Weed Control

I have a half-acre property. The only weed control I've ever use is walking around with a little garden tool and easily digging them out by the roots. There are never very many because I do this about once every week or two. Sometimes there are none or one or two. It's easy to control this problem, unless you're starting off with a disasterous amount of weeds.

get 2,4-D. You can find it at nurserys and feed stores. It is what farmers use and it is wonderful

I actually work for the Scotts company. The best thing for you to do at this point is to use Scotts weed and feed plus 2 (other products will burn your lawn, don't be tempted by the slightly lower price). It is a yellow bag and is used for weeds that are actively growing right now. One lady suggested using a pre-emergent which is the best way to get rid of them but it is too late in the season for that now. The pre-emergent (also know as Scotts Turf Builder with Halts) needs to be applied when the soil temperature is 55 degrees. It is over that now and will not do a bit of good until very early next spring. For this year you are going to have to treat the ones that come up. If you prefer a spray there is a plus 2 spray as well. Just make sure you read the bag or bottle before applying it. You are supposed to apply it when the ground is wet and then not water or cut it for 2 days (also rain will wash it away so don't do it if rain is in the forecast for 2 days following the application). This Saturday from 12-5 there will be a Scott's rep in every Home Depot in Utah. You could go in there and they could show you exactly what you need as well as answer any other questions you may have about your lawn.

My daughter works at a plant nursery and she is going into botany next year and she says that pre-emergent will help with keep dandelions from coming back after you get them killed. The kind at her work is called Preen. There is spray dandelion killer from Scott's that works good.

Hi there ... I'm am in same situation as your and wondering what was your plan of action. If you could share it will be very helpful to me. thanks in Advance.

First off, try a good fertilizer (buy a bag of the weed n/ feed type at the hardware store or Costco, etc). Toss some of that on all over (follow the directions on the bag). Also, if you have not aerated your lawn in a while, I would suggest paying the $25 to have some local do it for you. We get flyers on our door for it, and I have been known to hit up people in the neighborhood when I see them aerating someone else's yard. We do this once per year. Be sure to mow your lawn on the highest mower setting. This keeps the soil more moist, which will require less watering on your part, and a healthier lawn (which will help suffocate the weeds).

The only REAL success I have had for Dandylions though is removing them. Wait until after a good rain storm (hopefully this weekend), to soften the soil, then grab one of those little handheld shovels, and dig them up. I dig adjacent to the weed - about an inch or two, lift the soil/weed/grass up about an inch, and then you can usually just pull the weed right out. Then pack the remaining sod back down, and you'll never really even notice there was a weed there. I do this every year to my neighbors yard, on my side of their yard, and it does wonders at keeping them at bay. If I did the other side of their yard, I could likely erradicate them completely. Try of course to get them before they seed.

If I'm in a hurry - don't have my shovel, etc - and I see one in my yard, I immediately pick off the little flower and seed pods burried deep down in the base of the weed, before they have a chance to bloom (since I can't pull the weed completely without the shovel). They will eventually come back, but it's a good temporary solution to keeping them from spreading that day or the next until you can pull it out.

Clearly, I'm a bit OCD about this, but you asked. ;)

G.,

Why have you confinced yourself that it takes less time to go weed by weed and spray them multiply times than simply take the time to dig them out? I personally don't see it.

The best weed control: getting on your hands and knees and pulling them out!

With my whole heart, C.

We use the Zamzows system. Their weed control is amazing. We have only sprayed our yard once this year, so far, and almost all of the dandelions were dead the next day! I am going to have my husband spray them again and then we are going to overseed.

The good thing about the Zamzows system is that it is not dangerous to children or pets.

scotts fertilizer with dandilion/weed prevention is great. if there are just a few dig up the roots on them. already a lot, use the scotts weed and feed and bag the grass as another mom posted.

I've got no idea about what spray to use, but I recommend bagging the grass when you cut it. It helps to keep the seeds from the weeds from falling back onto the lawn.

Have a GREAT day!

S.

Dandelions are edible. In fact, they're raised as commercial crops around the world.

I've not worked up the nerve to eat the dandelion leaves yet. Later this spring, though, the kids & I are going to make some fritters for a fun project. And I've wanted to try making dandelion wine or dandelion mead for decades, ever since reading the story by Ray Bradbury. Summer in a bottle, who wouldn't want to at least experiment? I think I can save just the yellow petal bits in the freezer, and then in the fall when the raspberries ripen I could make a dandelion-raspberry mead.

But we quit using poisons a few years ago, so our "weeds" are safe to eat. I wouldn't recommend that people eat dandelions from lawns that have been sprayed.

Have your kids dig them up or pick the flowers...then you wouldn't be able to see them. Dandelions are not going to hurt anything. Give the kids a penny or nickel for each they pick. The heads will come up when you mow too. It doesn't have to be a big deal.

please take the time to read this- they are poisoning our children and our food supply:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/4/21/722571/-More-...

My parents used to encourage us to pick all the dandelion flowers when they were yellow. My dad would go out on the weekend and dig the whole plant out.