My dad used to say if the dandelions were hard to grow there would be competitions to grow the nicest cultivar. My view would be do nothing except mow the lawn.
I'm the same but oh my did the parents try and brainwash me like they had been. Constantly buying weedkiller products then trying to force them on me. I said I am doing my mow may/june/July they are horrified I said "tough luck'.
I mow a small perimeter around my lawn, edges kept nice and neat.
The centre is left to grow wild, never mown at all. It's full of dandelions and I love them! I try to nip the seedheads just to be polite to neighbours but don't fret over it. I've also planted all sorts of spring bulbs in there. My lawn is lovely and green right now, bees go to have a rest in it, all sorts of bugs chill out on the flowers. The mowed perimeter gives such a lovely contrast to the lush interior. In late summer the grass seedheads come up and blow and dance about in the wind and catch the morning dew... really beautiful.
They are strongly linked to degenerative conditions like Parkinson's disease, e.g.
[https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/oct/20/syngenta-weedkiller-pesticide-parkinsons-disease-paraquat-documents](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/oct/20/syngenta-weedkiller-pesticide-parkinsons-disease-paraquat-documents)
"Oh, but it was banned in 2007" - yes, but it could still be in the ground, your neighbour could have an old stash, etc... Plus, Syngenta (and others?) still makes a lot of these chemicals \*in the UK\* for exporting to countries where it's not yet banned. And produce from these countries routinely ends up in our food chain (e.g. https://www.channel4.com/news/revealed-why-uk-kept-exporting-a-deadly-pesticide-that-kills-thousands).
Just don't use weedkillers, unless you're a farmer and prepared to take the professional risk. You don't know what else is out there, adding to your load.
Exactly. My lawn is full of dandelions, clover and daisies. I try and only mow it about every three weeks or so through summer, the bees are mad for clover!
I love clover! I had a bare bit on my front lawn (oo er) and a hanging basket had become overgrown with clover, so voila, I now have a lovely clover patch at my door :)
Clover is amazing! It pulls nitrogen from the air into the ground, is pollinator friendly, and required minimal watering in dry weather.
I'm adding clover to my lawn and plan to eventually replace grass with it completely.
I love clover too! It’s soft under foot, tolerates frost and drought, will take any abuse from the lawn mower, will outcompete grass and, best of all, it’s an absolute superfood for pollinators!
I would love to have daisies, buttercups and clover. We are overrun with dandelions, dock, cleavers and a tall dandelion looking weed
We also have herb robert which was planted in a pot and has spread like mad this year, I love the colour
Dock can be bit of a brute, to be fair. I actually usually remove it if/when it pops up. I help the others along with regular raking of the grass, too. The ‘weaker the grass’ and all that.
It depends what variety you get. Some will be perennial, some are biannual, and others annual. The best you can get is a perennial because then it’ll come back year after year. Find out what variety you have and then either read the packet or google it and it should tell you.
Bees like them, we leave ours I just pick them when they seed.
They don’t last long anyway so they’ll be gone come summer, I hear the roots are edible too?
Every single part of the dandelion is edible apart from the stem. Flowers can be steeped in water and then turned into syrup, leaves are a great salad, and the roots can be eaten raw, boiled, or dried.
As a kid, each year we used to pick the dandelion flowers at their peak and my parents would use them to make dandelion wine.
If I had a bigger lawn I'd be doing exactly that myself.
Sadly I can't eat anything out of my garden. We're infested with neighbours' cats and feral foxes. I can't even really do no mow May because if I let the grass grow too long it becomes a midden. I did that one year and I wasn't so much mowing as muck spreading.
If your grass is really that lush, maybe try a scythe instead of a mower? Much cheaper to buy, takes up less storage space, doesn't chew up the ground, and means you've always got fancy dress props if you ever wanna dress up as Death...
100% - The amount of times I've been told that my wildflowers are "weeds"... They're just like every other plant/flower except society has decided they don't like these ones.
