When it comes to weeds growing in the lawn, hobby gardeners usually think of dandelions. Hardly any other wild plant spreads so quickly in the home garden and displaces the grasses. Stubborn and very difficult to fight - this is how the plant can be described. But with some homemade sprays and a little patience you can solve the problem. We explain how you should proceed.
What to do about a lot of dandelions in the lawn? Spray with spirit
Dandelions are not a welcome guest in the home garden. A few wild plants give the outdoor area a country house charm and can be easily made into jam, syrup or even honey. But if the weeds spread quickly, take away the nutrients from flowers or grasses and practically displace them, then it becomes annoying. Dandelions are particularly difficult to control in lawns.
In this case, a solution of alcohol and water can help. You have to spray the plants directly with it. The spray removes water from the leaves - they wither, the seeds rot and the entire plant dies. Put 2 teaspoons of mineral spirits and 480 ml of water in a spray bottle and spray all the dandelion plants you see. Check them after 6 hours and see if they have sunk in. If the plants are not yellowing, a second treatment is necessary.
The spray with spirit should only be used if you only have a fewPlants in the lawnhave discovered. If the dandelion has spread over a large area, you can try another home remedy.
What helps against dandelions in the lawn? Spray with potash soap
Solutions with potash soap are also used in the home garden as a contact agent against pests and weeds. Use pure soap, without additives and with a pH value below 10. The usual soft soap that you use every day at home is not suitable.
Fill a garden sprayer with 10 liters of hot water and add about 200 g of potash soap to the water. Stir well until the soap dissolves and then spray directly onto the plants.
Home remedies for dandelions: nettle manure
Nettle manure is another good way to combat dandelions in the lawn. It makes the soil more alkaline, which the wild plant doesn't like. It can no longer absorb nutrients from the soil and is displaced by the grasses. By the way, you can also achieve a similar effect with dead nettle or garden lime. To do this, simply pluck 500 g of nettles and put them in a bucket. Pour 5 liters of water over it. Place the bucket in a sunny place and leave it covered for 14 days. Mix the finished nettle manure with water in a ratio of 1 to 1 and fill it into the garden sprayer.
Sprays against weeds: Hot rice water and potash soap
Individual dandelion plants can be easily controlled with a solution of hot rice water and potash soap. To do this, simply cook rice, then strain the water and add about 50 g of potash soap to the water. Pour the whole thing into a spray bottle while it is still hot, even boiling, and then spray it directly onto the weeds. The hot water burns the seeds, leaves and shoots – all parts of the plant above ground. Rice water contains starch, which further clogs plant pores. The pores in dandelions are located on the lower side of the leaf. You should therefore spray the plant from all sides as best as possible. However, you should not use the spray on the entire lawn, otherwise you could damage the grass.
Can you permanently remove dandelions from your lawn?
Unfortunately, it is not possible to permanently remove dandelions. The respective plants may be controlled - but seeds still end up in the garden and on the lawn. For example, from your neighbor's property, or you bring the seeds with your shoes. Insects and animals can also help spread the weed. Therefore, you should never rely on a one-time treatment. It is better to keep checking the lawn for dandelions and destroy weeds as quickly as possible.
Vinegar and salt against weeds in the lawn?
Vinegar and salt can successfully combat weeds. Nevertheless, we advise against it. The two home remedies can destroy not only the dandelions, but also the grasses. In addition, they are often washed away into the lower layer of soil with rain and watering. From there they can reach underwater or they can stay there and destroy bottom life. Hardly any plant can survive in soil with a high salt content, which ultimately turns the lawn into a desert. If no home remedy helps, then the tried and tested method is to remove weeds mechanically.
