On Wed, 11 Feb 2004 19:22:14 -0000, "ned" wrote:


"Jaques d'Alltrades" wrote

OK, I know three acres id a fair area, but if you divide it up into
a
grid you'll be surprised how quickly you can do it. (Yes, I have!
And a
six acre field at that, and I dug the weeds out with a thistle spud
and
a parsnip fork.)

..... a man after my own heart.

Unfortunately, this won't do for dandelions. They will re-sprout from
the tiniest fragment of root left behind. I've not see the plunger
arrangement Jacques/Rusty describes (why not? It sounds super), but
had great success controlling dandelions with selective application of
a broadleaf weedkiller (Ortho Weed-B-Gon in the US). I used to get
this in foam spray cans, and trot around spraying each dandelion (in a
much smaller area than the OP described). Fortunately the leaves are
distinctive and you can get to them before they flower and set seed.
It killed down to/through the root and while *some* dandelions appear
each year owing, I suppose, to seeds blowing around, the problem
became quite managable.