Best Dandelion Killer That Won’t Harm Your Grass

Dandelion Killer/Removal FAQ

Now that you know the best dandelion killer products that are currently available on Amazon, you might still want a bit more information about how these products work.

For example, can you really kill dandelions without harming the surrounding grass of your lawn? Here’s the lowdown.

What kills dandelions but not the grass?

As we’ve seen in our reviews, there are many dandelion killers and preventative products that effectively remove dandelions but don’t kill the grass in your lawn.

One of the best types of products to try is a broadleaf herbicide, which targets the dandelions but leaves your grass unharmed. Another effective herbicide is a non-selective herbicide, which means that the product will kill any plant with which it comes into contact, including your grass. This means you will have to ensure you spot treat the weeds without letting it come into contact with your lawn.

To protect your lawn, you should also check herbicide product bottles for ingredients such as 2,4-D, mecoprop, dicamba, MCPA, and carfentrazone (via SFGate). Many of these are featured in the products we listed in our buying guide because they’re some of the most effective to kill weeds.

What kills dandelions permanently?

The important thing to bear in mind when you’re trying to remove dandelions is that you have to remove their roots otherwise the weeds will be able to grow back.

Whether you’re using a chemical product or trying to find other methods to remove dandelions from your garden, make sure you follow these tips to ensure you can remove weeds quickly and with long-lasting results.

• When you pull up a dandelion, make sure you pull out two or three inches of its taproot. This prevents the taproot from being able to sprout again. To make pulling up the root easier, first moisten the soil.
• If you’re using an organic weed killer, wait for the young dandelions to appear, which occurs during fall and spring. This makes it more effective to kill them.
• When buying a weed killer spray, such as one that we featured in our guide, make sure you check that the product will kill the leaf and root.
• While you should always try to target dandelions when they’re young, you might find that you have older ones to eliminate. Older plants have waxy coatings that form a barrier against weed killers (via HGTV), so you should injure the plant, such as by scuffing it with your shoe a few times, to break the tissue of the leaves so that the weed killer will be able to penetrate the plant.
• Use a herbicide that contains corn gluten if you want to target seeds. This disrupts the weeds’ seed germination process so that the weed can’t produce a plant. We feature an organic dandelion from Espoma killer in our reviews that contains corn gluten to achieve this. This product prevents dandelion growth and it also targets other types of weeds, such as crabgrass.

Why are dandelions bad for my lawn?

While some people state that dandelions can actually be good for your lawn, such as because their strong taproots bring up more nitrogen from the soil that your grass benefits from, they can be a big nuisance. They can also be bad for your garden in other ways, such as the following:

Dandelion roots are quite extensive. They grow up to two feet in length and can be brittle. They break off when you try to pull them out, which can cause them to easily sprout plants again.

As you know by now, if you don’t eliminate the root of the plant the dandelions will easily reappear. Since the roots travel deeply into the ground, they can withstand the freezing cold winters and grow again during the springtime, so you won’t be able to get rid of them permanently.

What further makes dandelions something you don’t want in your garden is that they turn into fluffy balls when they mature, which makes it easy for the wind to spread the dandelions around. They can be germinated in any area where they land. This is why you might find that your garden is experiencing what appears to be a sudden invasion of dandelions.

What is the fastest way to get rid of dandelions?

When you want to remove dandelions quickly, there are several methods you can try. These include the following:

• Pour boiling water on the dandelions. You should do this a few times in a day over two or three days so that the plant will start to wilt and die. Just make sure you pour the boiling water directly onto the weed plant so that you don’t kill surrounding plants and grass.
• Remove them by hand. Moisten the soil so that it makes it easier to remove the dandelion. Using a weeding fork, make sure to place the tines of the fork into the ground right next to the dandelion weed. You should then leverage the handle so you move it away from the plant. Repeat placing the tines around the weed to lift it up out of the ground. Then, pull the dandelion from the soil, being sure to remove its taproot. Put the dandelions into a trash bag and dispose of them – never put dandelions into your compost as this can cause the weeds to sprout again.
• Use a quality dandelion killer. You can find many products on the market that contain ingredients to kill off weeds quickly. For example, a product containing 2,4-D works by expanding the cells in tissues that transport water and nutrients to plants, therefore killing the weeds effectively and quickly.

Conclusion

If you’re battling with an invasion of dandelions in your garden or lawn, you will naturally want to find the best dandelion killer that won’t harm your grass.

In this buying guide, we’ve featured five of the best products, from sprays to granulated formulas, to ensure that you can have the beautiful lawn you’ve always wanted.

In our FAQ section, we’ve also featured some important information and tips you need to know before you tackle your dandelion invasion. Now you’re armed with the best weed killers and hacks for eliminating those annoying dandelions – once and for all!

Sources:

• SFGate
• HGTV