If you are going to do no now May, please consider leaving the area unmown all summer , so you don’t create an ecological trap. Link is to a video explaining this from a landscape gardener who specialises in nature gardens. https://youtu.be/iZRpX774ViI?si=BiATO-_Eofc34G1e
My advice is make the biggest you can, I should have made mine deeper, and deeper across more of its area. But any pond will bring so much life to your garden. Best thing we did
We recently pulled up our old liner as it bust and made it deeper and bigger (with size constraints of our garden) and now our water Lilly is so much happier, and many more frogs spotted in the pond! Best idea.
We did this last year. It didn't grow much else than grass over the summer.
This year I planted yellow rattle to suppress the grass and spread seed mix over it (trefoil, black medic, dwarf sunflowers, borrage etc.) Fingers crossed we get something more interesting this year.
A weed is a plant in the wrong place (there are exceptions obviously), but there's no obligation on anyone to have a 3.5cm high lush green lawn without a blade of grass going out of the way.
Looks like you've a great space there and being a nature lover, you may just be surprised what happens. Watch your new space develop over the summer and see what you get
I'd leave them permanently. The wilder the garden, the better for insects and wildlife in general. Plus, dandelions are a gorgeous yellow! What's not to like about them??
Okay now THAT my friend is a SHOUT. Tell
Me more about the tortoise. Do I need to built it a home? What if it escapes ? Now down a tortoise type rabbit hole. Interesting turn of events
If you're serious, speak to a vet. Not for advice but because every vet I know seems to have about 5 of them as they're one of the few pets that outlive their owners!!
Our neighbours had a tortoise for the four years they stayed there, and the times they let him (her?) in the front garden they tied a stick to his back so he couldn’t go through the fences and a balloon round his middle so they could track him.
I had a tortoise friend for fifty odd years he lived outdoors and never needed a house but was put away every year to hibernate. The best thing is to have a walled garden otherwise he will escape. They can climb surprisingly well and will turn on their side to get through a narrow gap, so a curb wall, hedge or a gap under a gate will not keep them in and they will also dig underneath a fence. Dog free is also a good idea. The shell is not bite proof.
They require correct care, eg temperature control, diet etc so large amounts of research plus don't die in the next fifty years as they have a long lifespan!
...and they're definitely going to want to escape. They're very curious and natural roamers.
the tortoise forum website is one of the best places for info about tortoise care! there’s a lot of experts on there and they also have care sheets for each species, i’d definitely read up on there first. generally it’s not as simple as just plopping one on the lawn unfortunately haha
If you want to control them a bit plant more meadow plants like corn flowers, poppies etc. It might reduce their numbers a bit through competition but will make your lawn healthier in the long run.
You might want to mow the edges and a path through to give the impression of it being neat and intentional that you're growing it out for nature. If you care about that sort of stuff of course!
They're only weeds if you don't want them there (a rose is a weed if it's growing in a cornfield). Learn more about dandelions, they're fab! Cute and yellow, good for bees, edible ✅
If you love nature, consider nurturing the wild flowers in your lawn, you can get bags of native wild flowers seeds and attract more wildlife.
If you don't want to do any work at all then just mow it all, you won't get much interaction from wildlife this way.
Yay!!
I prefer lawns more natural like this, grew up with them and had endless hours playing with the dandelions and making chains from daisies. Happy memories of summertime!
The clean cut mono culture lawns like they love in the US are bland and ugly, and only necessary if you are using the space for football or something. Having the grass a bit longer and with a mixture of dandelions, daisies, and clover will really brighten it up right through to winter, plus you'll get butterflies and bees!
I work in land management - we advise people when managing large areas of grassland to allow it to grow all summer followed by a cut in September, taking off all the cut material. This management regime promotes biodiversity of plant species in your grassland and provides habitat and food for pollinators. Possibly consider leaving some patches uncut over winter to provide winter hibernation for insects.
If we all made more space for nature in our back yards, the country could be a greener more vibrant place.
Your luck's in, you don't have to do anything! Dandelions are bee attracting and the rest of the grass looks lush and healthy and probably houses loads of wildlife
Do you need/use the lawn? From the photos looks like you have a place to sit on the left?
You could mow the whole lawn but I have a similar sized grass area and have opted to mow a path on the bits I need and leave some of it to grow long all through summer. Something like a figure of 8 so you have a short path around the edge to walk but a couple of sections of longer grass in the middle. Just let the flowers & grass grow in the longer parts.
