# Need help with dandelion before the neighbors kill me.



## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

Winter fertilizer is usually just that - fertilizer
You need the spring Feed & weed stuff
I've been doing my front lawn for several years with the 1st 2 Scotts Spring treatments & see a lot less weeds

My front & 1 side yard are very small
So I also do some weeding by hand


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## whataboutj (Nov 16, 2009)

I agree with what Scuba Dave says about using the Scotts 1 & 2 fertilizers with the weed controll

For the current situation maybe try Ortho Weed-B-Gone spray. I haven't personally used it because I used the Scotts, but a friend of mine had a weed/dandelion issue and used it - he said it worked well. There are other similar products you can get. Check home depot or similar store - they have a ton of weed control spray products right now.


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## speedster1 (May 13, 2009)

I mowed my lawn on friday and bagged all the clippings. Next day there were dandilions sprouted up and right now they look horrible. Gonna cut and bag them tonight. I'm clueless as far as lawn treatments are concerned so I'm anxious to hear what the experts suggest.


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

Dandelions can & will push up a flower the day after you mow
You need to kill the weed or destroy its ability to grow - even Temp
I use this tool to pull them up
They have a long tap root & will still grow if you don't get all the root
But to grow it then uses that root "energy" to get back to the surface/sun
So if you again pull the new weed the next root is even smaller
Eventually the root dies

The best way to prevent dandelions is to have a thick filled in lawn
But my front lawn is in good condition & I still get some every year

I have 1/2 acre lot, not a huge lawn due to addition, 2nd driveway, stream/wooded area, gardens & pool area


Stainless dandelion weeder with wooden handle


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## HautingLu (May 24, 2009)

Scuba_Dave said:


> Dandelions can & will push up a flower the day after you mow
> You need tyo kill the weed or destroy its ability to grow - even Temp
> I use this tool to pull them up
> They have a long tap root & will still grow if you don't get all the root
> ...


Thanks Dave. On my acre, using that tool might drive me nuts :wheelchair:


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## tpolk (Nov 7, 2009)

make some wine


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## cellophane (Sep 29, 2009)

> Benefits
> 
> Dandelions can be beneficial to a garden ecosystem as well as to human health. Dandelions attract beneficial ladybugs and provide early spring pollen for their food.(1,2) In a study done at the University of Wisconsin, experimental plots with dandelions had more ladybugs than dandelion free plots, and fewer pest aphids, a favorite food of the ladybugs.(2) Dandelions long roots aerate the soil and enable the plant to accumulate minerals,(3) which are added to the soil when the plant dies.
> 
> ...


cultivate the buggers =p ironically enough - my backyard is COVERED in them, but when I tried to seed a few in a pot in the front i get nothing... /sigh

a rose by any other name right?


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## tpolk (Nov 7, 2009)

they are also a good salad green with lots of vitamin C


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

When we were kids we had a neighbor who made wine
He used to pay us to go & pick them in buckets & bring them to him


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## downunder (Jun 13, 2008)

Mow just a little closer than usual. This is basically to get more of the grass out of the way so you can get better coverage onto the weeds. Get a broadleaf spray, not the granular product. Something that says "kills the weeds, not the lawn." Use when the weeds are not under stress. If you have had rain recently, this would be a good time. Or irrigate a day or two before. The label will tell you to apply "when weeds are actively growing." Apply to dry lawn.


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## jomama45 (Nov 13, 2008)

I have over an acre of front lawn alone, and I live in the country were there's weeds everywhere. The best thing I did was hire a company to spray & fertilize twice a year. It was costing me almost as much to do 2 apps. of the Scott system myself as what I pay for this guy to do it. The results are huge as well, not a single dandelion in my front yard after the first 2 years of his work. The other side of the driveway, 12' away, is full of dandelions though.


