[NoodleSoup]

I'll start off by saying I can't bear dandelions. I hate the smell, feel and look of them, therefore I want them off my lawn. Unfortunately, I've inherited a lawn with hundreds of the little sods - quite literally, each square foot has at least five, if not more of them. Our garden is about 60ft by 6ft so there's hundreds of them everywhere.

I started out by trying to dig them up as far as I could but this is immensely hard work and after a day, I'd only done about 1/20th of the garden. I also broke my trowel so I wasn't best pleased  

My OH wanted to put some lawn feed down so we used a dual purpose lawn-feed and weed killer and although this made the leaves of the dandelions (and thistles...we have loads of those too) go mouldy and black, they still persisted (tough little things they are!).

My OH then took pity on me and bought me a flame gun thing. Fantastic fun and most of the lawn ended up looking black. Luckily, the grass has pulled through, but so have the dandelions. Grrr.

So I'm back to digging them up with my (new) trowel. It's back-breaking work though - is there an easier way? TBH, I'd like to steer clear of chemicals. I'm not an organic purist by any means, but I don't really want to put too many chemicals into the lawn when we have so much lovely wildlife around in the garden.

[tinlizzy]

I'd like to know the answer too, I'm seriously thinking of getting one of those lawn treatment people in, but with a quarter of a acre it will be quite expensive.

[peterjf]

AS SOON AS YOU SEE THE YELLOW FLOWERS PULL THEM OFF THE PLANT , THE FLOWERS TURN INTO THE DREADED SEEDS THAT FLY ABOUT IN THE WIND, ONCE YOUVE GOT ALL THE FLOWERS WEED AND FEED YOUR LAWN, IF POSSIBLE APPLY GLYPHSATE TOO EACH DANDELION PLANT , GOOD LOOK

[Bombers]

I really would be very carefull with Glyphosate on dandelions in the lawn. (From past experience) It'll end up looking like a tank busters dropped a couple  of cluster bombs!  

I don't think you can beat forking em out. But use a border fork.... and leave until after a good soaking (If it ever rains again?- should be O.K. though, the bank holiday's just around the corner!!

[oliveoil54]

Can really sympathise re the weeds in your lawn, as we have the same problem, but on a bit larger scale as we have approx half an acre. If you def dont want to use chemicals have you thought of buying the speedy weeder http://www.twowests.co.uk/TwoWestsSite/product/TOSPW.htm. I have one and also use it in my garden beds its great for dandelions and buttercups as when it is rotated it pulls up the tendrilly roots of the buttercup, have also used it on the lawn but its a bit of a tedious job but at least you dont have to bend down.

But it does leave approx a 2cm/half inch hole in the lawn which needs refilling, the manufacturers suggest using compressed soil, but I use an area of grass that I am fairly certain has no weeds and isnt on show and I use the speedy weeder to take a plug of good grass and then inset it whilst still in the prongs of the speedy weeder into the whole left by removing the weed, press the handle down and tread gently and hey presto - you cant see the join. Its not the quickest alternative but its not as back breaking.  :oops:

However it def doesnt wok for bind weed, etc as the roots break off too easily and you are still left with the roots in the soil.

I am have also ordered a flame gun - so was a bit diapointed to read your comment. But I also intend to try to use it burn the bindweed in my garden beds and then cover up the ground as much as poss till next summer, its supposed to stop them photosynthasising or so I am told.

[NoodleSoup]

Thanks for all your comments. I might give the glyphosphate a go as the lawn looks pretty bad at the moment anyway I'm just a bit concerned it might have a negative effect on the wildlife in the garden.

I am have also ordered a flame gun - so was a bit diapointed to read your comment. But I also intend to try to use it burn the bindweed in my garden beds and then cover up the ground as much as poss till next summer, its supposed to stop them photosynthasising or so I am told.

It actually worked a treat on some of the smaller weeds, however some of the dandelions and thistles have immensely long roots (some are nearly a foot long  :shock: ) and are very settled where they are, so I think half the problem is that the need 2 or 3 applications with the flamegun and/or weed killer stuff to really stop them. I liked the flamegun to start with, but using it got really tedious really quickly