dandelions, making it difficult for you to keep your lawn weed-free.
Understanding how to clear dandelions from lawn will keep your lawn healthier and improve its aesthetic value. In this article, we’ve discussed various methods and have given you a step-by-step guide that will help you keep dandelions away from your lawn for good.
The next time you notice a dandelion sprouting up in the cracks of your sidewalk or in between stones on your driveway, grab some gloves and get ready to pull out these plants by their roots.
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