Hi,

I don't suppose there's a dandelion-specific one by any chance?

Last year dandelions appeared in plague numbers all over my 3 acres of
mostly roughish pasture and I couldn't keep on top of them with
mechanical means. Now, mid-February, they're already flowering again!!

The thing is, I don't want to poison everything, such as the many
(other) wild flowers. I don't *want* to poison anything, and the
bumblebees are particularly fond of --maybe dependent on-- early
dandelions. But I do need to control them fairly drastically right now.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks,

Brian Mitchell

The message
from Brian Mitchell contains these words:

I don't suppose there's a dandelion-specific one by any chance?

Last year dandelions appeared in plague numbers all over my 3 acres of
mostly roughish pasture and I couldn't keep on top of them with
mechanical means. Now, mid-February, they're already flowering again!!

The thing is, I don't want to poison everything, such as the many
(other) wild flowers. I don't *want* to poison anything, and the
bumblebees are particularly fond of --maybe dependent on-- early
dandelions. But I do need to control them fairly drastically right now.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

You used to be able to get a weedkiller applicator. I don't know which
weedkiller would suit, but it came as a long tubular reservoir with an
applicator at the bottom and a handle at the top.

You placed the applicator on the weed and pressed.

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.)

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

The message
from Brian Mitchell contains these words:

I don't suppose there's a dandelion-specific one by any chance?

Last year dandelions appeared in plague numbers all over my 3 acres of
mostly roughish pasture and I couldn't keep on top of them with
mechanical means. Now, mid-February, they're already flowering again!!

The thing is, I don't want to poison everything, such as the many
(other) wild flowers. I don't *want* to poison anything, and the
bumblebees are particularly fond of --maybe dependent on-- early
dandelions. But I do need to control them fairly drastically right now.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

You used to be able to get a weedkiller applicator. I don't know which
weedkiller would suit, but it came as a long tubular reservoir with an
applicator at the bottom and a handle at the top.

You placed the applicator on the weed and pressed.

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.)

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

The message
from Brian Mitchell contains these words:

I don't suppose there's a dandelion-specific one by any chance?

Last year dandelions appeared in plague numbers all over my 3 acres of
mostly roughish pasture and I couldn't keep on top of them with
mechanical means. Now, mid-February, they're already flowering again!!

The thing is, I don't want to poison everything, such as the many
(other) wild flowers. I don't *want* to poison anything, and the
bumblebees are particularly fond of --maybe dependent on-- early
dandelions. But I do need to control them fairly drastically right now.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

You used to be able to get a weedkiller applicator. I don't know which
weedkiller would suit, but it came as a long tubular reservoir with an
applicator at the bottom and a handle at the top.

You placed the applicator on the weed and pressed.

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.)

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

The message
from Brian Mitchell contains these words:

I don't suppose there's a dandelion-specific one by any chance?

Last year dandelions appeared in plague numbers all over my 3 acres of
mostly roughish pasture and I couldn't keep on top of them with
mechanical means. Now, mid-February, they're already flowering again!!

The thing is, I don't want to poison everything, such as the many
(other) wild flowers. I don't *want* to poison anything, and the
bumblebees are particularly fond of --maybe dependent on-- early
dandelions. But I do need to control them fairly drastically right now.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

You used to be able to get a weedkiller applicator. I don't know which
weedkiller would suit, but it came as a long tubular reservoir with an
applicator at the bottom and a handle at the top.

You placed the applicator on the weed and pressed.

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.)

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

"Jaques d'Alltrades" wrote in
message ...

snip

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.

--
ned

"Jaques d'Alltrades" wrote in
message ...

snip

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.

--
ned

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.

"Frogleg" wrote in message
...
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.

Well, maybe the UK dandelions might be a little less persistent. There
seems to be a critical amount of root which will eventually resprout.
But I reckon that if you can get half the root out, it will take the
hint! But I do agree that simply getting the top inch or so out, will
only cause it to branch and come back worse than ever.

--
ned

The message
from "ned" contains these words:
"Jaques d'Alltrades" wrote in
message ...

snip

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.

*AND* I cut the hay in it with a scythe, tedded it with a hayfork, and
later made a proper stack, but thatched it with a couple of those big
fertiliser bales opened out 'cos I ran out of time and you can't get
thatching straw at my favourite price either....

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

The message
from "ned" contains these words:
"Jaques d'Alltrades" wrote in
message ...

snip

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.

*AND* I cut the hay in it with a scythe, tedded it with a hayfork, and
later made a proper stack, but thatched it with a couple of those big
fertiliser bales opened out 'cos I ran out of time and you can't get
thatching straw at my favourite price either....

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

The message
from "ned" contains these words:

/snip/

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.

Well, maybe the UK dandelions might be a little less persistent. There
seems to be a critical amount of root which will eventually resprout.
But I reckon that if you can get half the root out, it will take the
hint! But I do agree that simply getting the top inch or so out, will
only cause it to branch and come back worse than ever.

Dandelions were the least of my worries: I had creeping thistle amongst
other things.

Fortunately the goats took care of the roots - but only after I'd dug
them out. Pigs would have done it for me, but I didn't have one/any.

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

The message
from "ned" contains these words:

/snip/

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.

Well, maybe the UK dandelions might be a little less persistent. There
seems to be a critical amount of root which will eventually resprout.
But I reckon that if you can get half the root out, it will take the
hint! But I do agree that simply getting the top inch or so out, will
only cause it to branch and come back worse than ever.

Dandelions were the least of my worries: I had creeping thistle amongst
other things.

Fortunately the goats took care of the roots - but only after I'd dug
them out. Pigs would have done it for me, but I didn't have one/any.

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/