Lawn Care/weeds

[manitoubass2]

I'm sure I'm not the only board member here that likes to have a nice lawn, so I'm looking for some input.

 

This year we had a huge bloom of dandelion in our yard, and we've never previously had them other then a few. Whats the best way to get rid of them without harming the lawn??? I should mention I have kids and ones just a lil toddler, loves rolling around in the grass. We also have dogs. So I don't want to use a bunch of super chemicals all over causing health issues.

 

Any thoughts/help are always appreciated

Edited May 31, 2012 by manitoubass2

[Ralph Field]

We have a pesticide ban where I live so we use a product named Weed-be- Gone. It kills weeds and leaves a small dark patch where the weed was. With a toddler rolling in the grass I would as you suggest study all products very carefully. It hasn't bothered our dog yet, but my youngest is 31 and doesn't roll on my lawn anymore.

[Millhouse2020]

I know that in Ontario, the over the counter stuff is far more benign than it used to be but if you have serious concerns, I would check with the experts at a garden supply store or something who could give you an informed opinion.

 

 

I finally cried uncle this year and called in the pros the other day. I did so much work on my lawn last year to improve it only to wake up one morning this spring to see a sea of yellow, I almost cried... I have some neighbours whose weeds are out of control and spreading. Anyways, I purchased a package from Turf King recently that includes several treatments of fertilizer and weed control, plus soil areation and some other stuff from now till the fall. It cost $350 in total which seemed like a lot at first to me but when I thought about the bags of fertilizer, seeds and weed control I buy and spread myself otherwise its not that much more to have someone do it for you and use stronger stuff.

 

 

I think the more common weed control product now contains iron as the main ingredient that kills weeds without harming your lawn or the environment. I'm no expert of course but this has been my recent experience. I think you should call of the pros, Weedman, TurfKing, Nutrilawn and see what they have that meets your needs for safety with your kids and pets.

 

 

Hope this helps.

[solopaddler]

There is only one answer. Head Stateside and bring a couple jugs of weed killer back.

[Billy Bob]

If you truelly love a good lawn like I do it take some work in the beginning but then it comes easy........

 

FIRST APPLICATION.......GRABCRASS BLASTER by Scotts.....late March early April...maybe a week or two later in your area but it don't hurt to apply early.....DO NOT SKIP this application....as it takes years to get crabgrass under control.......so don't give up on this part of lawn care.......it will show results 3-4 years down the line....

 

SECOND APPLICATION.....WEED & FEED by Scotts.......now this isn't like all other applications.......IT MUST BE APPLIED CORRECTLY....Weed & Feed works like this....it must be applied when the grass is wet....best after a good dew (FIRST PART OF THE MORNING...daybreak).....the fertilizer sticks to the the broad weeds (dandelions) and OVER feeds them which kills them....you want to apply when the grass is wet but it should NOT rain for the next 24 hours, but better if it's 48 hours.....if it does rain before then the feed part of the application is still good for growing the grass but it might not be so good to kill the weeds.

 

THIRD APPLICATION is just fertilizer to thicken the lawn during the harsh dry summer months....

 

FOURTH APPLICATION is a bit more nitrogen and feed to get your lawn ready for winter.

 

IF you keep doing this for 3-4 years you WILL HAVE THE BEST LAWN in the neighbourhood .....Mine is MUCH better then all the neighbours that have a commercial lawn care service do it for them...

 

AND just keep the kids off the lawn for 2-3 days after each application....my boys had no trouble growing up on my lushest lawn....

Edited May 31, 2012 by Billy Bob

[rmarentette]

I removed my dandelions with a Weed Hound I bought at Canadian Tire. It's a metal bar with spikes that you put on the dandelion and use your foot to drive it down, give it a twist and it removes them by the roots. I then throw some grass seed down to fill in the patches. The lawn comes in so thick it chokes out the weeds. It's a little bit of work but it's safe for the kids and pets and better for the environment. It took a couple of years but my lawn is virtually weed free.

[Billy Bob]

BTW.........this will only cost you about $100 per year....(our costs down here...so adjust for your Canadian expensives)....my 61 year old sister in-law now does her own lawn after seeing how much better mine is compared to her's that was being sprayed professionally.....she can't believe how easy this is to do....but she did have to purchase a Scott's fertilizer spreader....on sale for $34.99.....

