The Echo friendly crap contains an iron product called Fiesta which comes from Germany, you can buy it in concentrate but is $$ compared to 2-4-D and not as effective. You do the initial spray and the next day the weeds will be black and curled up, great you say their dead, but you need to spray them again within 2 weeks to kill them fully or they'll come back to life. Shag, 2-4-D was banned first in Quebec, need to go further east to NB if you want to buy in Canada or cross the border as most are doing!!!
-- Edited by oldkoot on Wednesday 5th of June 2013 08:59:55 AM
seeing as this is predominantly a ontario province collection of people i have an inquiry for all.
how does everybody control their dandelion infestation in your yards. since the new rules came in about what you can-can't spay with here in ontario, my yard is a mess. and to make it worse i can't remember the name of the stuff we used to be able to use. i have a truck that goes to Que about once a month if they still have it there.
plucking them with the root one at a time is not the answer. i cut about 3 acres and doubt whether i would live long enough to finish the job with that method.
just asking people. looking out the window sometimes make you peeed off.
I am trying something that I read about this year. I am cutting my grass so its about 3 inches long. They say that when left longer, the roots are healthier and that the longer grass will eventually choke out most weeds. Of course, this will take a couple of years to happen, if it does. I kind of believe this as the property next door is vacant and only gets cut once in a while. The grass there has only a few dandelions in it.
Killex was the commonly used product. 2 4 D was the so called "nasty" stuff in it. I spray 2 4 D for years as a commercial operator and look at me. I'm fine
Agreed, this year it appears to be a huge crop of dandelions, one tough plant, mow them and within two days they have grown another 2-3 inches, they just keep popping up. Have no idea on preventitive measures.
I am trying something that I read about this year. I am cutting my grass so its about 3 inches long. They say that when left longer, the roots are healthier and that the longer grass will eventually choke out most weeds. Of course, this will take a couple of years to happen, if it does. I kind of believe this as the property next door is vacant and only gets cut once in a while. The grass there has only a few dandelions in it.
Healthy grass will choke out weeds but the mowing length is just a small part of the picture. More important is soil condition, nutrients and watering for healthy grass. Aeration helps a lot too. I used to be in the business.
Interesting thing about 2 4 D. It's a synthetic growth hormone. Actually makes broad leaf weeds grow themselves to death. They don't actually grow much but it screws up their systems to the point that they die. You will notice the grass get a bit greener after spraying. This is because the grass is growing from the hormone but because of their narrow leaf, they don't ingest enough to kill them. A by-product of the manufacturing process is the deadly dioxin which is not present in 24D but is present in 2 4 5 T which is a sister product used in agent Orange. It's the possibility of dioxin being present that has the enviromentalists all up in arms.
I use RoundUp. I live in the country and can still buy it. People in town can't use it. But, supposedly, hot water will kill dandelions. Also, Vinegar. The dandelion leaves can be used in salads. (before spraying) RoundUp will not harm animals. I have sprayed plants and the deer come over and eat the leaves. There's still lots of deer.
Two and a half acres of dandelions looks alot like a mustard field at times. I choose the tried and true method of cutting them in half every week or so. Works for me!!!
They seem to go in phases though for they don't look too bad this week even though I cut last Friday - The last three weeks prior to Friday? YIKES!!!
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My hound eats lots of them, loves them in flowering stage.,,,someone on the street picks quite a few from my front yard also for eating. There ya go,,a big dandelion salad instead of tater tots for lunch. I got bigger fish to fry than to be concerned about the colour of my lawns foliage.
Too bad paving is so expensive, because it's a fool-proof way of getting rid of dandelions. I can just picture it now !! Pavement right around my house with 4-5 go-karts. It would be a party every night!!! LOL
I remember when I was a kid, the old man used to send us out around the neighbourhood and cut the tops off. He made wine from them. Neighbours loved it, brothers and I hated it!!
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RoundUp will kill everything it touches. Funny thing, the grass that does get hit with it, turns an orange color. I wonder if it has the same stuff as "Agent Orange" in it.
Years ago I brought in some top soil from Port Hope. They guy said it will keep the weeds at bay, for a long long time. Something about half a life or something. I'm the only one on our street with no dandelions.
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Years ago I brought in some top soil from Port Hope. They guy said it will keep the weeds at bay, for a long long time. Something about half a life or something. I'm the only one on our street with no dandelions.
But your neighbors say your property glows in the dark
Roundup will kill everything including your grass.
agreed. don't forget the shrubs and small trees, gone also. they still sell a round up product in the stores but it isn't the product we used as farmers. gylphosate concentrate is the active ingredient in it which has to be cut with water to be used. you have to hold a permit to buy it. i get it in 5 gal pal pre/mixed from a cousin who still farms. whatever they are selling on the shelves at the hardware today with the round up brand on it isn't the agricultural round up with glphosate concentrate as the active ingredient. not that monsanto hasn't tried. lol
thanks beach. it was the 2 4d. had a brain fart. i knows what to do now.
Seriousely though its a few weeds.If its that bad just rip up the grass and plant some veggies. Ed
good one ed. lol tried that. not all of it by no means but a patch. turned into a lot more work and i realized i was now fertilizing and watering the weeds also. i remember the day well when i was cutting the grass and knowingly forgot about the patch and made it grass again. figured i would be in poop with the other half. later that day she says the garden lasted longer than she thought it would. we both had a good laugh, god rest her soul. thanks ed for the memory.
It's taken a few years but I cut out every friggin' one. Now if everyone else would do the same, . Another reason I want to move;in the country they all blend in.
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Province should change the offical flower from the Trillium to the Dandylion!!! Federal Gov [ottawa] says theres no danger in the old way of spraying but Mc Goofy & now Ms Wynne will not change their "BAN" as it's VOTES from the "Greenies"[ Toronto area] I bring back the "GOOD" stuff every trip from the US & it's not illegal to bring it back, & spray the crap out of lawn at night in the spring, mid summer & fall!! Everyone on the street has a "yellow" lawn, Pete's place no weeds at all!!! I'm also cutting lawn longer, just have to cut more often & drink BEER more often, win/ win situation!!!!! Longer grass seems to choke out some of the weeds.
-- Edited by poncho62 on Tuesday 11th of June 2013 06:37:22 PM
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Province should change the offical flower from the Trillium to the Dandylion!!! Federal Gov [ottawa] says theres no danger in the old way of spraying but Mc Goofy & now Ms Wynne will not change their "BAN" as it's VOTES from the "Greenies"[ Toronto area] I bring back the "GOOD" stuff every trip from the US & it's not illegal to bring it back, & spray the crap out of lawn at night in the spring, mid summer & fall!! Everyone on the street has a "yellow" lawn, Pete's place no weeds at all!!! I'm also cutting lawn longer, just have to cut more often & drink BEER more often, win/ win situation!!!!! Longer grass seems to choke out some of the weeds.
I do exactly the same, worst case is the MOE will fine me when neighbour squeals, refuse to pay, go to court, plead guilty and take the jail time. Free medical, dental, vision care, 3meals a day, full cable package!!!!
-- Edited by poncho62 on Tuesday 11th of June 2013 06:37:58 PM
. Another reason I want to move;in the country they all blend in. 