When I saw the shovel I couldn't imagine how you could use it to remove dandelions without having large holes in your yard. And now I see! Like many others I prefer to dig out weeds rather than use chemicals, but my weeding tool wasn't allowing me to pull out the entire root so the dandelions were returning. Thank you so much for this easy-to-implement technique! I saw a time-lapse video of the progression of the dandelion from yellow flower to fluffy seed head. I've decided when dandelions do appear I'm going to let them develop the yellow flower so the bees can enjoy them, and when the flower closes back up, before it reopens into the fluffy seed head, I will dig them out.
Hi musicloverchicago437, yes, as long as you don't dig a complete hole, just a slit, you can easily pull out the dandelion's taproot and then step on the sod to put it back into place (like replacing a divot on a golf course) and you won't have any holes in your lawn. I have been using this technique at 3 properties for years and it has been amazingly successful. However, if your neighbors aren't taking care of their dandelions this can be very challenging. The secret to success it to keep on it, you may have to dig out the dandelions every few days for this to work. Definitely appreciate that you are letting the bees enjoy the yellow flowers, then removing the dandelions before they go to seed, brilliant!!! Thanks so much for taking the time to post this comment. We get some negative comments where it seems like people just want to tear us down, which I don't understand. Anyway, hope this works for you!
Yeah I say the same I enjoy the dandalions for the bees that's the only reason I hadn't over killed them all...but now that I know when my dad said that fluffy stuff of it was actual seed and rat my yard woyod en up full ..I was like what 😮...then literally the very next day after I had already cut my grass they grew back like a whole lot more of them . ..soooo now II REMEBER this al last year and simply going to do as he said out down my normal weed and feed yet it removes the clovers and dandelions ...cause I worked hard in my lawn last year got it almost perfect green and the year prior ..This year I'm gonna have it the best I can make it Last year I did a great job uhhh no that was the year before.
I did this, nice video, I have watched it before. I put my garden in grids and started tackling each grid and eventually got my weeds under control, just use a hand spade and shovel, much cleaner look. My entire garden was take over. My neighbors have dandelion farms. Nice to see this is still a method that is viable if you willing to put in the work and saves money and oh all those chemicals you can avoid.
today is my third day doing it for my front lawn, every day I spent about 45 minutes to about 1 hour on it, it is tiring process yes, but worth it as you see the weed go less and less with their numbers. I would say may be 3-5 more days then I am done with the Dandelions. I think another benefit of this is that it also aerated the grass.
Just gave this a try and it works great! You wouldn't think that using a full shovel would be the least destructive thing for the lawn. Thanks for the tip
almost didn't believe it, tried it. a 5$ shovel from dollar store did this as good and cheaper than buying a 60$ tool that will break. saved my knees and hands from squatting to use a hand tool. thank you so much, guys you don't need fancy tools. this is Quick and fast and changed my attitude and perception for why so many people still got dandelions chock full their lawn.
I’ve been digging up my dandelions for a few years now. I still get them popping up but in significantly smaller numbers. The first few years were brutal but over time it becomes less bothersome. My biggest concern is the neighbours don’t do a thing to control the dandelions on their lawns 🤬
Some people don't have the money or time to do every little thing to their yard. Dandelions are natural. Keep your yard in shape and you won't have to worry about them.
I’m the neighbor who doesn’t control dandelions because I like dandelions. I love seeing the yard as a sea of yellow. Plus, I harvest, dandelions and love having an endless supply. Lastly, it’s natural and we shouldn’t really fight nature in this regard. It’s weird.
I have a spade I used for labdscaping and prying out large rocks after my lawn was landscaped, because I wanted to be able to plant a few trees. I ended up with piles of rocks you had to roll into a tipped over wheelbarrow. I also ended up with a cracked spade. I removed the cracked part and this left me with a narrow pointy spade that has turned out to be excellent for prying out the dandelion roots, using your rechnique. I focus on the biggest ones first then I look for smaller ones and try to get them before they go to seed.
I went from having the most dandelions in the neighborhood to not having 1 single 1 in my yard in just 12 months. I love pulling them out by hand, very satisfying. I have used weed and feed just once in early spring and pull the rest out. No dogs or kids here btw. Great video, my neighbors thought I was crazy for pulling them out but now I have a nice green weed-free lawn and stay on top of it weekly when 1 or 2 pop up.
Hello The Old Khanye, awesome! So glad to hear that this method is working for you! I am doing this currently at three properties and the results are great. You just have to keep up with it and not let them spread their seeds. Thanks for your comments!
Amazing Job thank you .tatky makes since I literally had that thought the other day. ..I had planned to simply dig it up and place a grass seed in replace ment😊
Thank you for sharing anybody who has anything other than something kind to say is a lazy individual which is the majority of the generation that is living today a little hard work never hurt nobody and apparently nothing that they have tried has worked up until this point of they wouldn't be watching your video and complaining thank you for sharing
I’ve got every dedicated dandelion puller but I can’t stem the tide. I’m overrun. So I went down weed killer road this year. Hopefully next year I can go back to manual extraction. I’ve got lots of other good perennials (dichondra and wildflowers) growing in the mainly spot treat. I’m disappointed by every single dandelion puller. They typically remove 2-3 inches of taproot and leave behind a hole that acts as a vector for the residual taproot. I have also come round to digging them out directly with a Sneeboer curved digger. Pretty slick how you were able to use a simple spade
Hi Morgan, it is unfortunate that you had too many dandelions and had to resort to weed killer. However, this is now the perfect time to remove future dandelions with this method and hopefully you won't need weed killer ever again. Thanks for your comments!
I have one of those weed puller tools but notice it can't get the root out always. I like this method because once you got that root deep enough it pops right through.
Hey Websitedr., True. It works best when the soil is just a tiny bit moist so the root pops out. If everything is ideal, they pop out! Tough little weeds - it’s like they fight you! Thx for watching!
Hi Mica, thanks so much for commenting about our beautiful rescur dog, Claire! She had a tough start in life, but now she enjoys her days with her dog friends and our goats on our farm. Good luck with your lawn, hope this method will work for you if you decide to try it. Thanks for viewing!
