Dandelions are delightful for innocent young children who blow the flowery seeds of the plant while making wishes. For adults, however, dandelions are the exact opposite. Any gardener knows that dandelions belong to a group of highly persistent perennial weeds. Although they look ethereal and pretty, dandelions are anything but for garden and lawn owners who strive hard to keep this area clean and neat.

Dandelions are actually desirable during the spring. As one of the earliest plants to grow during the start of the spring season, dandelions provide food for various beneficial insects, such as ladybugs. This helps control the damage that can be caused by other pests. Aside from this, dandelions have fleshy roots that help enrich the soil.

Dandelions, also called yellow gowans, peasant’s cloaks, and Irish daisies, are healthy herbal plants. They have been used to treat diabetes since medieval times. Aside from this, dandelion extract is also used as a form of mild laxative. Dandelion roots are also a great source of latex, which is used to make rubber.

Despite their charm and benefits, dandelions are still considered pests by many people. They grow and multiply from even the smallest part of the stem or root of the plant. Like other perennial weeds, dandelions can grow rapidly from these plant leftovers, in addition to the light and feathery seeds that get blown in the wind. Dandelions are also highly persistent, as they can survive for a number of years.

Getting rid of dandelions in the lawn or garden takes a great amount of effort and persistence. Do not despair, however, as getting rid of dandelions is not as hard as getting rid of other pests in the lawn or garden. Contrary to the advice of many, there is no need to use herbicides.

Below are some ways you can eliminate dandelion patches from growing in your lawn or back yard.

Mow Your Lawn With Mo’ Effort

The best time to mow your lawn to get rid of dandelion patches is when they are in bloom. Exert more time and effort in mowing your lawn or garden regularly. Mowing will prevent the dandelion blossoms from maturing into seeds, which can spread and make more dandelion patches.

Dig In and Root Them Out

Like other weeds, dandelions do not die by being pulled out from the soil. What’s needed is a deep seated rooting out that damages the root system of the whole patch. You can use a dandelion digger that can remove the plants from the roots while keeping the soil minimally disturbed.

Before you dig out the dandelions, thoroughly water the soil. Digging will make the soil softer and looser, making it easier to pull out the dandelions from their roots. With the use of dandelion diggers that cost between $10 to $30, you are all set to having a dandelion-free lawn or garden.

Poaching is Acceptable—in Killing Dandelions

One way to kill dandelion growth patches is by pouring boiling water over the plants. Like most living things, dandelions expire under great heat. In a few days after you pour boiling water over the patches, the plants will die and rot. Also known as sheet mulching, this method has proven effective for killing dandelions and other weeds. You can also try other ways of mulching, including covering the patches with thick black plastic or cardboard to weigh them down.

Save Your Lawn, Feed the Hungry Animals

As already mentioned, dandelions are healthy plants. Dandelion leaves contain vitamins C and A, as well as insane amounts of beta-carotene. Aside from this, dandelion leaves are soft and tender, and have a mild flavor pleasing to the palate. If you happen to raise livestock, such as chickens and rabbits, you can feed them dandelion leaves. Not only will you boost your animals’ health, you will also get rid of your dandelion problem.

Let The Dandelions Eat: Feed Them Corn Gluten Meal

There is indeed no need to use any kind of herbicide that can harm the environment. If you absolutely need to use a chemical composition, then use organic corn gluten meal, which is a by-product of corn milling. It is used mainly as feed for farm animals, as well as a material to control weeds in lawns and gardens.

Just apply the material on the soil while the dandelion seeds are still germinating. This will prevent them from getting water and other healthy goodness from the soil, eventually killing them. Apply corn gluten meal on dandelion patches about a month before the seeds are to germinate. If you cannot tell when this will be, just regularly apply corn gluten meal on growing dandelion patches.

When Everything Else Fails, Let It Burn

Consider this next method only as a last resort, or after you have tried most or all of the methods listed above. Burning dandelion patches is a highly effective method, but is also very dangerous. You will need a weed torch to burn the dandelions. Make sure to use it properly, or you will end up burning your whole garden or lawn. You will also need a lot of confidence to pull off this method, as your neighbors will think you are going crazy with just a patch of dandelions.

Remember, Giving Up is Not an Option

As with eliminating other types of weeds and pests, persistence is the main ingredient to eliminate dandelion patches. Once you see the smallest sign of dandelion patches growing in your garden or lawn, go to work right away. Not only will you cut your dandelion problem short even before it grows, but you will also learn the value of having better gardening habits.