Dandelions
 

Soon spring will be here, as will my yellow sea of dandelions. To be honest,
I really haven't tried very hard to get rid of them. I live next to a field
that is full of wildflowers (which I quite enjoy), and I had always assumed
that any attempt I made to rid my lawn of weeds would be nullified by seeds
from the field next door ending up on my lawn.However, in an attempt to be
neighbourly, I thought I'd try this year to at least get a start on
controlling the dandelions. I really do not want to use chemical
fertilizers, so I am looking for an organic solution. Any suggestions would
be appreciated.

Thanks

--
Shadow
Made In Canada, eh.

Dandelions
 

You can use the leaves as salad greens, use the roots as a coffee substitute
and can even make wine from the flowers.

http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/...l_health/69711


Shadow wrote in message
...
Soon spring will be here, as will my yellow sea of dandelions. To be
honest,
I really haven't tried very hard to get rid of them. I live next to a
field
that is full of wildflowers (which I quite enjoy), and I had always
assumed
that any attempt I made to rid my lawn of weeds would be nullified by
seeds
from the field next door ending up on my lawn.However, in an attempt to be
neighbourly, I thought I'd try this year to at least get a start on
controlling the dandelions. I really do not want to use chemical
fertilizers, so I am looking for an organic solution. Any suggestions
would
be appreciated.

Thanks

--
Shadow
Made In Canada, eh.

Dandelions
 

On Sun, 23 Feb 2003 23:51:08 GMT, "Shadow"
wrote:

Soon spring will be here, as will my yellow sea of dandelions. To be honest,
I really haven't tried very hard to get rid of them. I live next to a field
that is full of wildflowers (which I quite enjoy), and I had always assumed
that any attempt I made to rid my lawn of weeds would be nullified by seeds
from the field next door ending up on my lawn.However, in an attempt to be
neighbourly, I thought I'd try this year to at least get a start on
controlling the dandelions. I really do not want to use chemical
fertilizers, so I am looking for an organic solution. Any suggestions would
be appreciated.

Thanks
Rent heavy equipment, scrape of the first four or five inches and then
lay sod. It would be cheaper and easier to mow more often. If it is
flat and green your neighbors won't notice the dandelions. ;-)

zhan

Dandelions
 

On Sun, 23 Feb 2003 23:51:08 GMT, "Shadow"
wrote:

Soon spring will be here, as will my yellow sea of dandelions. To be honest,
I really haven't tried very hard to get rid of them. I live next to a field
that is full of wildflowers (which I quite enjoy), and I had always assumed
that any attempt I made to rid my lawn of weeds would be nullified by seeds
from the field next door ending up on my lawn.However, in an attempt to be
neighbourly, I thought I'd try this year to at least get a start on
controlling the dandelions. I really do not want to use chemical
fertilizers, so I am looking for an organic solution. Any suggestions would
be appreciated.

Thanks

Sounds like you enjoy the dandelions, so I suggest keep them. But if
you really want to put forth the effort and money to rid them you can
use a broadleaf herbacide that will kill the dandelions but not harm
(too much) the grass. What may happen is that you may be left with a
very sparse lawn and eventually need to overseed, else you will be
faced with a more vicious weed--crabgrass. If you prefer to go
totally organic, you can dig each one out by hand but if you break off
the long tapered root, it will grow back. My lawn is thick (I
overseed each year), so I may get a dozen or two dandelions over a
half acre of lawn each year. A thick lawn requires very little
chemicals and I will use spot treatment for the few weeds that grow.

Dandelions
 

Cut them while young and tender, rinse and dress with a hot bacon
dressing...ok it doesn;t get RID of them but gives you a USE for them!

