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Hi there everyone
We moved into our current house last June and we understood it was empty for a while before we moved in so got over-run with all sorts of scrub, and wild flowers ie Dandelions
In the past week the Dandelions has gone in to over-drive and have spread everywhere {due to the gardens neglect last year the Dandelions would have seeded themselves everywhere}
The lawnmower will cut the heads off some and weaken them in the area of grass, and the others on the flower beds will need to be taken out by hand - this is before they seed once more - others are growing in the gravel paths
Anyone got any handy tips, and their experiences to share, as to the best way to remove them in a organic way - tricks of the trade etc....
Thank you in advance
Regards
Kathy and Dave
Only permanent solution is to dig them out roots and all I'm afraid.
Of all creatures, man is the most detestable, he is the only creature that inflicts pain for sport, knowing it to be pain. ~ Mark Twain
Hi Judi
Thanks. I suspected this might be the case with the manual approach to things
I think i will do the plant removal in stages.
Dave is cutting the lawn now so that will behead the Dandelions there so they do not seed so well.
The seeds are my issue and i will get them before they fly everywhere in the garden once more.
I don't like to use weedkillers but sometimes it is the only way unless you are prepared to dig them all out by hand.
When my garden was new I resorted to using a weedkiller (glysophate) to get rid of all the weeds and couch grass etc.I only had to use it once (9 years ago) and now dig out by hand or use a spot weeder for the more troublesome ones.
On the lawn I would use a weed and feed mix.Again once under control you can dig out by hand of use a spot weeder (for lawns).
Unless you like hard work I think weedkillers have their place as long as they are used wisely and sparingly.
Rachel
It's not always easy to hug a hedgehog.
But that doesn't mean you shouldn't.
Hi Rachel
Thank you for your reply
It sounds although your experience of getting rid of unwanted greenary goes all long way back
I will take note of what you have said here and give Dave an insight into what we could too to remove those yellow pests {I do like them to be honest as they attract a lot of Hoverflies and insects - just not on the scale that we have in our own garden area at the moment. They look nicer in Reserves}
I will avoid the hard work as much as possible as I much rather be out birding in reserves LOL
Kathy and DavE
Judi is right - hand removal is the only permanent way of getting rid of them - and they have VERY deep roots.
However, do you really need to get rid of them? I pull mine out of the soil borders but leave them in the grass. They are such pretty flowers, and birds will eat the seeds. (Goldfinches like them especially). Mind you, I'm not one for pristine lawns - I have come to like the neglected look over the years!!!
Cheers, Linda.
See my photos on Flickr
Hi Blackbird,
For digging out the long tap root of dandelions there's a special tool, looks a bit like a long, flat chisel thing without the rasping bit - you slide it in the soil right next to the dandelion, wiggle it about a bit to loosen the soil round the weed then pull by leaves gently to get the whole thing out (hopefully). It's good for getting them out from between paving slabs too. I think it's called a rooter (but I'm not sure, I call it 'the dandelion thing') For areas hard to deal with that way, where there are no other plants an application of vinegar, salt and a touch of washing up liquid makes a good, organic weed killer (good in the gravel path) - however, be warned, like all weedkillers it will kill any plant it touches and you'll need industrial quantities - so it won't come cheap - but cheaper and more ethical than bought weedkillers. You may need to apply it more than once. It's a flaff, but going around with a paper or plastic bag and nipping the seed heads off in the bag so the seeds can't fly about should stop the spread, there's a lot to be said for boiling water and salt - cheaper than the vinegar method but maybe not as good - again a drop of washing up liquid will help break down the oils in the leaves so that the salt penetrates and finally, an application of just plain salt might help, less likely to get to the roots than the liquid methods though - but it will give the dandelions pause. Of course finches and sparrows love the seeds and insects love the flowers but I agree, you can have way too much of a good thing:-)))
Hope some of that helps, perhaps a multi-pronged approach - or you could try 'em all and see what works best in the different situations but once again, don't let salt and vinegar anywhere near treasured plants and do it when the weather is likely to be dry for a bit, so the plant sucks the nasties down to the roots:-)
Best, Kezsmum
If all else fails you can be comforted by the fact that goldfinches quite like the seedheads (clocks).
My mum used to snip all the leaves off at the surface and put a little mound of salt on the rosette of the plant but that was for the odd one or two not a garden full :-)
Theres an old gardeners saying with weeds "One years seeding Seven years weeding"
Chris S.
A very old Shropshire Lad.
Hi Sparrow
Ohhhh yelp... the roots are the dreaded part of the plant and that is the bit I know will be the difficult area to remove.