If your dandelions have the pom pom (poofy part) I suggest you clip those off first into a brown bag. Do it on a non windy day so as not to spread the seeds. Once you have that part clipped then try vinegar to shrink them and then remove them after they have wilted out. I do that so as to ensure zero spreaders as I’m digging. The only other way to keep dandelions out is a fence. My neighbors have dandelions but they didn’t come in my yard and I do believe it’s because of my fence.
Where critters rip away at weeds piece by piece for a meal they leave the root in the ground and the result is not so many weeds. So I just tear the tops off one leaf and stem at a time and drop them right there. A natural lawn will compost them fast, the worms love them. Every year I have less weeds AND a better turf since I learned this.
My latest attempts at destroying the virtual dandelion and plantain weeds in the yard is to do major string trimming whackage with focus on the weeds. Sure I can't get deep enough and end up with an even more barren yard, but hey it looks better and trying to pull up 1000 dandelions with a shovel looks less than fun. String trimmers though are fun and I like to destroy the weeds. The theory is also that it makes mulch which will help later.
Hi John, we totally agree! You can take out dandelions at any level and the results will be in your favor. Many people have commented that the entire taproot has to be removed, but we disagree. We will do a follow up video in the spring. Thanks for your comments!
Have you ever used a tool called the hound dog by the weed hound? Do you need to get all if the tap root I noticed a little white when you pulled. So does that mean you dud not get all the weed. I try to be diligent and use the tool on mine sometimes daily. But feel a losing battle since neighbor yard is full if them
The dandelions you pulled out still had a bit of root in the ground, I could see that the root hat a cut near the end. That weed will grow back even if it only has a tiny bit of root in the ground. I know this because it happened to me. I now pull the dandelion out as much as I can, then pour boiling hot water on that spot.
Hi Taylor, glad it was helpful! Seems like there are a lot of doubters regarding this method, but it really does work. One point I forgot to mention is that keeping the grass longer will help choke out the weeds. If you try this method, let us know how it works out for you. Thanks for your comment!
@@Housebarons I tried the long grass method at my old place and it seemed to clear the dandelions up. Couldn't use weed killer for the other broad leaf weeds and clover though. But no dandelions!
I haven't a chance because my 'neighbour' is pasture. I spot them with vinegar in April and let the grass grow high, if you supress them early they can't compete so well.
Hi Paula, good for you! Glad to hear that you are using this method. This Spring when I began taking care of my Dad's lawn the dandelions were everywhere. It took over an hour to dig them up the first time. The next time was about half an hour. The good news is it only takes a few minutes now because there are so few of them. I only work on his lawn once a week. If you are able to remove the dandelions every day or two you will soon have control of your lawn and it won't take very long each time. The main thing is to remove them before they go to seed. Good luck and let us know how this works out for you!
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You are SO responsible...about thirteen years ago, l watched a man, standing next to his six year old daughter, and he was spraying weed killer...She was barefoot, and wearing a sundress, and I shuddered, for her, and he wore no long sleeves, gloves, etc. I wish there were more specific warnings on the bottle regarding innocent children, being exposed at such a young age,
I have a general weed question. Which weeds do you not bother with? It looks like you have a fair bit of clover in your yard. Do you not care about that? If not, why? Not a criticism, I am actually considering leaving the clover alone this year and just pulling the dandelions, crabgrass, and quack grass by hand. The only thing that has ever worked for clover in my yard is Roundup, which I don’t want to do again. I mean, clover stays pretty low, is actually good for the soil, and is always green. Do you treat it, or do you just leave it, and why or why not? Thanks!!!
Hey Christopher, Clover has it advantages. Scott’s has a weed killer ( triple action) that will deal with it. Otherwise, it spreads pretty fast. If you like it, you could just have a clover yard😃 Thx for watching!
I think another question to ask is how much turf do you need? Yes, your front lawn is for your community too but do you really need all turf or 70% or even 50%? Honestly, how often do your kids play outside? Could you convert more of your lawn to native plants and perennials? In my State which is the 2nd driest you have Kentucky Bluegrass as turf. It is watered with culinary water. People spend their Saturdays mowing, fertilizing, using herbicides and bagging the clippings. Is there a better way that saves time, saves $$$ and is better for the environment?
Hi Ken, when our kids were growing up they played in our yard virtually every day that it wasn't raining, so we did always enjoy having a large lawn. We now own a farm and we grow microgreens, salad greens and a variety of produce that we sell at a farmer's market. We like providing healthy, pesticide-free food for people. If homeowners really wanted to make good use of their property, they should start a garden. It is awesome to eat food that you grow. You know it will be pesticide free! Plus you can save a ton of money. Thanks for your comments!
I love my grandpa's dandelion stick! This tool is basically a wooden rake stick with a claw on the bottom. You place it over the center of the dandelion and there's a place for your foot, you push down and lever the pole back and it pops up the whole plant with the root! Its awesome!
Hi S andy, yes we have a lot in our area already. The key is to keep on top of them and dig them out the first day you see any since they multiply so quickly. Good luck!
DLs are a fact of life. Do what you can, when you can and don't sweat the little things in life. There may very well be way too many important things to take up your time.
Hey Joe, Agreed that if we can worry about getting rid of weeds, life must be pretty good because that is little stuff. Thx for the perspective and for watching!
Hi Steve, it must be the hoodie 😄. I don't know if Bill Belichick would do this, but he does have more time available in the Spring. Thanks for your comments!
If you are going to consistently remove by hand you might as well buy the specialist tool for the purpose, flatweed removal tool, saves your back, saves your turf from damage because it removes the weed via its tap root.
Hi Sneaky Foz, my brother, Dave, recently made a video showing a removal tool, here is a link: ua-cam.com/video/_s6jI2VPsII/v-deo.html For me, I'm just fine with using a shovel. If a person keeps up with this they only have to dig out a few dandelions each day, so it is no big deal. I step on the area after removal and the lawn looks fine. Thanks for your comments!
I don’t know how many times I have gone out to remove them but they keep popping up as if not one was removed. But say if I remove them but end up forgetting a few that haven’t really grown and put 1.5” soil over it, will they spread?