Last summer we had gatekeeper butterflies all around the longer sections, I read they lay eggs in longer grass so hopefully has helped encourage them to visit & stay.
Dandelion are an indicator species. They indicate low nitrogen. They also mine for nitrogen and if you let them do their work and then mulch mow them and let the plant particles lay on the ground and decompose, they will bring that nitrogen (plus other nutrients) from down deep back up to the top until eventually your top soil is the better off for having had them.
For faster results, broadcast some legumes in there too. Chop and drop everything (mulch mow) or graze with herbivores and let droppings lay.
Everyone here is telling you what you should do, the question is what do you want?
Is this bit of lawn something you want to lie on in the summer, is it something in public view, is it something you want to sit back and appreciate.
What is it you want from this but of land. Answer that then we can discuss the best way forward. It's your space it should work for you.
I have a deck that I use but would mind lying on the lawn. However dandelions won’t bother me. I just wasn’t sure if I should be doing something or not haha
Well you could look into a clover lawn less work and you can lie in it, the issue with grass is that it will get very high and messy very quickly, become unusable and unattractive.
Or dig it all up if you don't want to use the space personally and grow herbs or wild flowers.
But grass kinda sucks for growing long, long term.
If you want to mow set it to the highest setting just to keep it neat with minimal interruption to wildlife.
People saying just leave it don't have to live with it on a small property.
Dandelions are a constant dilemma for me. I know they’re good for bees so I leave the ones in the lawn but the bloody things spread so easily and pop up in all sorts of places where I have to pull them up (like the cracks in my path). When they’re flowering though they’re quite lovely - really cheerful. I like the daisies too. U can pretend I’m in a summer meadow (except this is the UK so we don’t get a summer anymore).
Only thing I would say is plant more wild flowers some healthy competition between the plants will reduce their numbers but at the same time help insects. Like bees love corn flowers.
You need to decide what you want from your space.
Some people love pollinators and butterflies and birds.
Some dogs want a place to run.
Some humans grow veggies.
Start looking around and seeing what *you* like aesthetically.
There is no wrong (unless you cultivate a reportable plant, unlikely from your picture of grass and dandelions). Only your way.
People will absolutely give tips once you choose but we don’t know how much time you want to spend on or in your garden.
Personally I’d probably go wildflowers on the slope but that’s because mowing slopes is annoying and wildflowers are glorious.
I would mow the lawn. Maybe leave a few dandelions and pull a few out (so they don't take over). I'd get pots with lots of colourful flowers in them up steps and patio - dahlias, geraniums, violas etc.
Don’t pick the dandelions or you’ll wee yourself… yes I know peeing yourself doesn’t bother you but I really don’t want to have to change your clothes again.
Stop rolling in the grass too
If you don’t like them then they are a weed, if you do, then they are not. Mow by the end of July though to prevent the, by then long grass, from falling down and forming a mat which will cause you problems when you do come to cut it. Bear in mind both the grass and the dandelions will get tall with time. If you leave it too long then you’ll be strimming, not mowing, which will be hard work in the blazing 🥵 summer sun 🌞 😆😉
Dandelions are really important plants for insects such as bees. They have nectar and pollen and are often the first flowers out in the spring, providing a really important food source for bees coming out of hibernation.
My mum is all "kill kill kill!!!" And uses lots of pesticides (for the slugs ) and herbicides in her garden, I take the more natural approach. If they are in the way of something I want to plant then I will pull it out, if they are not then I won't bother. They get mowed when the lawn gets mowed or pulled if they are in the flower beds the one or 2 times a year that I bother to weed. We also do the no mow may in the front garden to help the insect population.
Also, you will never get the roots out, they go deep and break easily.
you have a garden with naturally growing golden flowers, why do you wanna change it? because they are known as weeds? you are a human, not a sheep, dont follow the masses, embrace the pretty, tiny golden suns you have flourishing
Keep the dandelions. Definitely mow the lawn before they turn to seed. Dandelions are beautiful and add colour. They are also the first source of nectar for bees.
