What's your Dandelion Strategy?

Do you use chemical weedkillers, spot weed with a knife, own a fancy novelty tool or something else?

I'm on a mission to save 3 largish neglected lawns and have just spent hours digging the lovely dandelions up with an old table knife. (The knife broke half way through which didn't help ) My plan is to mow and fertilise the grass and weaken the weeds as much as I can. According to my theory, over the time the grass will be so strong that weeds will not have much room to play.

In the past this theory has failed in 90% of cases, but I still like it. If I persist with weekly spot weeding, I'll probably be in a wheelchair by 50 and humbly reach out to chemicals by August, but never mind. Science is sacred!

What's your strategy? Can anyone recommend a gadgety novelty tool? (I'm very fond of gadgets )

 

Dig em up and make coffee with the roots, and use the flowers as an avatar

 

I understand your dilemma Selleri (reluctant to use chemicals) but dandelions can never be mown out or overpowered by lush grass.....the more they are cut the bigger they become, in my experience.
I spot weed in the lawns so never a lot of chemicals used.....the odd dandelion appears during the early growing season, I spray it and the grass is unaffected.
I once drove past a couple of elderly ladies on their knees and digging out hundreds of weeds in their grass. I stopped and promised to treat their grass and I did. In a couple of weeks not a weed to be seen and the ladies preserved their knees a little longer

For me spot weedkilling is very effective and labour saving; I prefer to use my time on other work

 

I'm a gadgets person @Selleri I have one of these. It gets your weeds and dandelions (including roots) out in minutes.

 

@Selleri this video seems quite good and best of luck removing them ​

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I just leave them and enjoy the flowers.

 

I remove them with a planting/weeding knife (from the Wolf range).

We have a small area of grass where I am concerned with how it looks (the rest I leave "au naturel", to keep the bees happy). Hubby and I will spend a few evenings in the summer, removing a few trugs full of them - end April, june, and maybe August-September. A little tedious, but we have music playing, and try to see it as a positive time for chatting. We've done this for 5 years, and it is noticeable that what was once Dandelion Central is almost devoid of them. Result!

 

Tell everyone you planted them

 

I'm very sorely tempted Sounds like an ideal tool, and not too expensive either. Thanks!

 

That might actually work! I'll put on my best Nordic accent and explain that we use them for herbal tea to cure everything from lumbago to brexitis. (Being Nordic means I can get away with practically anything thanks to my lovely, tolerant British neighbours, friends and colleagues. As long as I don't pronounce "tomato" in the American way. )

 

This i need plenty of Woo besides being

 

There are other makes apart from Fiskars and they are cheaper. There's one on QVC called a Grampas Weeding and Aeriating Tool for £19.50.

 

I like them so I just leave them!

 

I don't mined a few about with flowers but once them flowered it's off with their heads the fields around here are yellow, a few weeks time they will be white the white time i dislike as they spread

If they's too many i use some thing you put on your fish and chips spot treat to take some out