Dandelion disaster

twopenny

Moved into a house in December where the garden hasn't been cultivated since it was built 20yrs ago.
The grass had been kept short and there wasn't a weed on it. Even the grass didn't grow until summer.

Suddenly it started growing and it is almost wall to wall dandelions, clover and moss. I had 65ft garden before and only a few dandelions. I'm amenable to a few weeds but now this one must be 90% weed and it's depressing after creating a whole new garden.



Years ago used lawn sand but the new stuff seems to kill everything including the lawn. The various things I've used in the past are now forbidden and I can't even find weed and feed in the garden centre.
Any ideas how I can deal with this but keep the grass?

I'd be really grateful for any ideas as digging them out by hand isn't working and no longer a viable idea.

elsien

How often have you been cutting it, and what length?
Seems unusual to have wall to wall dandelions if you've been keeping it under control.

twopenny

Lol I know. I did wonder if growth suppresent had been used and this was a reaction.
I haven't let the dandelions seed, they seem to have come from nowhere along with the others.
Someone said birds but because there is only one garden in the close and I've seen so few it seems unlikely. No weeds in the flower beds I've recently created.
High 7ft fence around, no weeds either side lawns.

I've been cutting close cropped and it's fine in the front garden.

elsien

If it's too short, that might be contributing the your moss problem.

sheramber

Lawn sand available on Amazon

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=lawn+sand&adgrpid=53985679140&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIyaTh9Jv-5AIVGIjVCh1xRAv6EAAYASAAEgLIP_D_BwE&hvadid=259047287960&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=1007400&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=13829984334664706642&hvtargid=kwd-302398507595&hydadcr=170_1786934&!!!!!googhydr-21&ref=pd_sl_2aa4pm6men_e

twopenny

Not too worried about the moss at the moment - looks like it will be eradicated by the dandelions and the other broad leafed weed and it has been exceptionally wet.

The lawn is on a slope and the moss seems to be near the bottom. Being small (to me) easy enough to increase drainage and add some sand.
The grass is about 1" high so I'm not scalping it.
Just wondering if the dandelions are coming from the grassy area behind which is a community centre, though it's regularly cut. Haven't noticed any flowering.

twopenny

Sherambler, thanks, I'm reluctant since the last lot I used killed grass as well. My friend bought some and it had the same effect. Don't know what they are doing to it.
Maybe that's the answer. The lawn is small enough to just take time and put a little on each dandelion and other weed.
Just have so much to do with a newish move that I was hoping for something that would just take minutes.
There used to be a waxey stick with weed killer that you touched on each one. Worked a treat and was quick but I guess it didn't meet regulations.

Apodemus

I’m a bit confused by some of the above discussion...

Dandelions tend to have a two flowering seasons per year, late spring and early autumn, so seeing them now is entirely normal. Why you saw none in spring this year is anyone’s guess, but you say that the lawn wasn’t growing either.

Depending on what you actually buy as lawn sand and how you use it, lawn sand will improve the drainage, help kill off the moss and possibly provide fertiliser for the grass. It is unlikely to contain a selective herbicide for the broad-leafed weeds.

In your situation, I would treat the lawn with a selective lawn weed killer. These are highly effective, especially against dandelions, and a single treatment should be sufficient (at least until more seeds arrive). It may be a bit late in the year for this, though, as you want everything to be growing strongly when you apply the weed killer.

twopenny

Apodemus thank you for that suggestion. I've never used anything like that before but down in this part of the coastal country everything is still growing vigourously and will till the middle of November.
I'll have a look at what is available - I live in a small town - and what it says on the pack.
In the old days, probably 30yrs ago, was the last time I used it and then it used to deal with broadleafed plants as well. Not brilliantly I grant you but enough when you're working.

I wonder if the disasterous effect of it's last use between me and a friend was wrong time of year?
We'll see. But the small lawn is visible all day through the large patio windows and it's just depressing to see so many weeds.

Justagardener

As apodemus says Selective weed killer is the stuff, you can still get away with using it this late in the season and it will do the job.

Selective weed killer Will not kill the grass, just the weeds so spray it on this weekend and they will slowly disappear over the next 10 days.
https://theperfectgarden.co.uk/how-to-get-rid-of-weeds-in-lawns/

Davesnave

As above, I have used an agricultural product for 10 years on my fields, which has a similar composition to the domestic selectives.

Very little need to use much of it nowadays, but there will always be some, because weed seeds stay viable for a very long time: 70 years in the case of docks. (I don't bother about dandelions!)