How to Get Rid of Dandelions: Tips for Northern Virginia Homeowners

Weeds are your perfect lawn’s nightmare.

And while some weeds are bad because they stick out with a different texture and off-color than your regular lawn, other weeds pop out even more. The biggest culprit: the dandelion. 

Dandelions with their bright yellow flowers and fluffy white seeds can be persistent, multiplying quickly. And before you know it, your entire lawn is taken over by these pervasive weeds that do their best not to shy away from the spotlight. This can make your lawn – and you – look pretty bad. 

No one wants dandelions in Virginia ruining their curb appeal.

Let’s talk about how to get rid of dandelions in your yard, so you can have a better looking lawn.

Learning About Dandelions in Virginia

Weeds are the last thing you need in your grass during the spring and summer. 

You want to enjoy the outdoors, toss the frisbee with your dog, and hang out with your family. Weeds just sour the whole experience. 

Here we dive into the best way to get rid of dandelions in your yard after talking about what makes these weeds thrive specifically.

What Are Dandelions?

Dandelions in Virginia are common perennial broadleaf weeds. 

Their striking appearance can be a nuisance in home lawns and even landscape beds. 

And this weed is pretty versatile, growing in both moist soil and sunlight, as well as drier conditions. It is considered a hardy weed.

When Do Dandelions Germinate?

Dandelions start emerging in early spring when the soil gets above 50 degrees Fahrenheit in Virginia. 

Plants emerge from seed and the root becomes a perennial taproot system that lies dormant over the winter months. It basically survives underground through the cold season. 

As a result, dandelions in Virginia are among the first perennial weeds to pop up when temperatures start rising.

Why Are Dandelions So Hard to Control?

The taproot system of dandelions in Virginia makes them pretty tough to control. 

In fact, you might not even see dandelion flowers, but that doesn’t mean the entire plant has died. If the long taproots remain intact, then dandelions will continue returning. 

Additionally, when dandelions are in their fluffy white phase, their seeds blow in the wind, so they can begin anywhere near your home – a neighbor’s yard, sidewalk cracks, etc. – making them even harder to control. The seeds can blow miles away.

How to Get Rid of Dandelions in Your Yard

Dandelions are notoriously challenging to eliminate. Once a dandelion has fully established its nearly 10-inch-long taproot, the weed will return year after year, spreading more dandelions across your lawn. 

Battling the long root is the key to total elimination. 

Here are some of the best ways to get rid of dandelions in Northern Virginia.

Get Rid of Dandelions in Your Lawn With Broadleaf Weed Control

If you want to truly get rid of dandelions in your lawn, you must kill or remove all of the taproot. If you don’t, these weeds will come back repeatedly. 

Using a selective broadleaf weed control product during the right time – usually active growth of the dandelion weed – can help you gain control of this very visible and attention-grabbing weed in your lawn.

Dandelions and Other Weed Control Tips

Weeds certainly enjoy taking advantage of opportunities for lawn takeovers in Northern Virginia home lawns. And they tend to seek out weak lawns that lack nutrients, proper drainage, aeration, and are stressed out or bare and thin. 

If your lawn is suffering these conditions, and then Mother Nature adds humidity, heat, and a host of weather-related changes, then your lawn can become more susceptible to dandelions in Virginia. 

This means a thick, healthy, thriving lawn is your best defense against all weeds – dandelions included. 

To create this type of grass, you have to deliver proper care. 

What does correct maintenance look like? Mowing to a 3.5- to 4-inch height to keep your lawn from stressing out, providing the proper nutrient balance through fertilization, delivering longer, infrequent irrigation to about 1 to 2 inches a week (including rainfall), and aerating and overseeding and topdressing once annually to limit compaction and fill in bare spots. Your ultimate goal is to create the best environment for your lawn to grow and give weeds less of a chance to find their ways into your lawn.

This will keep a lot of weeds away. But weeds may still find a way through if the weather and lawn conditions are just right. That’s when pre-emergent weed control and post-emergent weed control can help with a large variety of weeds, including dandelions in Virginia. 

This is best done by a Northern Virginia lawn care professional since each weed needs proper identification and precise herbicide timing to ensure maximum, targeted, full control. Lawn care professionals will use specialty herbicides delivered with precise nozzles and high-end equipment to reduce the particle size of the product and help it better stick to the toughest of weeds.

Turf’s Up Can Help You Battle Dandelions in Northern Virginia

Weeds like dandelions in Virginia certainly enjoy the spotlight. They like to invade Northern Virginia lawns when the conditions give them the opportunity. Then they take over and boast to the neighbors how they got the better of you and your lawn. 

It’s just not fair. 

You don’t want to give weeds even a slightest opportunity to take over a section of your lawn, or they will definitely use it. This can be pretty apparent during Northern Virginia summers when temperatures are hot, rain is infrequent, and lawns are slower to grow. 

You might be so focused on the nice weather that you don’t realize before it’s too late that getting rid of dandelions in your lawn is now necessary so you can get your lawn back to the good-looking grass you love. 

Turf’s Up can help you by providing a complete, proactive lawn care program that includes everything you need to keep your lawn strong – proper fertilization based on soil test results; pre-emergent and post-emergent weed control treatments; lime applications to get your pH in the right range; and aeration, overseeding, and topdressing services. We also answer questions and offer solid advice when you need it.

When you have a professional eye on your property who can recognize nasty weeds like dandelions in Virginia, you can keep weeds in check before they get out of hand and maintain that lawn you’re not embarrassed to call home. 

Ready to learn why Turf’s Up could be your totally awesome choice for lawn care services in Northern Virginia? We’re stoked to learn more about you and help you have the best lawn on the block. Get started today with a free quote. Together, we can prepare a customized plan that is perfect for you and your lawn. 

Image Source: dandelions