[BillM]

Bob, load that Tundra up with lawn car supplies and meet me at my place. My front lawn looks like a desert, lol!

[misfish]

If you water and cut short,regularly,you dont get weeds. The grass gets too thick for them. Another thing,dont cut the grass next door. All the seeds from the weeds,will be transffered to you next cut,on your lawn.

[manitoubass2]

thanks for the responses everyone.

 

BB, I might have to look at your suggestions.

 

I think for now, I'm going to use some weed-b-gone once or twice just for cosmetic purposes, and keep the kids off the lawn for a few days. I found one with iron as the ingredient, but I need to look into abit more.

 

Crappy thing is, we share a yard with like 6 other houses, its sort of an open field in the back, so were kinda damned regardless, cause they still have dandelions.

 

Overall Im gonna try to improve my grass, I think thats the best long term solution. Get some corn gluten and just keep feeding it, cutting it, and watering it.

 

My darned obsessive compulsiveness is gonna make this tough on me, lol. I could spend the next year digging them all out by hand and becoming obsessed with my lawn, lol

[Grimace]

I have a few workmates heading to the F1 race in Montreal. They are coming back loaded up with weed killer and hopefully they won't get pulled over and suspected for terrorists.

[Raf]

BBs suggestions are useless unless you are willing to cross the border for the weed killers. You wont find those items available for sale here.

 

Weed-b-gone may work if its not too bad. Head over to a TSC near you and see if you can find the concentrated formula you dilute yourself. The stuff in the pre-mix bottles/sprayers is a bit of a waste of money (you're paying for water). If your neighbours lawns are filled with dandelions, it's a losing battle, the seeds will just blow in the wind right onto your lawn.

 

To clear a patch for my garden, I got a hold of farm grade Round Up and 2,4-d (you have to know a farmer to get this stuff) this year but this is not a selective herbicide (it kills everything including grass).

[Old Man]

The best thing for Dandelions, if you can afford the price.

 

Lontrel

[manitoubass2]

BBs suggestions are useless unless you are willing to cross the border for the weed killers. You wont find those items available for sale here.

 

Weed-b-gone may work if its not too bad. Head over to a TSC near you and see if you can find the concentrated formula you dilute yourself. The stuff in the pre-mix bottles/sprayers is a bit of a waste of money (you're paying for water). If your neighbours lawns are filled with dandelions, it's a losing battle, the seeds will just blow in the wind right onto your lawn.

 

To clear a patch for my garden, I got a hold of farm grade Round Up and 2,4-d (you have to know a farmer to get this stuff) this year but this is not a selective herbicide (it kills everything including grass).

 

Going to the States is an option, I live 400 yards from the U.S. Border. I'm also in the middle of a farming community, so that may be an option as well

 

 

 

[express168]

Going to the States is an option, I live 400 yards from the U.S. Border. I'm also in the middle of a farming community, so that may be an option as well

 

 

You don't have to hide it either, it is perfectly acceptable to import the only ban is the application. So put it in an unmarked bottle before you spray if you have a neighbour that may rat you out.

[danc]

I just let them grow and then hope for prolonged periods without rain so I don't have to cut the grass either. A nice carefree short brown lawn is awesome.

[Raf]

The ban is for "cosmetic" use ie. lawns. As far as they are concerned, you are using it to kill all the poison ivy in the yard.

[chessy]

if you live in farm country and you know a farmer ask him for some 2-4d it is one of the ingredients in weed killer it will kill your dandelions but not your clover or other "waxy weeds" if you want a good lawn in the spring and fall get together with your neibours and rent a core aratior and do your lawns... maintain your lawn at 2.5 inches or longer and never ever ever water at night or the evening water in the morning or even in the heat of the day as that is when the most damage can be done to your lawn, you will not burn the lawn but you will loose some to evaporation which means cooling ... 10 years in the business before the ban.... i have lots of the good stuff left.. and if you know the right farmer you can buy it

[danbouck]

I've got a 1 gallon bottle of 50 year old concentrated weed killer at the cottage you can have. I have no idea where to get rid of it and don't really want to open it

[manitoubass2]

if you live in farm country and you know a farmer ask him for some 2-4d it is one of the ingredients in weed killer it will kill your dandelions but not your clover or other "waxy weeds" if you want a good lawn in the spring and fall get together with your neibours and rent a core aratior and do your lawns... maintain your lawn at 2.5 inches or longer and never ever ever water at night or the evening water in the morning or even in the heat of the day as that is when the most damage can be done to your lawn, you will not burn the lawn but you will loose some to evaporation which means cooling ... 10 years in the business before the ban.... i have lots of the good stuff left.. and if you know the right farmer you can buy it

 

Sweet! I know alot of farmers in the area, I can at least ask around.