Hi DCCD, putting 1.5" inches of soil over them won't prevent them, but it could slow them down to the point that you have plenty of time to use this method to remove them. The key is to stay on top of them. You may have to remove many each day until they thin out, then hopefully you can get it down to a weekly task before you mow. Thanks for your question, good luck with your lawn!
Hi Tom, if you are infested with dandelions, we have read that you can use a vinegar and water solution. That could help. We will have to try that and see how it works. Once you have your lawn under control the method in this video works great. Good luck!
Talk about disappointing! I tried removing every dandelion from my yard last year but it's SWAMPED with dandelions this year, just like my neighbors' yards. I expected a DIY solution to apply, not dig up the whole f-in' yard, boss!
For the past 10 yrs my neighbor stopped taking care of their connecting lawn. It’s become a dandelion farm and it’s ruined 3 of our yards. I would have to completely dig up my entire yard grass and all. This doesn’t work for everyone
My front lawn is 95% dandelions and we are not allowed to use weed killers in my town (and I wouldn’t anyway). Do you have any tips or steps to take to get a lawn full of grass?
Hey violet..., You literally could reseed. But start by checking the PH level of your soil. A neutral PH is what grass wants - going too acidic or too alkaline, and weeds thrive. You can add amendments to the soil to correct the PH. You could till up your whole lawn, bring in new top soil and then plant new seed. Big work put it should give you a better start. Or re-Sod the yard. More expensive but fast. Then you can stay ahead of weeds by keeping an eye on soil PH and manually pulling weeds. Thx for watching!
@@Housebarons Thank you for your detailed response. I appreciate it. It’s a small lawn so I think I will use a garden fork to pull out the dandelions and top dress with top soil and then seed. Checking the ph of the existing soil is a good tip, thank you for that. Wish me luck lol!
Hi Greg, that is exactly what I tried to point out when I went outside my fence. There are tons of dandelions there. I clear my yard of dandelions once or twice a week. No problem. But we have a 6 foot cedar fence, with no gaps, which definitely helps. I would suggest building a wooden fence if that is allowed in your area. Good luck, let us know how it works out!
In smaller gardens it is possible just to pull off the yellow flower, if you have a quick scout round every day removing the flowers they never have the chance to produce seeds and eventually they die
I have been trying this method for about 3 years now. So far it seems like the number has gone down some. Maybe 20%. I am using one of those Weed Poppers that basically is supposed to do the same thing as a shovel. Hopefully after a few more years it will get better.
Hi Katherine, you can use this shovel method anywhere in your lawn. Works great. All you have to do is consistently remove the dandelions before they go to seed. Good luck!
There are reasons Dandilions are popping up. You don't want toxins on your property. Yes, dig them up, but also figure out if your learn needs calcium, is too acidic, compacted, or very shady. These all contribute.
In the 50’s 60’s and 70’s while growing up, my Dad sprayed the lawn. We as kids were not affected from the poison. Today in Canada, it’s outlawed and my lawn is full of weeds and dandelions. Any weed removing tool is useless cause most dandelion roots are over a foot long. Homemade brew with salt, vinegar and dish soap kills the weed and your grass as well. Who dreamed up this stupid idea? If you break the root anywhere, the dandelion will regrow. If you snap the flower off, the weed will become stronger and sprout more flowers. BTW you need a new shovel. LOL. Back to the dandelions, I lost the battle yrs ago, and currently don’t give a flying F about them. There’s nothing on the market that works today, cause if there was the City Parks and boulevards the city maintains would not be infested with dandelions. Our flag should be changed to a dandelion.
lol just jump to 2:30 and save yourself sometime. Anyone looking at this video is looking because dandelions are out of control, I must say the shovel method is good tho
Hi cocoabiscuits, I have never tried dandelion root, but we are growing tons of microgreens, so we just might get dandelions a try. Thanks for your comments!
The question is: why get rid of dandelions? They're pretty, edible, nourish pollinators, improve soil by loosening it up and bringing nutrients to the surface...
Hi Alan, the shovel method has worked great for me for years. It actually doesn't dig up very much grass. It does remove the dandelion, then I step on the place that was cut. The grass grows back nicely and looks just fine.
Hi Bilanguanya, LOL, initially removing dandelions from an infested yard can be big work. However, if you keep on it, like remove them every couple of days, you will soon see a drastic decline in the quantity of dandelions. My lawns only have a few dandelions, it takes only a couple of minutes to remove them. Thanks for your comment!
Yeah I came here looking for ways to get them out of my garden but this is too much. Think I'll just stick to the weed eater and pick them out by hand.
I PUT MY FINGERS AROUND THE DANDELION LEAVES ALL OF THEM AND SLOWLY TORN THEM IN A CIRCLE AND WITH LUCK IT BRINGS MOST OF THE ROOT WITH IT ; THEM WITH WHITE VINAGAR ; SALT & SOAP IN A SPRAY BOTTLE I SOAK THE ROOT IN THE GROND SO IT DIES OFF.
Hi Jimmy, sounds like you have a great system going to handle your dandelions. My wife was just telling me that we should do a video about using vinegar to control them. Thanks for your comments!
at the end of the video, you state, "after you put down dandelion killer, & the dandelions are all dead, then proceed to dig them up. I thought this was a video about NOT USING WEED KILLER.....can you explain that?
Hi Janet M, in the video I explain that some lawns are absolutely overrun with dandelions. In that case, digging them out one by one is not realistic. For lawns that have too many dandelions, we propose using weed killer one final time to kill all the weeds. Now you have a clean slate to work with. Eventually new dandelions will appear. Use this method of digging the new dandelions out from now on and you won't have to ever use weed killer on dandelions again. Thanks for your question hope this helps!
Ok so i have HUGE dandelions overtaking my yard, and we cannot use ANY chemicals i the yard (cuz landlords wife had cancer, so we cant use MOST chemicals around the house but especially not weedkillers) and ripping them out seems to leave a hundred big holes, or just tearing up grass in general :( i can't find a way to remove these fckers without destroying the yard.... The roots are so deep, that i don't think this shovel technique is gonna work :(
Hi Alan, the shovel works great for removing the roots and is a very fast method. We step on the area where we remove the roots and the grass looks fine.
