Dandelion Question

[chasineyes]

I see that they are starting to "pop". My question is should I leave my grass grow as long as possible?? I've heard/read that leaving your grass long will help crowd out weeds.

Thanks

!

[harvey lee]

The thicker ones lawn is the less you will get for any broadleaf.

If I only have a few, maybe 6-10 a year, I dig them out. If I have many more, then I use a smaller tank sprayer with a broadleaf spray.

One could leave the grass grow out but to be sure they die, dig them out or use a sprayer and that should end that issue unless you have neighbors who let them go, then they will blow into your yard.

I have found the best defense for broadleafs like I stated above is to get your lawn super thick, weeds then have a hard time popping up. At least this works very well for me.

I aerate my lawn every fall, then overseed it and fertilize it very well every fall. if your lawn is thin, do this and this will really help with the broadleaf issues. I put a fall fertilizer down in the fall and then in the spring it gets it again with a crabgrass killer. I also have the lawn thached every spring before I fertilize. Lot's of work but it sure looks nice.

Only issue with doing this is, you will mow more often but the lawn will get very thick and look green and like a golf course.

MY neighbor was never real good about spraying for broadleafs and I would get some from her lawn. problem cured, I spray her lawn for her and that about ended anything from blowing in. I do not charge her, just happy her lawn is weedfree. Some say I am kind of anal about my lawn, maybe I am.

[Cheetah]

Long grass doesn't stop them in my yard.

[fishersofmen]

I hear you Harvey my lawn is my garden. At least it was before I got my kids dirt bikes.

[cm1977]

Do you have a recommendation on what brand to spray?

Thanks!

[chanfish]

cm,

i use the ortho and buy the bottle that you can hook up a hose to...i tried the dock sprayer but when you have as many as i did, it didnt keep up..i just wanded it throught the lawn and bam the dandies and other weeds were gone too..wish i would have done this years ago..much less time and much more effective esp on big areas..best my lawn has looked..

[Tom7227]

use what you need. If you can get by with a hand held spray bottle go with that. If you need more go with a Hudson sprayer. There are enough chemicals floating around in the world we don't need more. And yeah, I know that the stuff becomes inert after a bit, but it is still a chemical. I think Harvey has it right, do the areas that need it and let the rest go.

I don't think there is a positive benefit to letting your grass grow long. I think that the thickening that Harvey mentions is a product of his work with an aerator and several applications of the correct fertilizer at the proper time of the year. My lawn was terrible when I bought the place and in one season I had it looking good with an aeration, fall fertilizer, a weed and feed in the spring and then a mid-summer light feed with extra iron content.

[otterman91105]

I have also had really good luck with the kind that you hook up to your hose. Easy to use and works well.

[bumleg]

Spray a product called ( Curtail ) kills everything you want killed and will not hurt Grass at all...

[cm1977]

Thanks for your help, I appreciate it!

[Huskie]

Is it too late to spray for broadleafs, I have a few too many in my lawn for my taste. I was thinking of applying some 2 4 d type of herbicide. Also, should you wait a day or two after the lawn is mowed or can you apply the next day?

[jentz]

Fall when the weeds are storing for winter is best.I used to spray every fall with the hose attachment, all 1 & 1/2 acre grass.Then spring I would spot spray with a hudson sprayer.I used to buy the 2-4-D by the gallon.

Its worthless unless every adjoining lot sprays and thats lots a poison!!!

I now enjoy the spring yellow and make some fantastic dandylion wine!!

[fishersofmen]

Is it too late to spray for broadleafs, I have a few too many in my lawn for my taste. I was thinking of applying some 2 4 d type of herbicide. Also, should you wait a day or two after the lawn is mowed or can you apply the next day?

You can apply the next day no worries and yeah spray away. We are always getting new accounts at work all year, many of which are trashed and have never been treated before. Weed control works fine all summer don't get too caught up in the "perfect timing" nonsense.

[Surface Tension]

A weed and feed in Fall when plants are storing up for winter is good but if you didn't do that no problem doing it now.

Like applying fert in the Spring, wait till the dandelions are growing, preferable before they seed.

Personally I wait till I see flowers then hit with 24D. I won't cut for 5 days after. After cutting all traces of dandelions are gone.

Of coarse this has to be timed around wind and rain. The product directions say at least 6 hours before a rain but I'd like to see at least two days. I manage 4 athletic fields + another 3 acres of lawn so I want it to take the first time. I won't see another dandelion the rest of the season and next Spring very few. With a small lawn few enough to get by with a hand sprayer.

The height of the grass won't stop dandelions. What matters is how dense the grass is.

A thick lawn cut to 4" will have less dandelions where a 4" cut on a sparse lawn, dandelions will thrive and beat out the grass.

[flipper]

Save the bees, save the dandelions.

Nothing looks (or is) more sterile than a perfectly manicured suburban style lawn.

[Ufatz]

I have to really wrestle with myself on this dandelion thing. I see the bees all over in the yard and have a very hard time getting excited about blasting any poisonous substance all over. We have a pretty pristine parcel here (and it will always be that way) and we do not touch anything we don't have to. I understand the aversion to those little yellow fuzzy headed devils and what I DO do is mow and bag to get rid of some of the heads BEFORE they get to the fuzzy distribution mode. Or we wait and hand dig them after the peak is over.

We gotta keep the bees happy folks.

[mrg]

get yourself some rabbits, they love them dandelions.

[Moonshine]

I have been having great luck with Ferti-Lome Weed Free Zone. I used to buy the herbicide from Lesco, but I do not have many weeds so the jug would sit around until I gave most of it away to buddies/neighbors. For residential use the Ferti-Lome product is probably all most people need. I really enjoy my perfectly manicured suburban lawn. If you want to attract bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, etc. just plant flower beds that attract what you are after.