Tips to get rid of dandelion's from your lawn this spring (2025)

Dandelions can be a big problem in the garden, especially on the lawn, where they spread rapidly and take nutrients from other plants. But one expert has shared a 20 second method to get rid of them.

Dandelions are well-loved for their cheery yellow hue and wilderness appeal but, if left unchecked, can become a nuisance, hogging nutrients from neighbouring plants – particularly in lawns where they spread rapidly.

Their tenacious deep roots make them hardy survivors, often rebounding after being cut back.

Garden expert Genevieve Schmidt, from North Coast Gardening, has revealed her specialised "injection" method for safely exterminating dandelions without damaging your lawn.

She reveals: "I just got a nifty tip on how to kill dandelions organically when they are growing in your lawn or the centre of another plant: injection with vinegar-based organic weed killer."

Vinegar is well-known for its potent weed-killing property, yet many gardeners often avoid using it considering it's potential to harm neighbouring floral arrangements.

Similarly within lawn areas, it's use could jeopardise the grass as well.

Genevieve cautions: "You may have found that if you spray non-selective herbicide, organic or otherwise, on your dandelion, you end up with a dead patch of lawn to match your dead dandelion, which is so not cool."

She mentions an alternative approach involving removing the lengthy tap root with a soil knife.

However, she notes it’s often a battle regaining ground as any remnants of root tend to herald the dandelion’s return, reports the Express.

Genevieve has proposed a novel solution for eradicating dandelions without damaging the surrounding turf, involving the use of a small syringe for precise application. She detailed her method: "The whole injection-by-hand thing may sound like a pain, but if your dandelions have really good taproots and keep coming back, I'd think 20 seconds per weed is well worth it being gone forever."

This approach targets the heart of the dandelion, where the foliage sprouts.

After about a fortnight, the roots are expected to wither and perish, simplifying the process of uprooting the entire weed.

Genevieve remarked: "After a couple of weeks, you can lift the top of the dandelion right off of the poor, pickled taproot."

She advocates using common white vinegar found in homes for this technique. By adopting this injection method, one can achieve a pristine lawn all year round, irrespective of the climate.

Genevieve also pointed out: "Another cool thing to note is that while spraying herbicide (any kind) is only effective on dry days with temperatures above 15 degrees, injections of herbicide can be done in the dead of winter with the rain pouring down."

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Similarly to this, you can raise the blade on your lawn mower when cutting the grass to help eliminate the dandelions.

Forget about giving your lawn a close shave - keeping the blades higher could stop dandelions from even appearing. Taller grass can block sunlight and hinder weed seeds from sprouting - and it will keep your lawn greener.

It encourages the grass to develop deeper root systems which results in healthier grass and a stronger lawn.

This leads to thicker growth and gives your grass a competitive edge against weeds where dandelions are likely to naturally die off.