The shovel only takes the top part. You cant dig 4 or 5 inches to get the deep root without taking out a patch of grass. There is no way you r not digging up the grass
@@alanmaikawa3500 In golf there is something called a divot. This is when a golfer swings their club and some turf gets dug up. It is good golfing etiquette to retrieve the divot, place it exactly back where it came from and step on it. The grass will regrow and all is well. When I use my shovel to remove a dandelion I usually just make one cut. I pull out the dandelion root, then step on the cut that I made. There is no gaping hole. By stepping on the place where I dug, the cut part goes back together and the lawn looks fine.
@@alanmaikawa3500 I use the shovel method to remove dandelions currently at three properties. It is very effective and there are hardly any dandelions to dig up. When I do dig up the dandelions I step directly on the cut that was made. There are no chunks of grass missing. The lawn looks fine.
![How to Get Rid of Dandelions and Their Roots [100% Success Rate]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/jsHGy4F-4zw/mqdefault.jpg)
![How to Get Rid of Dandelions and Their Roots [100% Success Rate]](/img/tr.png)
When I saw the shovel I couldn't imagine how you could use it to remove dandelions without having large holes in your yard. And now I see! Like many others I prefer to dig out weeds rather than use chemicals, but my weeding tool wasn't allowing me to pull out the entire root so the dandelions were returning. Thank you so much for this easy-to-implement technique!
I saw a time-lapse video of the progression of the dandelion from yellow flower to fluffy seed head. I've decided when dandelions do appear I'm going to let them develop the yellow flower so the bees can enjoy them, and when the flower closes back up, before it reopens into the fluffy seed head, I will dig them out.
Hi musicloverchicago437, yes, as long as you don't dig a complete hole, just a slit, you can easily pull out the dandelion's taproot and then step on the sod to put it back into place (like replacing a divot on a golf course) and you won't have any holes in your lawn.
I have been using this technique at 3 properties for years and it has been amazingly successful. However, if your neighbors aren't taking care of their dandelions this can be very challenging.
The secret to success it to keep on it, you may have to dig out the dandelions every few days for this to work.
Definitely appreciate that you are letting the bees enjoy the yellow flowers, then removing the dandelions before they go to seed, brilliant!!!
Thanks so much for taking the time to post this comment. We get some negative comments where it seems like people just want to tear us down, which I don't understand.
Anyway, hope this works for you!
Yeah I say the same I enjoy the dandalions for the bees that's the only reason I hadn't over killed them all...but now that I know when my dad said that fluffy stuff of it was actual seed and rat my yard woyod en up full ..I was like what 😮...then literally the very next day after I had already cut my grass they grew back like a whole lot more of them . ..soooo now II REMEBER this al last year and simply going to do as he said out down my normal weed and feed yet it removes the clovers and dandelions ...cause I worked hard in my lawn last year got it almost perfect green and the year prior ..This year I'm gonna have it the best I can make it Last year I did a great job uhhh no that was the year before.
I did this, nice video, I have watched it before. I put my garden in grids and started tackling each grid and eventually got my weeds under control, just use a hand spade and shovel, much cleaner look. My entire garden was take over. My neighbors have dandelion farms. Nice to see this is still a method that is viable if you willing to put in the work and saves money and oh all those chemicals you can avoid.
Yes! My wife said no to weed killer, so I just dug some out, out of frustration. Nice to know it works. Looking forward to doing more
Patient perseverance is the ticket!
today is my third day doing it for my front lawn, every day I spent about 45 minutes to about 1 hour on it, it is tiring process yes, but worth it as you see the weed go less and less with their numbers. I would say may be 3-5 more days then I am done with the Dandelions.
I think another benefit of this is that it also aerated the grass.
Hey Wai,
Way to persevere! Nice job. Thx for watching!
Just gave this a try and it works great! You wouldn't think that using a full shovel would be the least destructive thing for the lawn. Thanks for the tip
Hey Brad,
Thx for watching.
almost didn't believe it, tried it. a 5$ shovel from dollar store did this as good and cheaper than buying a 60$ tool that will break.
saved my knees and hands from squatting to use a hand tool.
thank you so much, guys you don't need fancy tools. this is Quick and fast and changed my attitude and perception for why so many people still got dandelions chock full their lawn.
Hey lxma…,
Glad to hear it! Way to go!
Thx for watching!
I’ve been digging up my dandelions for a few years now. I still get them popping up but in significantly smaller numbers. The first few years were brutal but over time it becomes less bothersome.
My biggest concern is the neighbours don’t do a thing to control the dandelions on their lawns 🤬
Hey Da Lnpster,
That’s the idea. You are winning the battles!
Thx for watching!
Some people don't have the money or time to do every little thing to their yard. Dandelions are natural. Keep your yard in shape and you won't have to worry about them.
@@kiethj7 eat them.
Just got a house and I'm on the journey!
I’m the neighbor who doesn’t control dandelions because I like dandelions. I love seeing the yard as a sea of yellow. Plus, I harvest, dandelions and love having an endless supply. Lastly, it’s natural and we shouldn’t really fight nature in this regard. It’s weird.
I have a spade I used for labdscaping and prying out large rocks after my lawn was landscaped, because I wanted to be able to plant a few trees. I ended up with piles of rocks you had to roll into a tipped over wheelbarrow. I also ended up with a cracked spade. I removed the cracked part and this left me with a narrow pointy spade that has turned out to be excellent for prying out the dandelion roots, using your rechnique. I focus on the biggest ones first then I look for smaller ones and try to get them before they go to seed.
Hey Jeff,
Very clever! Thx for watching!
Do this when the ground is soaking wet! Don’t bother when it’s dry. Thanks great video!
Hey Evangelist...,
Way to go! Thx for watching!
I went from having the most dandelions in the neighborhood to not having 1 single 1 in my yard in just 12 months. I love pulling them out by hand, very satisfying. I have used weed and feed just once in early spring and pull the rest out. No dogs or kids here btw. Great video, my neighbors thought I was crazy for pulling them out but now I have a nice green weed-free lawn and stay on top of it weekly when 1 or 2 pop up.
Hello The Old Khanye, awesome! So glad to hear that this method is working for you! I am doing this currently at three properties and the results are great. You just have to keep up with it and not let them spread their seeds. Thanks for your comments!