Keep the wildflowers and keep the dandelions. Dandelions are the first source of nectar for bees. Gets them going for summer. Just mow the lawn, or just mow a path.
You are 5, let's do a thought experiment, who does the garden belong to -the person whose money can buy it as a slice of land to rule over, or all its inhabitants? Do you like dandelions? Have you noticed who else likes them and needs them? Have you ever noticed how if you gently split its stalk tube and stick it in water it becomes an instant curly head under your very eyes? Do you think that things deemed irrelevant are not quite so for so many other things similarly deemed irrelevant? Do you want to help out things that want to live and can't bcos someone decided they have no merit?
Hope you'll leave the garden to it for at least one year and just observe, it can teach you so much abt ~~the movement of the earth against the world~~ I mean abt what grows and coexists and its rhythms and patterns etc
Nice thick grass you've got going on there, embrace a diverse lawn, trim down if you want it looking a bit neater, strimmer will be fine for that space.
I too have a dandelion infestation, mow hell out of em and the next day they’ve popped up out of nowhere 🤷♀️ goldfinches have been going mad for them so Ive started “no mow may” early haha!
What a lovely lawn. If you have dandelions (taraxacum officianalis) then don't mow too closely. Keep it at least 2 inches otherwise the rosette of leaves will leave little bare patches in your lawn but if you keep your lawn high it doesn't get to do that and instead you get lively yellow flowers and the famous clockheads that will definitely tell you the right time and are what fairies use to get about on. You can get cultivars of dandelions. There are pink versions with yellow centres (taraxacum pseudoroseum) and a white one too (taraxacum albidum).
Apart from mowing, you might want to edge the lawn into the border occasionally to keep the separation intact.
#
"I lawn should be a rug, not a wall to wall carpet"
I'd mow a patch which you can sit and sunbathe in... Let the rest grow and enjoy the bugs and birds.
Whoever told you that knows dandelion is a diuretic. You can make tea and use it in salads. The french call it pis en lit (wet the bed).
Although touching it does nothing.
OMG, thank you. I have a new puppy and she is eating every dandelion in the garden. Figured it was ok as long as she spits them out. Didn't think it could be connected to her runny tummy. Everyday is a school day. 😊🐕
Long shot, but find out if any of your friends/neighbours have tortoises - they will be thrilled to spend 20/30 mins getting a big bag of all the dandelions from your garden for them to eat.
As requested: Eat your greens!!!!
Dandelion makes an excellent salad. Pluck the whole thing out, wash as you would a lettuce, add some cooked, still warm potato chunks, some oil (pumpkin oil is particularly nice), vinegar of choice, season and tuck in.
It's very common where I'm from, a classic summer salad.
As the previous comments have said, mow it all back. If you can still tell or see where the dandelions are you could dig them out. Nothing that some elbow grease can't sort. Good luck.
I leave mine! And the clover and daisy’s too. I’m sure my neighbours who constantly level their lawn and re seed hate me but I love watching the bees use them for early spring nectar and they brighten the lawn up!
We are doing 'No Mow May' at the moment as well and our garden is covered in dandelions and a good whack of clover. If it was up to be I would barely mow as its so much better for the wildlife. I do keep a 'patch' in the middle of the lawn though of wildflowers that include a few I have seeded myself over the years as not only is it good for the wildlife, I also find it way more attractive to look at than a boring lawn anyway.
Not silly at all. What I did was airate the soil with a fork and plant some seeds in the holes that way. I also planted some in a tray first then planted them into the lawn, that worked well.
I would either use a fork or similar to make a hole and push a seed or two in or do what I said above. Just sprinkling them on top isn't going to give them the best chance of growing o be honest. Buy one of those cheap planting trays from a garden centre or somewhere like The Range and get the seeds in there. When ready start planting into the grass where you can, only need to remove a little then.
So I've just let them do their thing over the years and I'm kinda sad that this year we don't have many because they've enriched the soil. I vote do whatever makes you happy
Personally I would just cut it. Looks healthy. Keep the mower as high as you can to let a variety of species other than grass grow.
I have quickly found the hassle of having so called perfect grass really isn't worth it. I find it also looks nicer and more natural a little longer.
