kill the dandelions, but free range the chickens!?

[charlotteda]

I know they can be a pest but my honeybee sure would appreciate you leaving them in the yard... at least for a while

charlotte

 

[Spires6]

Dandelions are great for making tea and wine. I cherished all the battered dandelions given to me by chubby little kid hands. Unfortunately my husband hates them and treated several acres around our house the other day, He made a tight circle around my outdoor brooders,

 

[GardeNerd]

Read the bag as to how long it says to not use the area. I would x that by 4 at least.

If there is no info about avoiding it, I personally keep my kids and dog off my neighbor's yard for about a month before allowing them over there to play and walk after she applies the stuff just to be on the safe side. I don't want my dog licking it off his paws or the kids tracking it in the house. Some herbicides break down faster than others.

There are other products you can use like corn glutten to fertilize and prevent seed (especially weed seeds) germination that won't hurt you or the chickens. When I use it I apply it in fall since that is when a lot of the weed seeds around here start to germinate. In spring I hand pull weeds.

 

[balticbabe]

Depending on the area I either hand pull the weeds or apply vinegar. Vinegar kills everything I tried to kill and it's chicken safe. I wouldn't eat Roundup directly or through eggs. Yuk.

 

[tulie13]

Quote:
Cool - I haven't heard this before - do you use ACV or white vinegar? And full strength, I assume?

 

[Wifezilla]

Just use white vinegar..it is cheaper. Add a box of salt to a gallon of vinegar and then add some dish soap. GREAT herbicide with no danger to critters.

But seriously...dandelions make great snacks for ducks and chickens. If you pick the leaves young, they are good in salads. Steeped in vinegar they release vitamins and minerals...very high in calcium. Then use it to make salad dressing with very healthy properties.

The flowers make good wine.

 

[miss_thenorth]

Vinegar is acidic, so plants that do not like high acidity, will die from application of it. It will also kill the grass around it. Some plants like high acidity, but there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Plain white vinegar will do fine. Salt also kills plants.

Also , in the fight against dandelions, make sure you do not cut your grass too short.

I personally like dandelions, I make lotsa stuff from dandelions, but, as I said before, you can have too much of a good thing. My yard is over-run with them. My son is out cutting the dandelions stems now, as I type this. I will be treating my dandelions this fall.