Amazing Job thank you .tatky makes since I literally had that thought the other day. ..I had planned to simply dig it up and place a grass seed in replace ment😊
Thank you for sharing anybody who has anything other than something kind to say is a lazy individual which is the majority of the generation that is living today a little hard work never hurt nobody and apparently nothing that they have tried has worked up until this point of they wouldn't be watching your video and complaining thank you for sharing
I was considering buying a tool but yes this idea will work perfectly.
I’ve got every dedicated dandelion puller but I can’t stem the tide. I’m overrun. So I went down weed killer road this year. Hopefully next year I can go back to manual extraction. I’ve got lots of other good perennials (dichondra and wildflowers) growing in the mainly spot treat. I’m disappointed by every single dandelion puller. They typically remove 2-3 inches of taproot and leave behind a hole that acts as a vector for the residual taproot. I have also come round to digging them out directly with a Sneeboer curved digger. Pretty slick how you were able to use a simple spade
Hi Morgan, it is unfortunate that you had too many dandelions and had to resort to weed killer. However, this is now the perfect time to remove future dandelions with this method and hopefully you won't need weed killer ever again. Thanks for your comments!
I do this too you have to keep it up all the time. It takes time and looking around for them.
I have one of those weed puller tools but notice it can't get the root out always. I like this method because once you got that root deep enough it pops right through.
Hey Websitedr.,
True. It works best when the soil is just a tiny bit moist so the root pops out. If everything is ideal, they pop out! Tough little weeds - it’s like they fight you!
Thx for watching!
Will do thanks, I love my dogs and keep them safe.
Hey Jennifer…,
👍 thx for watching!
I use a long flathead screwdriver. I stick it in the ground next to the taproot, and swirl it around in a circle. Root comes right out!
Hey samsam.....,
Thx for the tip and for watching!
Thanks for the suggestion, can't wait to try this out.
Hey Hesder,
Thx for watching!
YOUR YARD IS GIGANTIC !
What state are you in with gorgeous pine trees ?
Our lots in Texas are tiny. I was so surprised.
Cynthia 🌷
Hey Cynthia,
Indiana. I thought everything was bigger in Texas!
Thx for watching!
Your dog is too adorable. Thanks for the info.
Hi Mica, thanks so much for commenting about our beautiful rescur dog, Claire! She had a tough start in life, but now she enjoys her days with her dog friends and our goats on our farm. Good luck with your lawn, hope this method will work for you if you decide to try it. Thanks for viewing!
I use the fiskars hand tool weeder - its amazing
Hey Radek,
👍 Thx for watching!
If your dandelions have the pom pom (poofy part) I suggest you clip those off first into a brown bag. Do it on a non windy day so as not to spread the seeds. Once you have that part clipped then try vinegar to shrink them and then remove them after they have wilted out. I do that so as to ensure zero spreaders as I’m digging. The only other way to keep dandelions out is a fence. My neighbors have dandelions but they didn’t come in my yard and I do believe it’s because of my fence.
Do you have a wood fence or a chain-link fence? Does it have holes in it or is it solid?
Where critters rip away at weeds piece by piece for a meal they leave the root in the ground and the result is not so many weeds. So I just tear the tops off one leaf and stem at a time and drop them right there. A natural lawn will compost them fast, the worms love them. Every year I have less weeds AND a better turf since I learned this.
Thanks for the tips! Love your dogs. :)
Hey Kim,
👍 Thx for watching!
Does the spade/shovel also aerate your lawn as you remove them?
Hey Randy…,
Slowly ?😃 Thx for watching!
My latest attempts at destroying the virtual dandelion and plantain weeds in the yard is to do major string trimming whackage with focus on the weeds. Sure I can't get deep enough and end up with an even more barren yard, but hey it looks better and trying to pull up 1000 dandelions with a shovel looks less than fun. String trimmers though are fun and I like to destroy the weeds. The theory is also that it makes mulch which will help later.
Hi John, we totally agree! You can take out dandelions at any level and the results will be in your favor. Many people have commented that the entire taproot has to be removed, but we disagree. We will do a follow up video in the spring. Thanks for your comments!
@@HousebaronsI'm just now following this video and wondered if there is a link to the follow up video?
Have you ever used a tool called the hound dog by the weed hound? Do you need to get all if the tap root I noticed a little white when you pulled. So does that mean you dud not get all the weed. I try to be diligent and use the tool on mine sometimes daily. But feel a losing battle since neighbor yard is full if them
Hey Ke,
I’ll have to look it up. I bought a “ grandpas weeded “ - may do a review of that!
Thx for watching!
The dandelions you pulled out still had a bit of root in the ground, I could see that the root hat a cut near the end. That weed will grow back even if it only has a tiny bit of root in the ground. I know this because it happened to me. I now pull the dandelion out as much as I can, then pour boiling hot water on that spot.
Hey Sigurd,
Nice tip! Thx for watching!
Very useful video. Thank you.
Hi Taylor, glad it was helpful! Seems like there are a lot of doubters regarding this method, but it really does work. One point I forgot to mention is that keeping the grass longer will help choke out the weeds. If you try this method, let us know how it works out for you. Thanks for your comment!
@@Housebarons I tried the long grass method at my old place and it seemed to clear the dandelions up. Couldn't use weed killer for the other broad leaf weeds and clover though. But no dandelions!
This is exactly what i do. I just use my weed puller ❤
Hey pin..,
Thx for watching!
I haven't a chance because my 'neighbour' is pasture. I spot them with vinegar in April and let the grass grow high, if you supress them early they can't compete so well.
Hi Bob, yes, good to suppress them, thanks!
yup. That's how I do it every spring. Key is the get them before they spore.
Hey rabid,
So true! Thx for watching!
I started doing this, there are so many! I’m using my shovel and a 5 gallon bucket. Today I filled that bucket 3 times. Oh boy.
Hi Paula, good for you! Glad to hear that you are using this method. This Spring when I began taking care of my Dad's lawn the dandelions were everywhere. It took over an hour to dig them up the first time. The next time was about half an hour. The good news is it only takes a few minutes now because there are so few of them. I only work on his lawn once a week. If you are able to remove the dandelions every day or two you will soon have control of your lawn and it won't take very long each time. The main thing is to remove them before they go to seed. Good luck and let us know how this works out for you!
