With the nice weather… comes the dandelions!!
We all know what’s coming next when it comes to our lawns… those lovely weeds.. The dandelion has so many wonderful benefits, however, for the lawn lover, dandelions are nothing but a pest!
Dandelions are common in home lawns, especially where the lawn is thin or mowed too short. One way to eliminate them is to exhaust their stored energy.

A field of blooming dandelions creates a sea of yellow in a pasture in Barre, Vt., Friday, May 8, 1998. (AP Photo/Toby Talbot)
Maintaining a dense, healthy, vigorous lawn is the best method of managing many turf weeds. As such, the use of adapted species of grass, adequate fertilization, proper mowing and irrigation practices, and appropriate insect and disease management all help to minimize dandelion occurrence. One way to eliminate them is to exhaust their stored energy. To do this, cut as much of the dandelion roots as possible beginning in early spring, immediately after they have leafed out.Continue this as new growth appears. The root will send up new growth until the plant runs out of energy. Low nitrogen fertility may result in high populations due to less competition from desirable turfgrass species. Mowing the turfgrass area as soon as the first dandelion flower-heads appear can help to reduce further infestations. In small areas, dandelion plants can be managed by hand, provided that the taproot is removed.
Here at Brookside we also help with weed control. So if you can’t manage alone, give us a call! We would love to help!
How about the abominable thistle everywhere?