Killing Dandelions

NIXON · May 12, 2005

This year seems to be the year of the Dandelion in my yard . I'd like to kill them off , or at least discourage their growth a bit .
I also have a good bit of white clover that I don't want to kill .
Is their a treatment for dandelions that won't affect the clover ?
Thanks, John

ChrisW · May 12, 2005

Some of the Gordon's 2-4-D that Tractor Supply sells will kill the dandelions and not the clover. I know because I wanted to kill my clover as well and got the wrong stuff last year. Just read the labels and see what they kill. It is like $20 a gallon and you only mix an ounce or 2 per gallon of water.

Chris

NIXON · May 12, 2005

Chris . Wow ! that was quick ! I need an excuse to go by TSC any way /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Thanks , John

guyrj33 · May 13, 2005

You could try turning a flock of chickens loose, they love dandelions. So do geese.

PineRidge · May 13, 2005

How about making a big batch of dandelion wine?

Freds · May 13, 2005

Let me know if it works.
I bought some weed and feed at TSC, put it on as recommended about 1-1/2 - 2 weeks ago and don't see my dandelions or any other weed starting to wilt, but it IS making the grass grown faster /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

riptides · May 13, 2005

My understanding of the killer products is they must be in contact with the leaf for a period of time. Is it possible that your application washed into the ground?

-Mike Z. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

jayhawkRoy · May 13, 2005

Overall I have been disappointed in the granulated weed and feed. I felt it never killed the dandelions in our yard, and may have done some good on other broadleafs.

We put Scott's on my daughter's lawn earlier this spring and saw no difference three weeks later. Not sure if any dandelions actually got killed. Had a similar problem with spraying with liquid Weed B Gone. Don';t know what's going on there (less powerful formulation than in the past, or what).

I use Trimec successfully and expect Gordon't 2,4 D to work about as well.

Freds · May 13, 2005

Yep, I followed directions (which is why the stuff sat in my loader for so long...waiting for the right weather), applied when the grass was wet, it sat for a full three days before we got a light sprinkle, which wasn't even enough to dissolve the "feed" granules.
I tried some other brand last year (Johnson's) and they both appear to be not working equally as well. I'm not looking for fairway, but I've seen unattended yards go entirely to weeds (been there...) and don't want the same problem here.

I was hoping the liquid stuff worked better.

Golfgar4 · May 13, 2005

I've always had good luck with the Weed-B-Gone liquid spray. You just need to make sure that the ground is reasonably dry when you apply it, and that it won't rain for 24 hours.