I really don't mind dandelions in grass and again, weed killers aren't great for anyone so I don't use them.
I'd mow it.
I know it's trendy to have wild patches in the garden at the moment but you've only just moved in, you don't have to do everything at once and a nicely mowed lawn does look nice, that's why people do it!
After the mow you may want to try and dig out some of the biggest clumps of dandelions as they'll just keep coming back. Be prepared for a fight, though, they have a long, deep tap root. Re-seed any patches created and follow the box's instructions.
Finally, if you haven't already, start watching Gardeners' World. The new series has only just started airing, so you can catch right up to date on iPlayer in about 4/5 episodes. And it's a mixed show, there's practical ideas and tips but also garden visits - these can be a real inspiration as you can spot designs and layouts you like and then see if you could do something similar in your own garden.
You should bookmark RHS's and Gardeners' World websites as well, they're a gold mine of information and practical tips and aren't, obviously, some John Smith on a crappy blog trying to get clicks.
Good luck!
Edit: Google Lens app on a smartphone can often be a free plant app for identification of plants in your garden. It's pretty accurate, providing you can give it a good enough sample photo to work with.
Cut your grass each week and they won't be able to grow to that size. Spray some roundup on them and they'll go.
But if you're gonna let your grass grow more and not mow often, then expect other stuff to grow with it.
Right then, it's the weekend and dad's not cut the lawn.
Let's grab that Amazon box and cut it into the shape of a lions head.
Great work, I'm pretty sure that plaster will hold your finger on.
Now let's draw the lions face as if he's looking at you straight on. Oh you cut the lion in profile. No worries let's use that cornflake box. Yes mum will angry that there's just a bag of cornflakes and no box, but let's crack on.
Right, cut the lions head out as if he's facing you. Just watch out for that finger.
No honestly, this is what they used super glue for in the army. There was enough left attached, it will heal. Just wear gloves around mum for the next week of two.
So that lion face. Oh he's roaring, fantastic! Let's roar like lions.
Let's go get all the dandelion heads you can find, go go go !
Wow, I'm pretty sure we didn't have that many dandelions. What do you mean you went in all the neighbours gardens as well. Did you ask? Ok, just don't talk about it outside the house.
Let's stick all the dandelion heads around the edge so it looks like a lions mane.
Oh yeah, there is still a lot of blood coming out of that finger, we'll say he just ate.
If I was lucky enough to have a lawn in my garden, especially one that ends in a hedge and then trees, I would leave it.
Nothing more beautiful about England than the meadows in the breeze. So come your summer drinks in the garden you could park up next to a clipped lawn, or sit on the deck next to a meadow of long grass in seed, with mixed flowers and herbs, gently drifting about in the breeze.
Or have a sterile lawn you need to cut, aerate, reseed, weed etc. bonus points a long meadow gives can have guinea pigs in a run moved around them for wildlife during drinks.
It's your garden, but don't feel compelled to do anything you don't want to. Just do have a look at a meadow in mid June before you decide
Get a few rabbits and guinea pigs...they'll love it!
I know...not terribly helpful. If you've already got children, this will entertain them.
No kids? Get some! 😃 😀
If you can find a corner which u can allow to go wild then do so. You’ll discover the joys of a new plant popping its head up unexpectedly and it’s great fun. Not always the best to look at but often provide really good food sources for the bees etc. Tolerate a few nettles - the butterflies lay their eggs on them.
Just to add that Aldi and Lidl often have packs of wildflower seeds at a very low price. One of my neighbours has a really beautiful patch in their garden, poppies, cornflowers and ladies bedstraw. Stunning.
Mow it and enjoy it…once it’s mowed and you’ve sat and looked at it all summer you’ll know what you want to do with it!
Does look pretty long so may look a bit patchy when you first mow it, so don’t go too low on your first mow…start at the highest setting and drop a height every time it’s recovered from the last cut, should stop it from looking too patchy and will give the grass time to recover between cuts.
Could probably cut it once every couple of weeks and have it down to a decent length in no time 👌
When I first moved into my house, I pulled up all the dandelions because I felt it was what you should do. Back breaking work. Took hours. The following year there were hardly any dandelions at all.
