As beautiful as the yellow blossoms of the dandelion may look in pastures, dandelions are less popular in the garden. They even grow through narrow gaps in pavement slabs and form large rosettes in otherwise well-groomed lawns. You can find out here which methods promise success in the fight against dandelion.

Cutting out is the best option to get rid of dandelions

What makes it so difficult to get rid of dandelions permanently?

Dandelion is very stubborn and is excellent at asserting itself against other plants:

  • It is well anchored in the ground by the one to two meter long taproot. It provides the plant with sufficient liquid and nutrients even in dry periods.
  • Each flower produces numerous seeds, which the wind carries far away through the small umbrellas. - These sink somewhere to the ground and remain germinable for up to ten years.

Contain dandelions before seed ripening

The yellow flower heads provide valuable food for bees and insects in spring. If the weeds have settled, you should leave them there for the time being. Cut back the flowers just before the seed ripens so that the dandelion does not spread further.

cut out dandelions

The best way to get rid of dandelions is to attack them with a special weed puller:

  • Poke the ground with the dandelion picker at the side of the root.
  • Loosen the plant by gently levering it.
  • If possible, pull them out as a whole.
  • If the taproot breaks off, be sure to dig up the part that is left in the ground.

You should not simply pull out the weed, because if the remains of the root remain in the ground, a new plant will quickly grow back.

Hot water to fight the dandelion

Between paving stones, dandelions are difficult to remove. Here you can pour hot water, for example cooking water from potatoes or pasta, over the plant. This measure damages the cell structure so badly that the dandelion dies. If one treatment is not enough, you can simply repeat it.

Controversial: The chemical club

Chemical weed killers work well against dandelions. Nevertheless, you should refrain from using these products, as they damage soil life and other plants. They also get into the groundwater and are thus spread over long distances.

tips

Dandelion leaves are by no means just tasty green fodder for rabbits and guinea pigs. The young leaves are small vitamin bombs and with their tart, spicy taste they are a great addition to salads. They are also good for preparing pesto and in herbal quark.

Category:

Herbs