Tackle dandelions without chemicals

In the early years of this column, there would be the call to get out the old Hudson canister sprayer, fill it with that awful smelling "weed-be-gone" stuff and spend the weekend zapping each and every one I could find, including a few on the adjoining neighbor's yard and the muni right-of-way too.

Many of you were also brought up in the time when dandelions were made the No. 1 enemy of suburbia. It all began with the first color television presentation of a U.S. Open displaying lush, green, weed-free fairways. The standard was set for the American lawn, and it is only now changing back. My dad wasn't much of a golfer, but he got the lawn bug. He passed it on to me. My first gardening job was to pull dandelion flowers.

Even today, the blitz of advertising does its best to present the ideal yard, and dandelions certainly have no place in it. How disgustingly easy herbicide sellers have made it to apply dangerous chemicals. And how often they brainwash us to do it. The fact of the matter is you probably shouldn't walk on a lawn that doesn't have at least a few weeds and surely don't let your kids play on one.

Don't get me wrong, I still have a "thing" about dandelions. I still can't stand to see them take over our lawn. I am not proud of this, and I work at it (at least now; and I apologize for past sins, I don't care if I see them in your yard!). I just don't like to see a sea of yellow.

So, a few dandelions, OK. But infestations can quickly get out of hand, and they are a weed. Fortunately, there are safe ways to deal with dandelion infestations.

The first tool is the mower. Cut down flowers before they mature. Your mulching mower will do a number on them. Just don't wait until they are all in the fluff stage.

The second tool to use is a hand digger that gets at the roots. There are many different kinds and we all have favorites. I like the Fiskars dandelion puller as well as the old fashioned "dandelion fork." Buy one like you would a golf club or fishing rod. It has to be something you will enjoy using.

Next, five percent or higher grade vinegar or clove-based "BurnOut" Grass and Weed killer (keep in mind it does kill both) will at least get the tops of dandelions, preventing them from flowering this year. These products do leave doggie spots which will grow away in two or three weeks.

I can tell you that using a propane burner to heat up dandelions is another way to get spots, and more, in your lawn. Wow, did I get carried away this spring. The lawn looks like gigantic voles chewed it up. Until the nozzles are improved (and we get some good rain), I don't advise this method of dandelion control.

Adding compost and improving the soil will always help the lawn grow and eventually outcompete the weeds. So leaving the clippings after you mow, except if your plants are at the fluff stage, a rare exception to the no-bagging-clippings rule.

Finally, though it is not as cheap as the other control methods, you can apply corn gluten to prevent germinating seed from developing roots. You have to do it at thr right time as it only lasts for six weeks. Now, just as the first flowers are appearing, is a good time to apply it. Fortunately, it is also a nitrogen-based organic lawn food, so you get a bit of a better bang for your dollars. Be sure to wet the lawn immediately after application.

And, of course, you can always just pick the flowers. Tenacious things that they are, they will still set seed, however, so take a bucket along and dispose of them appropriately

Again, I know how dangerous the chemical herbicides are. You do too. The No. 1 rule: No more dangerous herbicides. Use organic methods to keep things in check -- and don't let unrealistic lawn images foisted upon you by chemical companies persuade you to do otherwise.

America's longest-running garden columnist, Jeff Lowenfels, returns to the airwaves with "The Garden Party" on AM-700 KBYR at 10 a.m. on Saturday.