Been there done that and after a while it is almost fun, gets easier. The only problem is you have to do your neighbors yard too!
I subscribed because I want to save money plus your video was cool and so educational!
Hey Ally,
Welcome! Thx much for subscribing. We have produced over 350 videos on our channel with new ones that typically come out Tuesday-ish and Saturday. We hope you learn much and save more!
Thx again for subbing and watching!
I'll try this. I have 3 acres. I'll be back in the winter.
Hey Michael,
Lol. Thx for watching!
You are SO responsible...about thirteen years ago, l watched a man, standing next to his six year old daughter, and he was spraying weed killer...She was barefoot, and wearing a sundress, and I shuddered, for her, and he wore no long sleeves, gloves, etc. I wish there were more specific warnings on the bottle regarding innocent children, being exposed at such a young age,
Hey Jean,
Thanks- and thx for watching!
I have a general weed question. Which weeds do you not bother with? It looks like you have a fair bit of clover in your yard. Do you not care about that? If not, why? Not a criticism, I am actually considering leaving the clover alone this year and just pulling the dandelions, crabgrass, and quack grass by hand. The only thing that has ever worked for clover in my yard is Roundup, which I don’t want to do again. I mean, clover stays pretty low, is actually good for the soil, and is always green. Do you treat it, or do you just leave it, and why or why not? Thanks!!!
Hey Christopher,
Clover has it advantages. Scott’s has a weed killer ( triple action) that will deal with it.
Otherwise, it spreads pretty fast. If you like it, you could just have a clover yard😃
Thx for watching!
I think another question to ask is how much turf do you need? Yes, your front lawn is for your community too but do you really need all turf or 70% or even 50%?
Honestly, how often do your kids play outside? Could you convert more of your lawn to native plants and perennials?
In my State which is the 2nd driest you have Kentucky Bluegrass as turf. It is watered with culinary water. People spend their Saturdays mowing, fertilizing, using herbicides and bagging the clippings.
Is there a better way that saves time, saves $$$ and is better for the environment?
Hi Ken, when our kids were growing up they played in our yard virtually every day that it wasn't raining, so we did always enjoy having a large lawn.
We now own a farm and we grow microgreens, salad greens and a variety of produce that we sell at a farmer's market. We like providing healthy, pesticide-free food for people.
If homeowners really wanted to make good use of their property, they should start a garden. It is awesome to eat food that you grow. You know it will be pesticide free! Plus you can save a ton of money.
Thanks for your comments!
I love my grandpa's dandelion stick! This tool is basically a wooden rake stick with a claw on the bottom. You place it over the center of the dandelion and there's a place for your foot, you push down and lever the pole back and it pops up the whole plant with the root! Its awesome!
Hey Kristy,
That sounds cools. I’ll have to see if I can find one! Thx for watching!
@@Housebarons www.acehardware.com/departments/lawn-and-garden/gardening-tools/pruning-tools/7166549?x429=true&
seems they are back multiplied much more than previous years. lots of them in the yard this year.
Hi S andy, yes we have a lot in our area already. The key is to keep on top of them and dig them out the first day you see any since they multiply so quickly. Good luck!
Yup! Waaay more! I NEVER use herbicides looots of work and I simply- rent 🙄
Thx for the great tip. I plan to implement your method. We shall see. : )
Hi Meg, we are happy to hear that you will try this weed killer free method. Let us know how it goes. Good luck!
Any luck with the new method by any chance? :)
DLs are a fact of life. Do what you can, when you can and don't sweat the little things in life. There may very well be way too many important things to take up your time.
Hey Joe,
Agreed that if we can worry about getting rid of weeds, life must be pretty good because that is little stuff.
Thx for the perspective and for watching!
A tip : you can watch series on flixzone. Me and my gf have been using them for watching loads of movies lately.
@Lawson Andy Yup, I have been using Flixzone for months myself =)
I tarp my yard whole winter they are all root rotten and and I seeded them hoping for the best.
Hey Handy,
Sounds interesting!
Thx for watching.
good video - i had to get past the fact you reminded me of bill belichick Who I’m not a fan of , but great job on the video 😎
Hi Steve, it must be the hoodie 😄. I don't know if Bill Belichick would do this, but he does have more time available in the Spring. Thanks for your comments!
If you are going to consistently remove by hand you might as well buy the specialist tool for the purpose, flatweed removal tool, saves your back, saves your turf from damage because it removes the weed via its tap root.
Hi Sneaky Foz, my brother, Dave, recently made a video showing a removal tool, here is a link:
ua-cam.com/video/_s6jI2VPsII/v-deo.html
For me, I'm just fine with using a shovel. If a person keeps up with this they only have to dig out a few dandelions each day, so it is no big deal. I step on the area after removal and the lawn looks fine.
Thanks for your comments!
Basic, and smart
Hey Robert,
Thx for watching!
@@Housebarons my pleasure
@@Housebarons I went through my yard today digging them up with a turning fork, I was shocked at how deep the roots. I got thistles out too
I don’t know how many times I have gone out to remove them but they keep popping up as if not one was removed. But say if I remove them but end up forgetting a few that haven’t really grown and put 1.5” soil over it, will they spread?
Hi DCCD, putting 1.5" inches of soil over them won't prevent them, but it could slow them down to the point that you have plenty of time to use this method to remove them. The key is to stay on top of them. You may have to remove many each day until they thin out, then hopefully you can get it down to a weekly task before you mow. Thanks for your question, good luck with your lawn!
It is said that if the root is broken it will sprout up again. Please let me know. I do dig mines out but the roots get broken.
Hey Mohanial,
That is what I’ve heard. But still, the options are limited.
Thx for watching!
whats the technic when there in your lawn without ripping the lawn apart.
Hi Tom, if you are infested with dandelions, we have read that you can use a vinegar and water solution. That could help. We will have to try that and see how it works. Once you have your lawn under control the method in this video works great. Good luck!
Talk about disappointing! I tried removing every dandelion from my yard last year but it's SWAMPED with dandelions this year, just like my neighbors' yards. I expected a DIY solution to apply, not dig up the whole f-in' yard, boss!
Same problem for me. Six minute video to say he uses a shovel. FS.
