Dandelions

[Scott K]

I have already treated my yard with crab crass preventer with fertilizer. Now I have those pretty little dandelions popping up. So now what chemical should I apply to get rid of them?

[fishing tech]

WeedBgon works great.

[Augusta]

Make dandelion wine....

[LwnmwnMan2]

When going to a store to purchase something for the dandelions, don't just automatically look at the cost or whether it's a big bottle or not.

Look closely at the label, and get something where the "a.i." active ingredient is high.

It might be a smaller bottle, as in the form of a concentrate, or a larger bottle, as in something that's already got the water mixed with it, but the percentage of a.i. is where you're going to get your money's worth.

Also, look at the bottle and see how many square feet is covered by that bottle, and use that to determine cost factor as well.

You want something with high a.i., high sq ft coverage, and little price, obviously.

Most anyone will say 2-4-d is the best chemical to look for.

Also, you're probably going to want to shy away from granular applications, since it's not been that long since you put down the crabgrass preventer. If you do use something granular, as in a weed-n-feed, you're going to have twice the fertilizer there for when the ground temps heat up to 65 degrees+ and REALLY be mowing.

Look for a straight liquid broadleaf weed control with no fertlizer.

[Scott K]

Is the stuff that you screw the garden hose on and spray the yard down with it, ok?

[sparcebag]

Yep the best time to apply is fall but it will work now also.

[Eric Wettschreck]

I use 2-4-D.

Be careful if you use this. It will kill pretty much all broadleaf stuff like strawberries and rhubarb.

[LwnmwnMan2]

I'm not sure about any products you can get at a retail outlet.

Everything I use is "specialty" from Lesco.

If you go there to get product, you'll see why it's specialty.

I use 1 oz per 1000 sq ft in my sprayer, so yes, 2.5 gallons will be over $200, but if you only have a 1/2 acre lot, then you're going to use about 25 oz, or about 1.5 pints.

[Tom7227]

Give some thought to buying a concentrated product that you can mix up in small batches. You can then spot apply it to the areas that need it instead of wasting it on the entire yard and getting all that excess chemical into the environment. You can buy a hand pump sprayer, or even just a small one like you use to clean windows with, for a pretty nominal sum. Just be sure to mark that you used it for herbicide. You may want a seperate unit for pesticides when the ants start to drive you nuts.

This is much more economical than the premixed stuff.

[Scott K]

Ok so if you treat the whole yard, does it prevent new ones from coming up, or does it just kill the ones that are there already? Sorry about all the questions! If it doesnt prevent them from coming up, it would make more sense to just spray it where they are now, I would think.

[sparcebag]

It does'nt stop seeds from sprouting,the way I do them every two or three years just to keep them in check,the area yards are full and most dont treat.I do a heavy application in fall when the plants are storing energy in their roots for next year,that treatment gets drawn into the root,then next spring I'll do another spotting treatment which works but not as well as the fall time treatment.And it does kill the new sprouting plants but the majority are gone from the fall application.

[Augusta]

I do the fall treatment as well. It seems to work the best.

[Fish Toys]

2-4-D is a contact herbicide. If you haven’t treated the yard before I would spray it this spring and again in the fall after the first hard frost. When you do spray make sure the temperature is fairly warm out or it will take a long time for the chemical to work. Up here I haven’t even thought of spraying anything yet being it’s been so cool and our ground was white with snow this AM. Any chemical works best on actively growing plants. After you do the treatment don’t mow it for a few days so the chemical has enough time to be absorbed into the plant. READ the Label and make sure you don’t get any overspray on any plants you don’t want to kill like the wife’s flowers.

[Scott K]

I did spray last fall, I only have a few popping up in my yard, but I thought I should spray again now, before they get out of hand. Well maybe when it stops raining!

[sparcebag]

If ya got a pump sprayer,just spot spray when ever you see em commin up.

[paul pachowicz]

2-4d is a systemic broadleaf herbicide. I work on a golf course and use it twice a year. In the spring and in the fall. For a home owner the best time to spray in the spring is right after the 1st puffs are off the stem. Reason being is the plant now has turned all it's attention to absorbing nutrients for it's next production of seed. Ergo, the plant is taking IN the herbicide at a greater rate translocating it to the root system where the kill place. In the fall the same thing goes on. The plant is taking all it can for the winter. But, that doesn't mean you shouldn't hit em anytime ya see em. If a person doesn't have a lot of em, spot spraying is effective. We use a product called "Trimec Classic" which should be avaliable at a chemical company. However, if the neighbors aren't as attentive it becomes an ever lasting battle.

[Scott K]

Thanks for the advice Paul, Welcome to FM!