 

and lol@DanC's comment. I actually enjoy mowing my lawn though When you got 6 kids thats 3 hours of a day that I have to myself, lol.

 

 

[chessy]

if you know them ask them for trikill or par3 ... the active ingredients are 2 4 d , mecoprop and dicamba... that is a all round weed killer it is what is in weed killer you used to be able to buy but only in "prescription strength"

[mercman]

I just let them grow and then hope for prolonged periods without rain so I don't have to cut the grass either. A nice carefree short brown lawn is awesome.

 

 

Actually when in Las Vegas, i visited a neighborhood and was amazed at some of the great ways to landscape without grass, and weeds.

 

So your idea is great Dan. Just need some gravel and cacti No mere dandelions.

[crappieperchhunter]

I just let them grow and then hope for prolonged periods without rain so I don't have to cut the grass either. A nice carefree short brown lawn is awesome.

:thumbsup_anim:

 

I live for hot dry weather to make my lawn go dormant. By the end of July my lawn looks as good as most in my neighborhood. May and June not so much. And I have never spent a dime on killing weeds or fertilizing. I keep my flowerbeds and vegetable garden weeded and let the weeds coexist with my lawn.

[manitoubass2]

Actually when in Las Vegas, i visited a neighborhood and was amazed at some of the great ways to landscape without grass, and weeds.

 

So your idea is great Dan. Just need some gravel and cacti No mere dandelions.

 

I'll take that house if we can relocate it to Ontario

 

 

 

[Billy Bob]

BBs suggestions are useless unless you are willing to cross the border for the weed killers. You wont find those items available for sale here.

 

Actually everything I suggested is just fertilizer......weed and feed simply over feeds broadweeds while feeding the grass because it sticks to the broad leafs when it's applied to a wet lawn....only, maybe, the crabgrass blaster that is applied in early spring might have a weed killer in it....but it works to stop the germination of the already planted grabgrass seeds from sprouting....that's why it's so important to get it applied early....once crabgrass start to sprout it's too late...they do make a spray that will kill it once it's growing but you can NEVER catch up because more seed is still in the ground that will pop up almost every other day....you would be spraying every 2 or 3 day for the rest of the summer.....crabgrass loves HOT WEATHER.....once late summer/early fall comes it dies off but it has already planted it seeds for next year....always keep using a crabgrass blaster....and it's the first fertilizer for the year.

 

The dandelions (one of the broad leaf weeds) are really very easy to control using Scotts Weed and Feed...if applied correctly as I have already stated.....it can be applied and should be applied once the weeds have sprouted.....all the yellow dandelions will tell you it's time...putting on before is useless....it has to stick to the broad leafs to kill the plant.

 

Weed B Gone is a very good product made by Scotts.....it works very well but it really should be used to kill the occasional dandelion that the Weed and Feed missed...it's really not to do the whole lawn with.....also using Weed B Gone does nothing to feed and enrich the grass....a thick grass keeps out weeds naturally......also you should cut your grass so it's about 4" high AFTER mowing it....and never less then 3" high...this helps in draught conditions (looks like this year will be one) and again keeps the weeds out......

 

Here are the products that we can purchase just about anywhere here....including Lowe's, Home Depot, Walmart, Kmart, Value Home Centers and every corner hardware store also carries these Scott products, plus some of their own cheaper versions.

 

All the other applications is just fertilizer to thicken your lawn....makes a HUGE difference after 2-3 years of following this program....you will not see a difference over night...it takes time...but I guarantee you 100% that you will have best lawn in your neighbourhood if you do follow this program for 3 years.

 

http://www.scotts.com/smg/learn/annualProgramBuilder/apbstep4.jsp?navId=300031&parentId=19300170&navId=19600030&parentId=19300170&_requestid=2967285&_DARGS=/smg/learn/annualProgramBuilder/grassType2.jsp&_requestid=2967408

 

So are you guys saying you can't purchase these fertilizers but you can by Weed B Gone that is nothing but a weed killing chemical .....