Home Gardening Outdoor Gardening 3 Easy Ways to Get Rid of Dandelions Without Chemicals Kill those weeds for good with these au naturale tips. By Leslie Corona Leslie Corona Leslie Corona is the Associate Home Director at Realsimple.com. She has been styling, organizing, writing, and reporting on all things in the home space for a decade. She was previously at Good Housekeeping, HGTV Magazine, and Parents. She has shared her expertise on the TODAY show, Cheddar, and local television news outlets. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on May 28, 2024 In This Article View All In This Article Remove Them Manually Spray White Vinegar Sprinkle Corn Gluten Dandelions are a deceptive plant—their yellow flowers are bright and cheery (and kind of pretty!) but the reality is that they’re technically a weed. “Dandelions create more competition for your lawn to absorb the necessary nutrients and water it needs to thrive. Eliminating them will ensure that the right nutrients are going to the right places for a dense, green lawn to exist,” says Roger May, PhD, horticulture expert and director of technical operations for TruGreen. Fortunately, you can get rid of dandelions—Dr. May weighs in on three chemical-free ways to do just that. How Often Should You Fertilize Your Lawn? Martin Ruegner/Getty Images Remove Them Manually You can pull out dandelion weeds to get rid of them, though Dr. May notes this won’t permanently rid your lawn of dandelions since dandelion seeds can always establish new weeds—they blow in the wind after all, making them highly prolific! That being said, should you choose to remove them by hand, you need to do so properly. “Dandelions have a large tap root that stores food for the plant, similar to a carrot, and if the entire root isn’t removed, the weed can grow back,” Dr. May says. He suggests purchasing a dandelion weeding tool, which has a long metal shaft with a forked end that allows you to dig deep into the soil and pull up the weed with the entire root. Spray White Vinegar If you’d prefer to skip chemical herbicides, you can turn to vinegar to control your weeds. According to Dr. May, it will “burn up” the dandelion leaves and force the weed to grow more. “After multiple applications, the dandelion will use up the food reserved in its taproot as it tries to grow back and eventually die,” Dr. May says. He cautions, though, that vinegar will also burn healthy grass, so make sure you’re targeting just the weed when you spray. Natural methods may require more time than a chemical herbicide to produce results, and the results you do get may not be as good.If you want to explore a chemical option, Dr. May suggests looking into a broadleaf weed control product labeled for your grass type and properly following application instructions.He adds, "Always ask a pro if you aren’t certain what to apply to your lawn, or if you want them to take the task off your hands!” Sprinkle Corn Gluten Corn gluten meal is an option for tackling dandelions just as they’re about to take root—it’s far less effective on established weeds. Aim to sprinkle corn gluten meal in late March (or when the soil temperature hits 50 degrees Fahrenheit) on a dry day. Make sure you pull out the established dandelions first. Dethatch your lawn next, then spread the corn gluten meal evenly. Lastly, water your grass lightly to activate the product. Purchase corn gluten meal that’s specifically marketed as an herbicide. “Corn meal” and “corn gluten feed” are not the same as “corn gluten meal.” Prevention is key when it comes to dandelions, because once your lawn is infested, it’s incredibly challenging to control. To reduce your risk of a dandelion invasion, Dr. May suggests properly mowing and watering your lawn. “This helps create a dense grass surface that inhibits the broadleaf weed’s ability to grow,” he explains. 5 Common Lawn Care Mistakes Almost Everyone Makes Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit