Kids love to frolic around in the yard picking up dandelions and watching them blow into the wind. But for adults, these little weeds can be a nuisance for your yard and cause trouble for some of your plants.
To get rid of dandelions, you have to dig them up, carefully target and kill the dandelions at the root with herbicide and then fill the herbicide and soil.
Weeds like dandelions can cause trouble in your yard and your plants. Follow these steps and more to get those pesky weeds out of your yard. If you do, you’ll be able to keep dandelions out of your backyard, possibly for good, depending on the steps you take after removing them.
Best Way To Attack Dandelions
The most efficient way to get rid of dandelions is to attack the entire plant. This way, you can ensure that the weeds won’t grow back or create any other weeds to harm your garden.
Dandelions can grow in any soil and are numerous in sunlight during the spring and summer. They usually grow yellow flowers that turn into white puffballs that we’re all familiar with. Those puffs contain seeds that spread when blown by the wind. These weeds disappear in the fall, but the root survives deep in the soil and grows again in the spring and summer.
To really kill dandelions, you’re going to have to get rid of the root. If pulling dandelions, be careful. Pulling them too hard is the last thing you want to do. Grabbing the dandelions roughly and not at the root will make them grow right back.
Tools you will need:
- Preemergent herbicide
- Natural weed killer
- Weed knife
- Watering can
Pulling Dandelions
You have to be very careful when you pull out dandelions. Doing it the wrong way will just create a cycle of dandelions continuing to pop up in your lawn. It’s a delicate process, but it can be effective if done correctly if you pull them right.
Pulling dandelions gently prevents:
- New weeds from growing
- Your soil being damaged
- Keeps dandelions away
Here’s where your watering can is going to come in handy. Pour water near the dandelions to dampen the soil around the weeds. Give it a few minutes for the soil to get moist, then pull out your weed knife, placing it along the base of the dandelion.
Wiggle your knife to push the soil away from the root of the plant and then grasp the base of the plant and give it a gentle pull. If the weed still feels a little stuck, work in the weeding knife a little more and pull the entire taproot with the dandelion.
After you’ve pulled the dandelion from the soil, you’ll need to make you have killed the root. Take some herbicides or natural weed killer like (vinegar, soap and salt solution) and spray them on any of the remains of the dandelion’s taproot. Ensure that when you’re spraying the herbicide, you spray it directly at the root of the dandelions. This way, you won’t accidentally spray any of your plants which could kill them.
Once you’ve dug out the dandelion, you need to fill in the hole. It’s important to fill it in because loose soil can be vulnerable to aggressive weeds, which can create another problem for you. To prevent this, take some pre-emergent herbicides or natural weed killer and fill them inside the hole.
Pre-emergent herbicide is a great tool to prevent new weeds from popping up in your garden, and they’re sort of like a blanket for your garden. Make sure your herbicides are mixed correctly for the spray solution to work correctly.
If you want to use more natural weed killers, there’s a variety of homemade solutions that many gardeners swear by but the most affective seems to be a combination of vinegar, dish soap and salt as all three prevent separately are good weed deterrents but mixed together makes a strong weed killer
Preventing Dandelions
With those pesky dandelions finally out of your yard, you don’t want them to come back. If you’re not careful, they’ll pop right back up very easily. There are a few steps you can take to keep dandelions out of your yard in the future.
How to keep dandelions away:
- Mow high
- Leave mulch clippings
- Don’t hand pull
- Keep your soil up to par
Tallgrass can choke out weeds, so it’ll be best to cut your lawn at a higher mower setting. And keep a strict feeding schedule for your lawn to keep your grass tall and thick. Instead of bagging up your grass clippings, leave them in your grass. Leaving mulch clippings on your grass can help too.
The clippings will enhance the health of your grass, and it will smoother the weeds, preventing any growth of new weeds. And, of course, make sure to put down pre-emergent herbicide on your lawn late in the winter. It’ll prevent any weeds from popping up before the spring season.
Herbicides are most effective when applied in the spring or the fall. When you apply herbicides, don’t mow your grass for a few days before or after treatment. And plan to treat your lawn during dry conditions for best performance. Make sure you read through the chemicals listed on the herbicide and do your research before spraying any on your yard.
Test your soil if your lawn has been prone to dandelion outbreaks. Using a soil test, you’ll be able to check your lawn’s PH balance to see if there’s any acidic soil. Dandelions can thrive in acidic soil.
And if dandelions have started to pop up in your yard, remember that hand pulling is essentially useless. Weeding only works if the plant’s entire taproot can be taken out. Dandelion roots can grow up to 3 feet deep, so don’t waste your time with hand pulling.
Regular Lawn Maintenance Is Important
Attending to your lawn on a normal basis is the best way to stop dandelions from popping up in your lawn or garden. Set a schedule to cut your grass when you plan on placing herbicides in the soil and test your soil regularly.
Doing so is the easiest way to keep your yard looking nice and weed-free. Stay disciplined with your lawn, and this will leave you with one less thing to worry about in your yard.
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