Dave

On Sun, 23 Feb 2003 23:51:08 GMT, "Shadow"
wrote:

Soon spring will be here, as will my yellow sea of dandelions. To be honest,
I really haven't tried very hard to get rid of them. I live next to a field
that is full of wildflowers (which I quite enjoy), and I had always assumed
that any attempt I made to rid my lawn of weeds would be nullified by seeds
from the field next door ending up on my lawn.However, in an attempt to be
neighbourly, I thought I'd try this year to at least get a start on
controlling the dandelions. I really do not want to use chemical
fertilizers, so I am looking for an organic solution. Any suggestions would
be appreciated.

Thanks

Dandelions
 

How big is the area you're trying to rid of dandelions? If it isn't too huge, I
suggest 4 weeks of intense going outside and pulling them up with a little hand
tool that helps you loosen up the dirt around the root. Throw a party for the
neighborhood kids in which they weed for an hour followed by refreshments and
entertainment that you provide. Ten kids working for an hour each is 10 hours
of work. They can make a big dent in them. (Or skip the party and just pay
them.) The work goes easier when the ground is wet after a heavy rain. If you
get behind on pulling them up by the root, make sure you get the flowers before
they go to seed. It took me a few years, but I eventually was able to get rid
of the worst of my dandelions. (My problem doesn't sound as bad as yours. I
don't live next to a field of them.)

--Lia


Shadow wrote:

Soon spring will be here, as will my yellow sea of dandelions. To be honest,
I really haven't tried very hard to get rid of them. I live next to a field
that is full of wildflowers (which I quite enjoy), and I had always assumed
that any attempt I made to rid my lawn of weeds would be nullified by seeds
from the field next door ending up on my lawn.However, in an attempt to be
neighbourly, I thought I'd try this year to at least get a start on
controlling the dandelions. I really do not want to use chemical
fertilizers, so I am looking for an organic solution. Any suggestions would
be appreciated.

Thanks

--
Shadow
Made In Canada, eh.

Dandelions
 

You can send me as many as you want. (chemical free though)

I have lizards who see dandelions as being better then almost anything
out there......

The eat dandelions like we eat popcorn.......

=will=

Dandelions
 

I was going to suggest making Dandilion wine.

Laura B.

Cut them while young and tender, rinse and dress with a hot bacon
dressing...ok it doesn;t get RID of them but gives you a USE for them!

Dave

Dandelions
 

Chickens love them. My neighbor's eat them first when put in a lawn area.

Bob

"Shadow" wrote in message
...
Soon spring will be here, as will my yellow sea of dandelions. To be
honest,
I really haven't tried very hard to get rid of them. I live next to a
field
that is full of wildflowers (which I quite enjoy), and I had always
assumed
that any attempt I made to rid my lawn of weeds would be nullified by
seeds
from the field next door ending up on my lawn.However, in an attempt to be
neighbourly, I thought I'd try this year to at least get a start on
controlling the dandelions. I really do not want to use chemical
fertilizers, so I am looking for an organic solution. Any suggestions
would
be appreciated.

Thanks

--
Shadow
Made In Canada, eh.

Dandelions
 

Bob wrote:
: Chickens love them. My neighbor's eat them first when put in a lawn area.

Horses love dandelions, too. Our old mare moves thoughtfully from plant
to plant, nibbling only the tenderest leaves.

The trick if you're going to pull them is to get the entire root since
otherwise they'll be back. One odd implement which really does a job on
dandelions and other tap-rooted weeds like pokeweed goes by the name of
Clint's Dandy Digger. http://www.clintsdandydigger.com/

What's really nice about this gadget is that one can work standing up,
something one begins to appreciate round about middle age ;-)

-- Karen

The Garden Gate http://garden-gate.prairienet.org
================================================== =================
"If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need."
^and cats -- Cicero
================================================== =================
On the Web since 1994 Forbes Best of Web 2002

Dandelions
 

On Mon, 24 Feb 2003 00:45:54 GMT, Phisherman wrote:

On Sun, 23 Feb 2003 23:51:08 GMT, "Shadow"
wrote:

Soon spring will be here, as will my yellow sea of dandelions. To be honest,
I really haven't tried very hard to get rid of them. I live next to a field
that is full of wildflowers (which I quite enjoy), and I had always assumed
that any attempt I made to rid my lawn of weeds would be nullified by seeds
from the field next door ending up on my lawn.However, in an attempt to be
neighbourly, I thought I'd try this year to at least get a start on
controlling the dandelions. I really do not want to use chemical
fertilizers, so I am looking for an organic solution. Any suggestions would
be appreciated.