Like you Linda, I would not my garden to be too pristine, and have a little bit of a wild feel, but as we do not own the house it is better to look although we are maintaining the garden to a point.
A few Dandelions left around in hidden less obvious areas would be a great thing for all the little creatures of this world - like Hoverflies, and they are great to take photographs of. in the camera world.
I did not know that the birds liked the seed so that is a new one on me and it is interesting to find out new things on here that other people know already.
Susan H said: Judi is right - hand removal is the only permanent way of getting rid of them - and they have VERY deep roots. However, do you really need to get rid of them? I pull mine out of the soil borders but leave them in the grass. They are such pretty flowers, and birds will eat the seeds. (Goldfinches like them especially). Mind you, I'm not one for pristine lawns - I have come to like the neglected look over the years!!!
God and Lawn Care
GOD:Frank, you know all about gardens and nature. What in the world is going on down there on the planet? What happened to the dandelions, violets, milkweeds and stuff I started eons ago? I had a perfect no-maintenance garden plan. Those plants grow in any type of soil, withstand drought and multiply with abandon. The nectar from the long-lasting blossoms attracts butterflies, honey bees and flocks of songbirds. I expected to see a vast garden of colours by now. But, all I see are these green rectangles.St. FRANCIS:It's the tribes that settled there, Lord. The Suburbanites. They started calling your flowers 'weeds' and went to great lengths to kill them and replace them with grass.GOD:Grass? But, it's so boring. It's not colorful. It doesn't attract butterflies, birds and bees; only grubs and sod worms. It's sensitive to temperatures. Do these Suburbanites really want all that grass growing there?ST. FRANCIS:Apparently so, Lord. They go to great pains to grow it and keep it green. They begin each spring by fertilizing grass and poisoning any other plant that crops up in the lawn.GOD:The spring rains and warm weather probably make grass grow really fast. That must make the Suburbanites happy.ST. FRANCIS:Apparently not, Lord. As soon as it grows a little, they cut it-sometimes twice a week.GOD:They cut it? Do they then bale it like hay?ST. FRANCIS:Not exactly, Lord. Most of them rake it up and put it in bags.GOD:They bag it? Why? Is it a cash crop? Do they sell it?ST. FRANCIS:No, Sir, just the opposite. They pay to throw it away.GOD:Now, let me get this straight. They fertilize grass so it will grow. And, when it does grow, they cut it off and pay to throw it away?ST. FRANCIS:Yes, Sir.GOD:These Suburbanites must be relieved in the summer when we cut back on the rain and turn up the heat. That surely slows the growth and saves them a lot of work.ST. FRANCIS:You aren't going to believe this, Lord. When the grass stops growing so fast, they drag out hoses and pay more money to water it, so they can continue to mow it and pay to get rid of it.GOD:What nonsense. At least they kept some of the trees. That was a sheer stroke of genius, if I do say so myself. The trees grow leaves in the spring to provide beauty and shade in the summer. In the autumn, they fall to the ground and form a natural blanket to keep moisture in the soil and protect the trees and bushes. It's a natural cycle of life.ST. FRANCIS:You better sit down, Lord. The Suburbanites have drawn a new circle. As soon as the leaves fall, they rake them into great piles and pay to have them hauled away.GOD:No!? What do they do to protect the shrub and tree roots in the winter to keep the soil moist and loose?ST. FRANCIS:After throwing away the leaves, they go out and buy something which they call mulch. They haul it home and spread it around in place of the leaves.GOD:And where do they get this mulch?ST. FRANCIS:They cut down trees and grind them up to make the mulch.GOD:Enough! I don't want to think about this anymore. St. Catherine, you're in charge of the arts. What movie have you scheduled for us tonight?ST. CATHERINE:'Dumb and Dumber', Lord. It's a story about....GOD:Never mind, I think I just heard the whole story from St. Francis.
I'm sorry but I could not resist posting this on here it made me laugh and made me think!!!
Regards Mick
Work is for those people that don't Bird-watch!!!!
Thank you everyone who has answered her with all the thoughts and ideas here - I really appreciate it {smile} - I wish there was a smiley icon at times!
Kezsmun: What you said was very useful too and I never thought of vinegar at all. Is it the Malt vinegar or White vinegar that you would use?...or any vinegar?
Mick: LOL...Nice one and it is so true about the way that people maintain their gardens - there is a price and a price and a price attached all of the time for time management of all of the plants to keep them in order for our own enjoyment.
If we had a compost bin the lawn cuttings would be in there rotting down instead of going in the Green bin to be taken away. Not so sure about Dandelions as we may be spreading them indirectly onto the garden area again
Chris: thank you for your answer, and ideas. Salt seen to play a big part too but in small amounts as there is wildlife to consider too