Mercy StephensMy niece once wished for a Barbie doll on a dandelion’s fuzzy head. But while she did that, my uncle was appalled by the sight of the plant that overran his lawn. Their fluffy seeds ride the wind, making it easy for them to propagate and easily take over lawns. If dandelions have taken over your beautiful lawn, here is a review of the best herbicide for dandelions so you can subtly get rid of them.
Contents
Comparison Table – Herbicide for Dandelions
| Herbicide | Size | Coverage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monteray Remuda Non-Selective Herbicide | 2.5-gallon | 5 acres |
| 2 | Trimec 992 Broadleaf Herbicide | 2.5-gallon | 2.5 acres |
| 3 | Milestone Specialty Herbicide | 1-quart | 6.5 acres |
| 4 | Tenacity Turf Herbicide | 8-ounce | 5 acres |
| 5 | Green Gobbler Vinegar Herbicide | 5-gallon | 8 acres |
What to consider before buying herbicides for dandelions
Dandelions are broadleaf plants with attractive yellow flowers. They can overrun your lawn or add to its beauty. But then, they are a nuisance once allowed to run free. They become thick and send long taproots – 10 inches long – into the soil for winter. Their long taproots ensure they grow back in the fall and are tricky to uproot by hand. That’s why removal is an important process, especially if you want to use herbicides.
What weeds do you want to kill?
To achieve the promised results with these products, you have to get your bearings with dandelion. Every herbicide comes with a list of weeds it kills. So, you need to select a herbicide that has the weed you want to kill on its list. Again, you need to know more about the weed, like the number of seasons the weeds can survive. Annual weeds are easier to control as they live for just one season. Example include:
- Foxtail
- Crabgrass and
- Some spurges.
On the other hand, dandelion and other weeds like nutsedge and plantain are perennial and regrow from the same root.
Methods of Dandelion removal
You can approach the eradication or prevention of dandelion on your lawn in two ways: pulling with your hands or spraying herbicides. Pulling out dandelion roots requires persistence. Yet, it is not effective as some roots might split, leading to new weeds. But, it an eco-friendly method though it might take several seasons to fully eradicate dandelions if that’s your goal. Ensure you read and adhere to the safety warnings to ensure they won’t kill your grass or harm your kid or pet.
Despite being a weed, you can use the raw or boiled leaves for salad. Dandelion leaves are rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, and iron. The roots can be dried and used for tea, while the flowers can be stir-fried, boiled, or used in winemaking. Avoid harvesting dandelions to eat near the road and from lawns where you may have used chemicals and other herbicides. We do not recommend eating them.
When to strike?
Dandelions are herbaceous plants that die in winter while their roots persist underground. At the beginning of the fall season, the plant sprout leaves that transfer nutrient to the root. This is the best time to use pre-emergent herbicides for dandelion. Once sprayed on the leaves, the chemicals travel to the root with the nutrients.
Organic or chemical herbicides?
Before buying herbicides for dandelions, you need to know what you plan to achieve. Do you intend to prevent dandelions from growing on your lawn for a season, or you want to eradicate them? For many, it’s best to eradicate dandelions from your lawn, so they do not grow back the next season. There are two categories of herbicides for killing dandelions you can choose from.
You can choose between organic or chemical herbicides. Organic herbicides are slow and require more than one application. However, they are safe for children and pets. Chemical herbicides, on the other hand, are quick and accurate but could harm children and pets.
Whether you decide to use an organic or a chemical herbicide, you still have one more decision to make: pre-emergent or post-emergent. Pre-emergence herbicides are best for annual weeds that grow in the same location. Applying a pre-emergence herbicide prevents weeds from emerging by attacking the seed or roots in the soil.
What pre-emergence herbicides for dandelion do is disrupt its growing process. These types of herbicides help you solve your dandelion issue even before it becomes one. Post-emergent herbicides, on the other hand, target the grown dandelions. When applied to dandelions’ leaves, the chemicals travel to the root with nutrients and kill the plant. These types of herbicides are great for controlling dandelions in walkways, fence lines, and driveways.
Selective and persistence
Dandelion herbicides can be either selective or non-selective, and it’s not surprising that many think a selective dandelion killer is the best option. This herbicide will only kill the dandelion in your lawn without affecting other plants. The non-selective herbicide kills any plant that they get in contact with. That said, persistence best describes the effect of a persistent herbicide. A persistent herbicide has a lasting effect and prevents future growth. If a herbicide does not prevent future growth, it is considered a non-persistent herbicide.
Best Herbicide for Dandelions Reviewed
Below is a detailed review of the products we picked for this review.
1. Best Herbicide For Dandelions – Monterey Remuda Non-Selective Herbicide
The Monterey Remuda Non-selective Herbicide is revered by many, thanks to its non-selective ingredients that kill perennial and annual broadleaf grasses like dandelions, poison ivy, creeping charlie, and clover. This herbicide contains 41% glyphosate – the world’s most commonly used herbicide – with a surfactant, and it works best for vegetation around flowerbeds, trees, and shrubs. It’s a post-emergent weed killer for controlling dandelion during their active growth.
