How to get rid of dandelions in short grass meadows?

Why do dandelions like my garden so much?

Dandelions are cosmopolitan and very hardy plants. In undisturbed nature, a plant does not grow or thrive by chance. If your garden is invaded by this pretty spring-flowering flower, it finds the conditions to its liking!

These plants of the daisy family (Astéracées) will particularly appreciate heavy (clayey), compacted soils, well exposed to sun, rich in organic matter and where grasses are scattered (patchy short grass meadow).

These conditions are very often met close to homes (soils turned over by building work, foot traffic in the garden, use of organic fertilisers, …)

Tap roots of dandelions

How to limit your presence?

Let’s be clear from the start, getting rid of dandelions completely is very difficult. This plant spreads via its winged seeds, which can travel long distances on the wind. Moreover, given the alarming decline of insects in our Western countries, it would be a shame to resort to weedkillers that kill both plants and their hosts.

We will therefore suggest mechanical and preventive methods and explain how to better care for your soil so it is less inclined to welcome dandelions.

Mechanical control

• If you have a bit of courage, a good weeding knife and a reasonably sized area to treat, manual weeding is effective provided you act correctly and before the plant sets seed.
• You must remove the root to at least two-thirds of its length to prevent the plant returning.
• Work should be carried out before the flowers give way to the small fluffy seeds children love to blow. This will prevent the plant from reseeding itself endlessly.

Elbow grease… time-consuming but effective

• Scarifying your short grass meadow in early spring helps your soil breathe and slightly relieves compaction, which favours grass over dandelion. It is also possible to walk in the garden from time to time with shoes fitted with studs, which will help oxygenate the soil.
• When a short grass meadow is sown thickly and is dense, it is often impossible for this species to find a place because of competition from grasses. So mend bare patches of your short grass meadow if it becomes patchy over time.
• The worst of false good ideas would be to use a rotavator! You would only make matters worse by fragmenting roots into dozens of pieces!
• If you are lucky enough to have hens, let them roam in areas infested by this plant: they will feast on the aerial parts and weaken dandelions in the process.

Natural treatments

Several traditional home remedies that avoid harsh chemicals exist. For example:

• Sprinkling a few drops of vinegar at the base of the dandelion after removing the flowers and rosette leaves. The aim is to bring vinegar into contact with the root so it can absorb the liquid and the plant will quickly wilt. Do not exaggerate quantities as nothing will grow there afterwards!
• Coarse salt is also an effective remedy but should be used sparingly because it is toxic to your soil in high doses. Sprinkle a pinch of salt at the base of the collar after also removing leaves and flowers. Water to dilute the salt.
• Boiling water is a method that lets you make use of cooking water. Instead of pouring it down the sink, pour the still-hot water at the base of a dandelion. The plant will perish and you can reseed a few lawn seeds in its place after lightly scraping the soil.

Don’t let dandelions go to seed!

In conclusion

Dandelion has been used for centuries in herbal medicine and cooking. Often unfairly disliked, dandelion nevertheless helps to loosen compacted soil thanks to its taproot, a deep root that exerts an effective mechanical action. This allows water to penetrate the soil and prevents waterlogging. Its role in nature is therefore to repair compacted soils.

It also has a very positive effect on garden pollinating insects which come to feed on the pollen and nectar produced in abundance by the myriad of small flowers composing the head.

Edible, a harbinger of spring, melliferous and restorative for your soil, it does not necessarily deserve a gardener’s relentless persecution.