Dandelions (Nothing "Dande" About Them)

Dandelions

Dandelions are a major pest in our region since the stoppage of pesticide use some years ago. It is illegal to use pesticides in our region at this time. The dandelion normally surfaces very quickly in early May each year and will be in full bloom up until the end of June each year. The summer dry weather seems to take care of them. In some cases, although minor, you'll actually see some come back in September but it is not the same as spring. There are multiple outlooks on the weed. Some don't mind it as it allows bees to feed off of them.

As a service provider we get many, many calls each year from people desperate for a solution. They ask us to cut their grass shorter, which in our opinion, actually makes it worse. The dandelion outgrows grass, and they come back the very next day. The best solution is to maintain a healthy growth of grass, leaving it a little longer (3 inches) and fertilize and water regularly. Corn gluten if applied in April just before the grass greens up, can have some impact on dandelions. Corn gluten can also target the germination of weeds, but not all weeds. If a weed has started germinating, it will be ineffective. For this reason, we typically send a crew out to spread the corn gluten right when we begin Spring cleanings. We do not start spring cleanings before April because of the unpredictable weather (sunny one day, snow the next, frost and then heat).

As a result of the weeds, a lot of our clients will look at their lawns and wonder if their grass has been cut. Despite cutting your grass, the long stems of the weeds sometimes bend and sprout right back up the same or next day. We also see people on their front lawns plucking them one by one, some using a tool to pull the roots out. Its best not to leave those plucked weeds on the lawn as during cutting they can be spread. Unfortunately most weeds are airborne and so if they are in the neighborhood, they will almost always find a way into your property.

By July 1st, a lawn filled with weeds will be in your rear-view mirror. If you do need treatment, Medeiros and Sons subcontracts to one of the large providers in the region. They spray weed prevent on our behalf. We do all the paperwork and collect payment.