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Janet · 27-04-2015, 12:46 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening

In article ,
says...

My grass patch (I hesitate to call it a lawn ) is covered
this year with dandelions, which seem to have bedded themselves
down into the turf t below the level of the grass. This means
that they survive the fairly high mowing that I do at this time
of the year, although I do get the flowers mostly.

Anyone come across this, and apart from digging them out or
weed killers how can I stop it? I do not mind a few in amongst
all the other weeds and the occasional grass, but this year
they seem to have gone mad!

There's no such thing as "a few " dandelions. It's war. If you let
one root produce its muti seedheads, it will father a zillion others,
and the flattened rosettes of leaves easily shade out mown grass.

I use an old bread knife to slice through the taproot at least an inch
down. Then lift out the whole crown and bin it. If you leave it lying
around , buds and the yellow flowers can still seed.

I've just been out doing that job this morning.Last year I finally
eliminated them from the lawns but the grassy drive still needs
dedandelioning

Janet