Over the last few years we’ve done a fair bit of work in the garden to tidy things up and make things a little easier to maintain but we’ve neglected the lawn and there are loads of weeds in it that are now taking over almost every part of it.

Does anyone know of a good weed killer that I can use to iradicate the weeds whilst not doing too much damage to the lawn? I have a garden sprayer so something that’s suitable for use in it would be best.

Cheers

Is it too late in the year for a weed n feed??

Earlier this year I just used some bog standard lawn weedkiller from wilkos on our dandelion-infested front grass and it’s actually been surprisingly effective… is it all just the same stuff at wildly different prices?

That’s what I wondered. I imagine the particularly potent stuff will damage the lawn as well as obliterating the weeds or is there some chemical that can differentiate between the two?

When and How to Apply Weed & Feed

I’ve used a few and the most effective that doesn’t burn the grass is Verdone.

I’ve been diligently using the rake/mow/rake method, adding a general purpose weed n feed every 8 weeks this year, and it’s made a lot of difference.

Encouraged by this I’ll be adding sand and doing some aerating next year.

Our lawn now looks like a lawn, not a random collection of grass, clover and other weeds.

That’s what I’d like. Previously I was only concerned that it was generally green 🙄

dandelion rooter to physically remove ugly dandelions then regular mow and autumn and spring top dress produces a nice green area with some variety in form of low clover and sorrel and grass remove centre of any clumps of daisies.

aiming for a green swathe of pure grass is a recipe for a chemically enhanced mono culture and or a nervous breakdown.

Just been over mine with a scarifier. Biblical levels of “stuff” extracted, filled the garden waste bin with it (and it’s not a large lawn).

Beer now 🙂

I used Verdone (now renamed) for the first time this year having never applied any weedkiller in the last 12 years – certainly seems to have had an effect – I’ll be doing it again in the spring along with a liquid feed (I’ve got a big sprayer missus)

Why not let the flowers grow?

Best domestic product seems to be verdone. I use Relay Turf commercially. The key is not to overapply, these chemicals work by surface area contact, hence thin blades survive.

One treatment a year is enough, done in May. A couple of feeds after this. Autumn I’d not try and do anything unless you want to scarify.

Weedkillers are like medicine. Nurofen is Ibuprofen. Roundup is Glyphosate. And they’re required to list the active ingredient and dosage on the pack. And often the active ingredient is out of patent protection.

So very often the cheap Wilko version is exactly the same. You just need to read the back of the pack.

The commercial versions are normally higher dosages of the same chemicals.

Get a lawn weddkiller do it on a dry warm, still day. Get it done asap before the weather turns colder. Repeat a couple of times a year. The granules are ok but don’t really kill off invasive weeds just knock them back temporarily and will make your lawn grow like mad and need to be applied carefully or you will end up with many horrid burnt patches like my neighbour. Also amazed how many people try to use roundup on their lawn weeds! Or if you want a really nice lawn get a pro in.

Tron, weedkillers have many different recipes. Binding and wetting agents, surfactants, different glyph doses, and in the case of lawn weedkillers it’s even more complex as they don’t use glyphosate but a wide variety of other pesticides. So the brand really does matter.

I’m with the “why not let the flowers go” suggestion. Just dig up a few of the excess dandelions with a screwdriver and you’ll be reet!

Glasgowdan: have you used Depitox commercially? I’ve just done an an application on a paddock that is becoming overrun with thistles, plantains and there’s some Ragwort in there as well which I want to get rid of.
Not the best time of year but better than nothing (and certainly having an effect after 5 days) so I’ll hit it again in the spring.

I’ve not used depitox as all my work is fine and amenity lawns but it sounds like it’s working! I always cut and collect after selectives to prevent any stray seed heads rooting. I love seeing a field of weeds writhe out of the grass and die! All this hippy keep the flowers pish doesn’t wash with my clients!