Any recommendations how to get rid of dandelions?

troopersmom21

So this year our yard has even more dandelions any ideas how to get rid of them? We also have clover the little purple flowers.

Thanks

curlydoglover

Dandelions and clover are a sign of nitrogen deficiency in your soil.  They also can be a sign the pH is off (dandelions like slightly more acidic soil than turf grass).

I would have a soil test run to determine what's going on.  Correcting the underlying problems of nutrients and pH will help long-term.

Short term I would either hand-dig them or spot-treat with an herbicide.

ETA: I would leave the clover alone, but that's my personal preference.

myvette13

I have the same %$mn clover in my lawn.  Does it have a decent scent to it.. like almost minty?  It might be creeping charlie.. which from everything I have read is hard to get rid of and my experience so far is it takes multiple applications of fertilizer with a broadleaf weed killer in it. 

mmremshard

we have that clover, too, with the purple flowers. it drives me insane. I sprayed weed killer this weekend on my dad's reccomendation. (he had it last year and got rid of it). I think it's going to take a couple of applications though because it doesn't seem to be dying like the dandelions did.

JosiePosy

I have actually been pulling Creeping Charlie by hand because my backyard has tons of it and nothing seems to kill it. I have a thatching rake that pulls out the vines pretty well. You have to toss it because it reseeds itself too easily. It loves shade and will compete with the grass, so the best defense is good healthy grass to choke it out. The sunny spots in my backyard have definitely improved when we had the trees trimmed and pulled the Charlie out by hand.

For the spots that I am too lazy to pull, well we were planning on putting in a patio anyway.