On May 24, 12:43*pm, zxcvbob wrote:
zxcvbob wrote:
wrote:
I want to get-rid of dandelions from a lawn of a couple acres, and I
have been doing some reading.
There is a basic list of things to do, and one of them is to make a
healthy lawn but it is never explained whether this will get rid of
dandelions or does it only prevent them.
My questions is...can you take you dandelion filled lot and do all of
the lawn building activities (aerate, fertilize, over-seed, water,
etc) and end up getting rid of the dandelions, or is that impossible?
Do you have to go to the chemical warfare?

I spot-treat them and thistles with 2,4-d. *"Weed-n-feed" fertilizers
just spread too many pounds of herbicide for me (the whole neighborhood
reeks when the ChemLawn truck comes around and sprays half the yards) so
I always have a *few* dandelions in my yard but I'm OK with that.

I've been doing some research; triclopyr is much less toxic than 2,4-d,
and it will kill resistant weeds like creeping charlie and chickweed, so
I may switch to that even though it's more expensive to use. *(it's the
active ingredient in Ortho Brush-B-Gon and Garlon and Crossbow herbicides)

Bob

I just realized I didn't answer your question. *I don't think a
healthy lawn can crowd-out established dandelions, so you'll have to
pull them or poison them. *A thick healthy lawn can probably keep new
dandelions from taking over again.

Bob

Thanks. That's what I was seeking.
I've killed them with chemicals in the past, but was just wondering if
they can be choked-out (seems like you can't and they are there
forever unless you poison them).
As for pulling-them, I would be at it for ever.