They’ve arrived and are determined to destroy your lawn.
Dandelions – the weeds you loved to pick and play with as a child and loathe as an adult – are starting to take over your lawns and open spaces within your garden.
They start coming in spring. By late spring and early summer, you have a bunch of white seedlings ready to blow around and start the invasion of your lawn all over again.
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What’s the best way to prevent dandelions?
According to the University of Delaware College of Agriculture & Natural Resources website, growing a thick lawn is the best way to prevent weeds.
“Growing healthy, dense turf is the best way to prevent weeds. Vigorous, healthy turf shades weed seeds so they don’t germinate,” the website said.
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How to get rid of dandelions
If you’ve aerated, seeded and fertilized your lawn and your turf still has weeds, there are a couple of ways to get rid of them.
Pull the plants out of your lawn: You can pull the weeds out of your lawn using a spade or a garden hoe. Just make sure you get the full root.
Spray herbicides: Before you head out to Home Depot or Lowe’s, do some research and make sure you’re purchasing the correct product. Select a selective postemergence herbicide if you don’t want to kill your entire lawn. That way, you won’t damage your lawn.
Boiling water, vinegar or corn gluten: You can apply boiling water or vinegar to kill the dandelion. You can also use a corn gluten meal mulch to suppress the dandelions.
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Are dandelions good for your yard? 3 reasons to keep them
Dandelions may look like nuisance plants among green grass in a manicured lawn, and the impulse may be to remove them, but they’re beneficial.
Since they bloom early in spring, dandelions are an early food source for pollinators such as bees, butterflies, beetles, moths and more, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation. Additionally, songbirds such as sparrows and finches eat the seeds.
Your lawn might thank you for letting the dandelions grow, too. Their wide-spreading roots can help loosen and aerate hard soil, writes Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners.
Also, the deep roots help pull nutrients such as calcium from deep in the soil up to the surface, making the nutrients available for all plants.
Dandelions are also safe to eat (as long as they haven’t been sprayed with herbicides) and have medicinal benefits.
Are dandelions edible for humans and pets?
Dandelions aren’t just edible, but nutritious. The weeds are high in antioxidants, vitamins A and C, calcium and potassium and are safe for both pets and humans to consume. A powerful diuretic, dandelions have been known to treat constipation as well, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Both dandelion’s yellow flowers and green leaves can be added to dishes like salads, while the flowers can be used to make dandelion tea or dandelion wine.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: How to get rid of dandelions