Dandelions!

should I care?  A few years back I did apply a fertilizer that was suppose to help control them - maybe I need to reapply that - I never seem to have the timing right to apply it.


I was just reading that dandelions are one of the first readily-available and common sources of food for foraging bees this time of year. So, not treating them with pesticide will help the bees and the environment. People used to grow them to eat (can't eat them if they are sprayed with weed-killer or planted in areas prone to pollution). I think they are pretty, too!


maybe just treat some of the yard to reduce the amount...


They are invasive though.  

There are broadleaf systemic herbicides, which will take out the Dandelions (& clover & wild strawberries), but not harm the grass.


tomcat said:
They are invasive though.  
There are broadleaf systemic herbicides, which will take out the Dandelions (& clover & wild strawberries), but not harm the grass.

 The dandelions don’t bother me, but I’m looking for a broad leaf killer for creeping Charlie (aka ground ivy aka gill on the ground) that won’t kill the grass. I was told that dicamba will do it, but nothing at Home Depot has that ingredient.


It’s a shame about the clover, but if we ever get the creeping Charlie under control I’ll happily spread some clover seed to replace what was killed.  We also have a lot of violets in the yard, they’ll also probably die off.  But if the creeping Charlie keeps taking over it’ll eventually choke out all the other plants anyway 


spontaneous said:
 The dandelions don’t bother me, but I’m looking for a broad leaf killer for creeping Charlie (aka ground ivy aka gill on the ground) that won’t kill the grass. I was told that dicamba will do it, but nothing at Home Depot has that ingredient.


It’s a shame about the clover, but if we ever get the creeping Charlie under control I’ll happily spread some clover seed to replace what was killed.  We also have a lot of violets in the yard, they’ll also probably die off.  But if the creeping Charlie keeps taking over it’ll eventually choke out all the other plants anyway 

 I'm enjoying the violets with their wonderful chocolate fragrance. The woodchucks love them too.


eat the greens

Make a salad with them 


They are good for bees.  We need more bees.  They are not enough though--they need more variety.  https://honeybeesuite.com/honey-bees-cannot-survive-on-dandelions-alone/


tomcat said:
They are invasive though.  
There are broadleaf systemic herbicides, which will take out the Dandelions (& clover & wild strawberries), but not harm the grass.

 Clover is great for bees.  Do the planet a favor and leave it. Grass, on the other hand, doesn't do much for anyone.


I started making these so am going through quite a few:



tomcat said:
They are invasive though.  
There are broadleaf systemic herbicides, which will take out the Dandelions (& clover & wild strawberries), but not harm the grass.

 Do you have a name or two of such herbicides?  The dandelions have taken over my yard.  The green is mostly weeds with very little grass left.  


I don't want to spend the money on sod, but I am not sure there is any other way to get rid of the weeds while trying to grow grass?


boomie said:
I started making these so am going through quite a few:


 I love these! Do you mind sharing how they are made? They reminded me of that wonderful Dandelion Fountain in the city where I loved to sit at lunchtime.


spontaneous said:


 The dandelions don’t bother me, but I’m looking for a broad leaf killer for creeping Charlie (aka ground ivy aka gill on the ground) that won’t kill the grass. I was told that dicamba will do it, but nothing at Home Depot has that ingredient.

 

re Creeping Charlie:

 IIRC, Borax is the only thing that works against it, but it persists in the ground, so I’ve never gone that route. It’s taking over more and more of my yard, but I like how it looks, so I don’t mind that much. It has only surface roots, so it’s easily pulled out.


In the past, I’ve tried moving some to my berm, which looks awful at the moment, but the success has been limited. It’s got a mind of its own. Go figure. 


I have heard that pulling creeping Charlie is the best way, but with three acres that will never happen.  I’m just too lazy for that  oh oh And since it can spread by cuttings every time my husband mows the lawn it will spread further 


cody said:
I was just reading that dandelions are one of the first readily-available and common sources of food for foraging bees this time of year. So, not treating them with pesticide will help the bees and the environment. People used to grow them to eat (can't eat them if they are sprayed with weed-killer or planted in areas prone to pollution). I think they are pretty, too!

 


If anyone is interested in organic lawn care, we use Green Roots.  Jose Garrido is passionate about it, a great guy and he has two options, full on organic or semi-organic.  He’s an ex-finance guy who decided to do what he loves.  I would highly recommend him.  


973-821-3858


Where’s the Dandelion recipe guy when you need him?


Organic?  Has anyone tried spot using boiling water on them?



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