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## speedster1 (May 13, 2009)

jomama45 said:


> I have over an acre of front lawn alone, and I live in the country were there's weeds everywhere. The best thing I did was hire a company to spray & fertilize twice a year. It was costing me almost as much to do 2 apps. of the Scott system myself as what I pay for this guy to do it. The results are huge as well, not a single dandelion in my front yard after the first 2 years of his work. The other side of the driveway, 12' away, is full of dandelions though.


How much did it cost to have the lawn cared for twice/year?


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## Han'D' (Apr 7, 2009)

I used Ortho last fall for both front and back...I then spread fescue 3 wks later..

I did not get one dandelion on either lawn this spring and the lawn is looking great!

I will do the same this fall...

Good luck! Dandelions suck!!:thumbsup:


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## jomama45 (Nov 13, 2008)

speedster1 said:


> How much did it cost to have the lawn cared for twice/year?


 
About $400.00 IIRC, I was spending $80 for the fert alone for one app, with little results.


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

speedster1 said:


> How much did it cost to have the lawn cared for twice/year?


Just be careful about who you hire
Like everything some companies are not as good as others


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## typo (Dec 7, 2009)

i have the same problem tons of dandy lion and weeds the ortho weed b gone killed some of the dandy lions but not all of them. I am thinking of either trying another spray down of weed b gone for whats left. Or following this scotts lawn guide from their web site for my area.

http://www.scotts.com/smg/learn/ann...=100006&_requestid=5313742&_requestid=5313928

Any input. 

I was really hoping to seed the bare spots and over seed where i have grass but i was told i need to rid the weeds first.


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## cgoll (Apr 23, 2008)

My experience w/ both Scott's and Bayer's current all-in-one weed killer liquid concentrates is that one application just kind of stuns them and stunts their future growth. (The Weed-B-Gon my dad used 30 years ago killed them (brown and withered) in two days!)

So plan on hitting them twice. Check label; I think you're supposed to wait a week or 2 between applications.

A broadcast sprayer (vs. spot application) will get the baby ones you can't see yet!


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## typo (Dec 7, 2009)

it just seems like there is more for some reason the last time i sprayed weed b gone was about 19 days ago. but i am hoping to rid the weeds in a week or so so i can plat seed in the bare spots and fertilize in the 1st or 2nd week of june.

If i cant rid the yard of weeds to seed before june then in the fall i will probably roto-till the whole yard and plant seed then. i would guess my back yard is around 2500sq ft which isn't large but large enough for a grass virgin.


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## downunder (Jun 13, 2008)

jomama45,

Am I reading correctly that you spent $80 for fertilizer per application for about an acre?

Just wondering- what is IIRC?


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

I.........If
I.........I
R.........recall/remember
C.........Correctly


IIRC :laughing:


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## James983 (Mar 27, 2010)

I just used the Ortho Weed Be Gone with a hose end sprayer. Looks like it's working the dandys and clover are already wilting (24 hrs). I plan on waiting til early next week, then overseeding.


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## jomama45 (Nov 13, 2008)

downunder said:


> jomama45,
> 
> Am I reading correctly that you spent $80 for fertilizer per application for about an acre?


 
Something like that.


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## typo (Dec 7, 2009)

i am gonna try the weed be gone hose sprayer instead of only spot shooting with a regular garden sprayer. Then maybe i'll get lucky enought to be able to over seed next week.


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## whataboutj (Nov 16, 2009)

typo said:


> i am gonna try the weed be gone hose sprayer instead of only spot shooting with a regular garden sprayer. Then maybe i'll get lucky enought to be able to over seed next week.


I was at HD tonight in the aisle with the Weed-B-Gone and noticed there is a regular mix and a Weed-B-Gone Max. Maybe try the "Max" version? Not sure if it makes a difference or just marketing but it's may be worth a try. Also if you have a Costco by you they were selling a two bottle value pack of the "Max" version


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## downunder (Jun 13, 2008)

> I was at HD tonight in the aisle with the Weed-B-Gone and noticed there is a regular mix and a Weed-B-Gone Max. Maybe try the "Max" version? Not sure if it makes a difference or just marketing but it's may be worth a try.


What did the label say? Is there a difference in strength?


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