Dandelion Bloom

Dandelion bloom usually peaks in early May. Bob Mugaas

Early May is usually when we see peak dandelion bloom.  This often causes people to run out and buy some form of a weed control product to kill them off.  However, the real preferred time to kill dandelions is in the fall of the year when the plant is moving food down to the root system to be stored over winter.  Nonetheless, there are many available products to kill dandelions even in the very active growth of spring.   Be sure to choose a product that is labeled for dandelion control in lawns.  Do not use products that are designed to kill all vegetation as they will kill the lawns grasses as well as the dandelions.

Weed and feed products designed to apply fertilizer as well as put down a broadleaf weed control product can be effective.  However, where there are only a few scattered broadleaf weeds such as dandelions in the lawn you will be applying a lot more product to the lawn than is necessary or effective.  You must get the product onto the dandelion foliage as these products do nothing to prevent new dandelions from emerging that start from seed.  Thus, if there are only a few scattered dandelions in the lawn, using a pre-mixed, ready-to-use product to spray onto the dandelion foliage is much more efficient and effective.  This strategy also introduces far less herbicide into the environment thereby reducing potential pollution and exposure problems.