How to get rid of dandelions

Dandelions may be one of the more aesthetically pleasing weeds, but they are a weed nonetheless. If you’ve been seeing dandelions in your yard, they may be stealing the nutrients that you’ve worked so hard to provide your grass and ornamental plants with. This may have you wondering how to get rid of dandelions, and it is not a difficult process. By making use of pre- and post-emergent herbicides, and learning the proper steps for manual removal, you can get rid of dandelions and other weeds in your lawn in no time.

Herbicides work wonders on dandelions and other weeds

Herbicides are, without a doubt, the easiest way to get rid of weeds in your lawn. Dandelions are no match for these chemical treatments, and if used correctly you can prevent these flowers from ever popping up in your lawn. There are many varieties of herbicides on the market, but they all fall into one of two categories: Pre- and post-emergent.

Pre-emergent herbicides work by preventing seeds from germinating, ensuring that they never become a problem in your lawn. One great thing about these chemical treatments is that they are gentle enough to not have any effect on the grass in your lawn. Just spread them before the seeds have germinated and you’ll never have to worry about harsher chemicals or manual removal. Figuring out the timing for these treatments is the most difficult part of the process, and unfortunately if you miss the small window of opportunity they will be completely ineffective. If this is the case, you’ll have to rely on a harsher treatment.

Post-emergent herbicides are extremely effective, but the chemicals are so strong that they will kill any plant that they come in contact with. For this reason, you must be extremely careful when applying post-emergent products in your lawn. Spray these herbicides directly on the weed, the product will work quickly and you shouldn’t see dandelions pop up in that area any more. You’ll have to spray them on each individual weed, and you’ll have to do this every time new dandelions grow. Post-emergent herbicides do nothing to prevent future weeds from popping up. Only pre-emergent treatments and better lawn care practices will have this effect.

Manual removal may be required

If you’re wondering how to get rid of dandelions without using chemical treatments in your lawn, manual removal is your only option. While tedious, manual removal is as effective as post-emergent herbicide treatments. Plus, manual removal will not cause any damage to grass or other plants in your lawn.

When you spot a dandelion in your yard, pull it out. This sounds simple, and it can be if you familiarize yourself with the best way to pull weeds out of your lawn or garden beforehand. Grab the plant firmly, at its base. Keeping a firm grip, move the plant back and forth slowly as you begin to pull up. This will ensure that the entire plant is removed, roots and all. If you fail to remove the roots of the plant, a new dandelion will appear in the same spot within days. Even if another plant doesn’t appear, dandelion roots can continue to plague the health of your lawn. These roots are aggressive, and will steal nutrients and weaken the root zone of your grass.

If you don’t take care of weeds like dandelions quickly, you’ll start to see negative effects in your lawn very soon. They’ll cause grass to die, drying out and becoming brown and brittle. If you’ve attempted to remove weeds from your lawn but still see them popping up, get in touch with a lawn care professional to learn more about successfully eradicating weeds in your yard.