Killing lawn weeds and safety of our beloved friends.

[DRH1175]

What is everyone doing? I really don't like to use many chemicals on the lawn on fear of my dogs getting sick. What is everyone else doing. I can't stand Dandelions but the well being of my best friend is important too. Every where I have read it states that 2,4-d is not carcinigion to pets. But what are everyone else's thoughts.

[Ryan_V]

My thought is that there are just too many of them for me to even attempt to get rid of them. I live in the country with a large yard and 2 hay fields, so resistance is futile. Plus they dont last too long, so who cares!

[DRH1175]

Good point. I love my pets and am always worried what is put down on my lawn. I just wish I could find a organic household way of controlling the dandelions. Vinigar works great for for a roundup alternative. But it is non selective. and Corn gluten works great as an alternative to preen. only if I could find a dandilion killer that didn't hurt the grass.

[no bait nate]

i've used ortho weed be gone, for a couple of years. works great i just keep the dog off the lawn for a couple days. i think it recomends until it is dry or 24 hours, i just give it a few days to be safe.

[pureinsanity]

Wait till the stuff is dry. I always spray in sections. One day I will do a section of the lawn and two days later I will hit another section. That way I know the dog can be on one side or the other.

Most important thing is watch your dog. They can smell it and will investigate. just don't let them eat anything.

[LABS4ME]

Spot spray with liquid chemical. Keep them off for 24 hours. If you are using an herbicide this is the best approach.

Weed and feeds are actually a bit worse in that the chemical remains accessible on the surface for several days until each granual breaks down.

From what I remember from my chemicals class:

2-4-D is not really all that safe. I don't know if I'd call it a carcinogen or not, but it is in essence a growth hormone. It causes the plant to grow very rapidly (too rapidly) and all of it;s vascualr bundles explode. Thus causing the elimination of food and water having the ability of being transported up and down the plant, thus killing it and it's root.

A safe (but tedious) route would be to apply round-up with a cotton glove put on over a rubber glove. The 2 glove technique basically creates a wick. You dip the fingers into a bucket of round-up and stroke the targeted plant. Keeps from killing off the surrounding grass. Round-up has no carry over, so once it is dry it is 'safe'. It is in the 'salts' family and is not as dangerous to you or your pets as 2-4-D.

Good Luck!

Ken

[bobbymalone]

Not sure how bad your dandelion problem is, but you can just uhh, pull em up. make sure you get all the root though. I pulled about 50 yesterday. Get the soil wet to loosen it up, use one of those screwdriver looking weeding tools, pull slow - easy and no poisons involved.