I can literally relate to your frustration! Who is going to do all this?!
If you watch the video you don't even remove any dirt you just remove the Dandylion itself
🤣
bro... really???
I do the same pick .... and have my teen kids to do it 😂
Thanks! I thought you were gonna leave a bunch of holes in the yard like my weed puller does
Hi Dead Ringer, the shovel method continues to work well because I can easily step on the place that I dug and it looks fine. Thanks for your comment!
@@Housebarons so the grass eventually grows back in place or are there a lot of flaps?
That is super food. For bee's and humans. Dandelions are beautiful. I guess the chemical company's have taught you what is beautiful . Nice work .
Hi Phil, we have a farm and we grow microgreens and salad greens to sell at farmer's markets. We will look into consuming them. Thanks
For the past 10 yrs my neighbor stopped taking care of their connecting lawn. It’s become a dandelion farm and it’s ruined 3 of our yards. I would have to completely dig up my entire yard grass and all. This doesn’t work for everyone
Cute dog.
Hi dhh488, Claire says thank you! She is a sweet girl.
Are there any environmentally friendly dandelion killers available in stores?
Good video. I use the same method, for the same reasons.
If only my neighbours would remove theirs!
Hey Emil,
I get it! No fun living next to a dandelion farm😃
Thx for watching!
My front lawn is 95% dandelions and we are not allowed to use weed killers in my town (and I wouldn’t anyway). Do you have any tips or steps to take to get a lawn full of grass?
Hey violet...,
You literally could reseed.
But start by checking the PH level of your soil. A neutral PH is what grass wants - going too acidic or too alkaline, and weeds thrive.
You can add amendments to the soil to correct the PH.
You could till up your whole lawn, bring in new top soil and then plant new seed. Big work put it should give you a better start.
Or re-Sod the yard. More expensive but fast. Then you can stay ahead of weeds by keeping an eye on soil PH and manually pulling weeds.
Thx for watching!
@@Housebarons Thank you for your detailed response. I appreciate it. It’s a small lawn so I think I will use a garden fork to pull out the dandelions and top dress with top soil and then seed. Checking the ph of the existing soil is a good tip, thank you for that. Wish me luck lol!
What if you neighbor has many , many in their yard? Those seeds blow into your yard!
Hi Greg, that is exactly what I tried to point out when I went outside my fence.
There are tons of dandelions there.
I clear my yard of dandelions once or twice a week.
No problem.
But we have a 6 foot cedar fence, with no gaps, which definitely helps.
I would suggest building a wooden fence if that is allowed in your area.
Good luck, let us know how it works out!
Soon all the neighbors seeds will blow in everyone's yard it will be anarchy!!!!
@@foomanchu7414 Yep. My a$$h0le neighbors don't mind them and seem to enjoy their yellow flowers. I can't win my battle with these ungly weeds.
@@davidcrawford6505 spread rock salt on their lawn in the night.
@@dickkentner2286 seriously?
In smaller gardens it is possible just to pull off the yellow flower, if you have a quick scout round every day removing the flowers they never have the chance to produce seeds and eventually they die
Yes, I have an obsession doing that!😀
Hi Neil, okay, good to know, thanks for your comment!
I have been trying this method for about 3 years now. So far it seems like the number has gone down some. Maybe 20%. I am using one of those Weed Poppers that basically is supposed to do the same thing as a shovel. Hopefully after a few more years it will get better.
Hey Jamie,
Persistence! Keep on it! Thx for watching!
@@Housebarons Yessir! Going to keep on going! Thanks for the vid!
birds, bees and the worms love our yard. I will not spray poison on them,.
Hi William Tell, sounds good to us!
That's how I feel too, William.
Use vinegar, table salt and dish soap
Hey news...,
Thx for the input and got watching!
I have 4 acres, 12 chickens, two dogs and a cat. I can't remove each dandelion. But, if I start tomorrow, I could be done by the time I'm 90.
Hey Judy…,
True. Some priorities take precedence.
Thx for watching!
How do you manage to do this in the middle of a lawn, not in a side are as he did ?
Hi Katherine, you can use this shovel method anywhere in your lawn. Works great. All you have to do is consistently remove the dandelions before they go to seed. Good luck!
There are reasons Dandilions are popping up. You don't want toxins on your property. Yes, dig them up, but also figure out if your learn needs calcium, is too acidic, compacted, or very shady. These all contribute.
A Cordless drill and the spade drill bit will do it.
Hey sod,
Cool idea! Thx
In the 50’s 60’s and 70’s while growing up, my Dad sprayed the lawn. We as kids were not affected from the poison. Today in Canada, it’s outlawed and my lawn is full of weeds and dandelions. Any weed removing tool is useless cause most dandelion roots are over a foot long. Homemade brew with salt, vinegar and dish soap kills the weed and your grass as well. Who dreamed up this stupid idea? If you break the root anywhere, the dandelion will regrow.
If you snap the flower off, the weed will become stronger and sprout more flowers.
BTW you need a new shovel. LOL. Back to the dandelions, I lost the battle yrs ago, and currently don’t give a flying F about them.
There’s nothing on the market that works today, cause if there was the City Parks and boulevards the city maintains would not be infested with dandelions. Our flag should be changed to a dandelion.
Hey John,
Lol! I feel your pain. Nothing like government regs to brighten your day! 😬
Thx for the comment and for watching!
lol just jump to 2:30 and save yourself sometime. Anyone looking at this video is looking because dandelions are out of control, I must say the shovel method is good tho
Hi ike o, if you skip to 2:30 you will miss out on seeing our beautiful rescue dog, Claire! Glad you approve of the shovel method!
Won't this method kill the grass?
Hi Ghritke, no, this method won't harm the grass at all. After the dandelions are removed we just step on the area and the cut heals up nicely.
I hv been doing way you did and works well for years, only time it fails is when your neighborhood are too lazy to doing their part
Hey Thomas,
Glad to hear it. Thx for watching!
I have a dandelion lawn with a bit of grass growing in between the dandelions
Hey Adrian,
I feel your pain. If only grass grew as effortlessly as dandelions!
Thx for watching.
Clean the dandelion root afterwards and eat them as a nutritious snack and it's good for you! Yes, I am crazy.