Sounds like you enjoy the dandelions, so I suggest keep them. But if
you really want to put forth the effort and money to rid them you can
use a broadleaf herbacide that will kill the dandelions but not harm
(too much) the grass. What may happen is that you may be left with a
very sparse lawn and eventually need to overseed, else you will be
faced with a more vicious weed--crabgrass. If you prefer to go
totally organic, you can dig each one out by hand but if you break off
the long tapered root, it will grow back. My lawn is thick (I
overseed each year), so I may get a dozen or two dandelions over a
half acre of lawn each year. A thick lawn requires very little
chemicals and I will use spot treatment for the few weeds that grow.

I second Phisherman's advice. While not "organic," spot-treating with
Weed-Be-Gon or some similar broadleaf herbicide is quite effective.
When I was able to afford it, I got this in an aerosol can(!) and just
sprayed a little foam on each plant. In a thick lawn, this took about
5 minutes on a couple of Saturday mornings, and the problem went away
(and the can lasted for 2-3 years). Digging is *very* organic, and
quite ineffective -- at least as a long-term cure. The tiniest root
fragment will produce new plants.

Dandelions
 

On Sun, 23 Feb 2003 23:01:39 -0600 (CST),
(will) wrote:

You can send me as many as you want. (chemical free though)

I have lizards who see dandelions as being better then almost anything
out there......

The eat dandelions like we eat popcorn.......

I've heard of someone saving them for parakeets, too.

Dandelions
 

Frogleg wrote:

On Sun, 23 Feb 2003 23:01:39 -0600 (CST),
(will) wrote:

You can send me as many as you want. (chemical free though)

I have lizards who see dandelions as being better then almost anything
out there......

The eat dandelions like we eat popcorn.......

I've heard of someone saving them for parakeets, too.

My dog likes the leaves and the flowers, which have mild analgesic
properties.

Dandelions
 

Invest 30 dollars on a tool called The Weed Popper. It requires virtually no
effort and is extremely effective on removal of perennial weeds with tap roots.
The best time to do it is a day or so after a nice soaking rain.

OR: Screw the neighbors. Personally, I love the dandelion flower and do
nothing to eradicate them. I eat the greens. I see nothing wrong with them.


On Sun, 23 Feb 2003 23:51:08 GMT, "Shadow" wrote:

Soon spring will be here, as will my yellow sea of dandelions. To be honest,
I really haven't tried very hard to get rid of them. I live next to a field
that is full of wildflowers (which I quite enjoy), and I had always assumed
that any attempt I made to rid my lawn of weeds would be nullified by seeds
from the field next door ending up on my lawn.However, in an attempt to be
neighbourly, I thought I'd try this year to at least get a start on
controlling the dandelions. I really do not want to use chemical
fertilizers, so I am looking for an organic solution. Any suggestions would
be appreciated.

Thanks

Dandelions
 

You know, Johnny's Select Seeds actually sells a cultivated form of dandelion
seeds? This is one pretty plant. I don't understand what the hoopla is about
when they pop up. Mowing them before they form seed moons is one other way of
keeping them from spreading, but getting rid of them is silly.

I didn't know lizards like them! What a plus. We have lizards all over the
place. Both Anole's and fence lizards. See some babies from our yard he

http://home.austin.rr.com/animaux/ne...n/Page_5x.html

http://home.austin.rr.com/animaux/ne...n/Page_6x.html


On Sun, 23 Feb 2003 23:01:39 -0600 (CST), (will) wrote:

You can send me as many as you want. (chemical free though)

I have lizards who see dandelions as being better then almost anything
out there......

The eat dandelions like we eat popcorn.......

=will=