This remuda herbicide also works in non-planted lawn areas and for ornamental weed control. To use it, mix it with the right amount of water to achieve your desired strength. Also, you can read the label and follow the instructions in the booklet for various applications. This remuda product is safe for pets and humans only when it is dry; it becomes fully dried in 6 hours.
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2. Best Broadleaf Herbicide For Dandelions – Trimec 992 Broadleaf Herbicide
Features: It comes in a 2.5-gallon container that covers up to 2.5 acres, is a broadleaf dandelion killer, can remove weeds like nutsedge, and is easy to apply.
The TRIMEC 992 BROADLEAF HERBICIDE is our top choice for anyone looking to deal with broadleaf dandelions. It’s a chemical non-selective post-emergent herbicide that kills dandelions almost immediately. This herbicide is made with a unique lawn applicator formula Trimec complex 2-4 D. This post-emergence herbicide produces the best result when used on cool and warm-season broadleaf weeds like bermudagrass, zoysiagrass, clover, and perennial ryegrass.
The approximate use rate of this herbicide is 0.66 to 1.5 ounces per 1000 square feet. However, this depends on the number of acreage or square feet of your sprayer. Be careful not to get any of this product on tress as it affects their growth. To kill other weeds like nutsedge in your lawn, you need to mix the herbicide a little stronger.
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3. Milestone Specialty Herbicide
Features: No mixing required, good for riparian areas and pre- and post-emergent herbicide.
The Milestone Specialty Herbicide is a broadleaf chemical post-emergent herbicide for dandelion. But, it also has a pre-emergent effect on broadleaf weeds. It kills by initial foliage absorption and likewise by root uptake. It acts fast, and you are sure to see results 24 hours after application. However, it’s a persistent and non-selective herbicide.
The herbicide has been found active after one year of application. Hence, it is not to be used on the roots of plants we want to keep, including trees. This herbicide for dandelion does not change when it passes through the digestive system of livestock. Consequently, the manure produced is toxic to broadleaf plants. You should be careful with its usage around edible plants.
The herbicide is designed for large-scale and broadcast-spray use. The mixing rationale is based on one ounce per acre – regardless of the amount of water. Five ozs per acre are perfect for large-scale spraying.
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4. Tenacity Turf Herbicide
Features: Mesotrione active ingredient, 5-8 years shelf life, it can be used on other broadleaf weeds, and comes in an 8-ounce bottle.
This herbicide is a systematic and selective pre-and post-emergence herbicide for controlling broadleaf weeds and turf grasses. Aside from dandelion, other broadleaf weeds and turf grasses that this herbicide targets include carpetweed, chickweed, clover, henbit, thistle, and foxtail.
The Tenacity Turf Herbicide can also be sprayed on a newly seeded lawn to control broadleaf weeds. When mixing this herbicide, you need to add non-ionic surfactant to reduce surface tension. You can use liquid dish soap to help the herbicide cling to the leaves easily. This budget-friendly herbicide has a half-life of 5-15 days – the minimum number of days for the herbicide to take effect.
However, high temperatures (above 90º) reduce the half-life of this product. Hence, you have to spray your lawn when the temperature is below 8º. The 8 oz bottle of this product will give you about 96 gallons mixed with water and cover up to 5 acres.
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5. Green Gobbler Vinegar Herbicide
Features: Certified organic herbicide, fast action, glyphosate, and phosphate-free, and safe for use anywhere.
The Green Gobbler Vinegar Herbicide is a post-emergence organic dandelion killer safe to use on your lawn. It’s designed for commercial, residential, industrial, and agricultural use. Just apply in any area where undesired weeds grow right out of the container without any mixing. And if you are pro-preserving the environment, then this herbicide will serve that cause.
It’s a certified organic product made from corn and does not contain any toxic chemicals. It produces visual results in a matter of hours and eradicates any weed. This herbicide contains 20% acetic acid – ethanol distilled from corn, four times stronger than traditional vinegar. You can also use it on clover weeds, white clover, moss, and crabgrass.
The Green Gobbler Vinegar Herbicide requires no mixing as it is a ready-to-use product. But, you can add a surfactant – orange oil or dishwashing soap – for improved effectiveness. Spraying weeds with this product is best between 10 am and 2 pm on a sunny day.
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Final Words
If you must eliminate the dandelions in your lawn, it’s best to get it right the first time. When using a pre-emergent herbicide, fall is the best time to strike. However, for post-emergent herbicide, you need to wait for the rain. Selective herbicides are the best but go for safe products for children and pets if you have any. Persistency is another thing you need to consider closely as it determines when dandelion will reappear. Lastly, make a budget and ensure you buy the right product to cover the area you have in mind.
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