Dandi-flippin'-lions

[Stig]

My garden is awash with dandilions this year. Particularly in the grassy areas (v. large - way too tatty really be called lawns!) Never seen anything like it. I mowed some of it on Friday evening & by this morning there are clocks waiting to be lown about.

What can I do to get rid? I don't like weed killers as a rule but I might have to give in this time, it'd take me all summer to dig them out. Is there anything natural that I could use on them?

[lancashire lass]

I very much doubt there is a "natural" way of doing it, other than dig them out. I can vouch for feed & weed for lawns to eradicate them without showing big brown gaps as can happen with other weedkillers ... it might take a couple of years, but the ratio of dandelion to lawn is radically reduced. I think it works by killing the weeds, and the feed gives the grass a boost which covers up the dying plants.

Glyphosate and other non-selective weedkillers are effective but as mentioned, you'll end up with brown patches where it kills the grass as well which you will have to re-seed later on etc.

[p.penn]

Have you thought about harvesting them and making wine?

[Effie]

We dig them up and give to the bunnies - they LOVE them

[Lyn Lyn]

i pick them and give them to the guinea pig (free food) other than that the way i look at is its not a weed but just a flower in the wrong place

[AL37]

To stop them going to seed you could pay kids a few pence per yellow flower head
I have had good results from a bit of course salt dropped in the middle of it.

[Gwenoakes]

Dandelions do not like salt, so if you have the time and inclination go salt dropping on them there dandelions.

Funnily enough I was out with my husband on Sunday and we were talking about just how many dandelions there are about this year and said we have never seen as many before.

I feed them to the rabbit and cant you put them in salads?

[dogcatcher]

Dig 'em up, roast them and make coffee?

[Babycakes]

We were just commenting today on how many dandelions have popped up. There are thousands of them everywhere!!
I would put a bounty on their heads - give the kids a basket and pay them per yellow dandelion head they collect. At least that way fewer will go to seed this year.

[Stig]

It's the seeds I'm most worried about, so I've been slicing the plants off at the ground. Interesting about the salt, might try a little bit on top of the root after slicing & see what happens.. Thanks for the tips!

PS Rabbits & Guineas are out of the question - I've got a lakeland terrier who *loves* rodents!

[Babycakes]

Tortoises, bearded dragons and (I think) iguanas all eat dandelions too if you fancy something a bit more exotic

[Stig]

I fancy concreting over the whole lot at the moment! I'd like to be growing stuff and tending plants more & mowing/weeding a bit less.

Unfortunately the garden is quite steeply sloping & grass is the best (ha!) weed controller I can think of.

[silky]

KING of the GARDEN

Dandelion with golden mane
Strives to survive, but all in vain
In boiling water you meet your fate
Bring a taste to someone’s palate
Fermented in demijohns large and round
In sugar and yeast you are abound
Until at last your alcohol level
Takes over man, and makes him a devil.

[Stig]

Takes over man, and makes him a devil.

Or woman...

[taff]

not really hlepful but there seem to be loads more this year than last...
Obviously I didn't keep on top of the weeding last year then, or my neighbours didn't either....