Hi cocoabiscuits, I have never tried dandelion root, but we are growing tons of microgreens, so we just might get dandelions a try. Thanks for your comments!
Yes, they help to renew the liver and keep you young. A fountain of youth. Strange how people despise dandelions. It's free food/medicine.
The question is: why get rid of dandelions? They're pretty, edible, nourish pollinators, improve soil by loosening it up and bringing nutrients to the surface...
U should use a long screw drive to get the long roots as a shovel digs up 2 much grass. A shovel is no good.
Hi Alan, the shovel method has worked great for me for years. It actually doesn't dig up very much grass. It does remove the dandelion, then I step on the place that was cut. The grass grows back nicely and looks just fine.
They have special tools that remove the root without removing as much dirt
Hey don’t…,
Thx for the input and for watching!
Gotta buy more Salonpas and Bengay
Hi Bilanguanya, LOL, initially removing dandelions from an infested yard can be big work. However, if you keep on it, like remove them every couple of days, you will soon see a drastic decline in the quantity of dandelions. My lawns only have a few dandelions, it takes only a couple of minutes to remove them. Thanks for your comment!
Get a tool called “Grandpas Weeder” Brilliant tool❗️
Hey Sir Michael,
I bought one late last year! Looking forward to giving it a try!
Thx for watching.
I made a dumb decision and mowed over them thinking I could get rid of them that way😫.. my backyard is f*cked
Hey Antwon,
Sounds like you’ll have your work cut out for yourself this year. Thx for watching!
@@Housebarons so I should definitely get a weed killer first? Also is there any brands you recommend?
I have found that a garden fork works better than a shovel.
Hey hadd,
Thx for the tip and for watching!
I think your shovel is just cutting the root in half and not actually getting the whole root system.
I use a strong knife go around and pull
Hey Janie,
Thx for watching!
I have a sweet ass little tool that just plucks them out. Lol
I’ve grown to accept them. I want a dandelion lawn. Much easier.
Hey Chris,
That is certainly less stressful!
Thx for watching!
Yeah I came here looking for ways to get them out of my garden but this is too much. Think I'll just stick to the weed eater and pick them out by hand.
Hey Sheldon,
Thx for watching!
Thankfully one neighbor has no weeds, but unfortunately uses weed killer. The other neighbor let's them grow, but it isn't too terrible.
Hey A C,
The fun of neighbors,
Thx for watching!
I PUT MY FINGERS AROUND THE DANDELION LEAVES ALL OF THEM AND SLOWLY TORN THEM IN A CIRCLE AND
WITH LUCK IT BRINGS MOST OF THE ROOT WITH IT ; THEM WITH WHITE VINAGAR ; SALT & SOAP IN A SPRAY BOTTLE I SOAK THE ROOT IN THE GROND SO IT DIES OFF.
Hi Jimmy, sounds like you have a great system going to handle your dandelions. My wife was just telling me that we should do a video about using vinegar to control them. Thanks for your comments!
if you have to use salt, use epsom salt, otherwise your grass won't grow back there
The dogs, kids and dandelions all come from my neighbors yards, so this isn't for me. I'm trying to keep them all off my lawn!
Hi Steven, hilarious! Well, we have videos to show you how to build wooden fences too - good luck!
I use land mines. This way I never have to fertilize.
Super informative. How to get rid of dandelions---dig them up.
Dandelion is a sign the the soil lacks calcium. Just mow them and let them do what nature intended.
Hey Pete,
Interesting! Thx for the info. I’ll have to check that out further regarding my yard. Very helpful!
Thx for watching.
at the end of the video, you state, "after you put down dandelion killer, & the dandelions are all dead, then proceed to dig them up. I thought this was a video about NOT USING WEED KILLER.....can you explain that?
Hi Janet M, in the video I explain that some lawns are absolutely
overrun with dandelions. In that case, digging them out one by one is not realistic. For lawns that have too many dandelions, we propose using weed killer one final time to kill all the weeds.
Now you have a clean slate to work with. Eventually new dandelions will appear. Use this method of digging the new dandelions out from now on and you won't have to ever use weed killer on dandelions again.
Thanks for your question hope this helps!
Yea right research the dandelion root system they can get 10 to 12 ft. Sometimes.
How about a hybrid - GREEN - dandelion, then it may not show so bad!
Hey Bill,
Nice!
Thx for watching!
Hahahahaha nice. The truth! Ty
Spoiler alert: Just remove each individual dandelion by the root. 🌻
Stay tuned for part 2: Filling and seeding craters left behind from dandelion hacking.
Hey Bob,
😃 Thx for watching!
If I did this my yard would be full of holes.
Hey Jon...,
I hear ya😃 Thx for watching!
Ok so i have HUGE dandelions overtaking my yard, and we cannot use ANY chemicals i the yard (cuz landlords wife had cancer, so we cant use MOST chemicals around the house but especially not weedkillers) and ripping them out seems to leave a hundred big holes, or just tearing up grass in general :( i can't find a way to remove these fckers without destroying the yard.... The roots are so deep, that i don't think this shovel technique is gonna work :(
A shovel digs up too much grass and u cant get the derp root.
Hi Alan, the shovel works great for removing the roots and is a very fast method. We step on the area where we remove the roots and the grass looks fine.
The shovel only takes the top part. You cant dig 4 or 5 inches to get the deep root without taking out a patch of grass. There is no way you r not digging up the grass
@@alanmaikawa3500 In golf there is something called a divot. This is when a golfer swings their club and some turf gets dug up. It is good golfing etiquette to retrieve the divot, place it exactly back where it came from and step on it. The grass will regrow and all is well.
When I use my shovel to remove a dandelion I usually just make one cut. I pull out the dandelion root, then step on the cut that I made. There is no gaping hole. By stepping on the place where I dug, the cut part goes back together and the lawn looks fine.
@@Housebarons i have been playing golf for 50 years. U will still take out a large chuck of the grass if u usr a shovel
@@alanmaikawa3500 I use the shovel method to remove dandelions currently at three properties. It is very effective and there are hardly any dandelions to dig up. When I do dig up the dandelions I step directly on the cut that was made. There are no chunks of grass missing. The lawn looks fine.