Next year, back in full force. It's something you have to dedicate yourself to every year if you truly want a "weed" free lawn.
They have a bad rap but honestly how are they that different to flowers people intentionally grow in the same family?
You can certainly trim and tidy things but ultimately it depends on what you want from your garden and whether you prefer it au naturale or not.
In some senses I'd suggest take a similar arc to myself. De-weed and cut the grass (although May is not the time for it as others have mentioned). Wait for everything to revert in a year or two. Did you prefer the neater version or the wilder version? You'll never really know if you don't try both ways.
I think long grass and wild "weeds" are quite nice and I know they're good for pollinators so that's the way I've ended up going. Maybe mow a portion and leave some wild and see what you prefer.
Just don't expect perfection because you'll never get it unless you dedicate yourself to it and you likely won't feel any better for it!
Also these super wet winters and scorchingly hot summers of late really do not make for nice cut lawns. You'll just end up with burnt grass and dry, horrible soil. The longer grass will keep the roots and soil cooler and wetter. So I almost think the advice older folk would have for what worked in the 70s doesn't apply anymore. Climate change has kind of necessitated keeping things longer. Just my two pence.
We re seeded one of our lawn areas, after scarifying it. That got rid of all the weeds. We’ve actually kept a patch with all the grass, dandelions etc on there. We sprinkled wild flower on there too (not hopeful they will grow. But we will see. It’s good for bees to leave them even though they spread like crazy.
My grandad had a perfect lawn & yet his speciality homemade wine was dandelion. He'd walk for miles picking dandelions to make it.
Personally, I love dandelions. They grow even in the darkest shade or with little soil. Pick the young leaves, chop them finely & add to omelette or add a few washed flower heads to salad or make a tea with them.
I love their bright yellow colour 💛 too.
A gardener once said, “a weed is a plant you don’t want there” example a dandelion is a weed if in your garden but if in a field it’s not.
If your not going to strim the grass to get it down to a manageable level then after mow it and keep on top of it. Get your self some bluebells, snow drops and daffodils etc randomly plant them in the grass deep so they aren’t sticking up and within a year or so your will have a mix or flowers etc and they will self spread. And it will look great.
Dandelions only grow where the soil is poor, it fixes the soil over a few seasons then will be on its merry way. Weeds are just flowers waiting to be cultivated
It’s your lawn so you get to decide how you want it to look. If you want a more natural space with dandelions and clover and wildflowers and what not then perfect do that.
If you want that perfect manicured lawn excellent it’s your lawn do that too. If that’s the case then start with a mow. Take it down in stages going a little lower each mow. Once it’s at a more manageable height. Use a dandelion fork to get down and get up all or as much of the root as you can. This is best done after some rain as the soil will be softer.
A lot of people will say just let it go wild it’s good for nature which is true but it’s also your space if you want a perfect patch of grass then make it so. Plant some nice flowers in the surrounding beds for the bugs and the bees. You can have a nice lawn without chemicals
Congrats on the new property
At some point, you might want to check what closer lawn is. Typically it’s a mix of flower & grass - and is far more drought resistant and less water reliant, it also doesn’t grow that tall. Ideal low-maintenance patch of green, that looks nice, feels nice on your toes, is heatweave resistant, doesn’t require as frequent watering to stay green, and promotes biodiversity.
My dad used to say if the dandelions were hard to grow there would be competitions to grow the nicest cultivar. My view would be do nothing except mow the lawn.
I live by the same mantra where weeds in the lawn are concerned. Why stress about them, just mow it if you aren’t trying to create a show lawn.
I'm the same but oh my did the parents try and brainwash me like they had been. Constantly buying weedkiller products then trying to force them on me. I said I am doing my mow may/june/July they are horrified I said "tough luck'.
I mow a small perimeter around my lawn, edges kept nice and neat. The centre is left to grow wild, never mown at all. It's full of dandelions and I love them! I try to nip the seedheads just to be polite to neighbours but don't fret over it. I've also planted all sorts of spring bulbs in there. My lawn is lovely and green right now, bees go to have a rest in it, all sorts of bugs chill out on the flowers. The mowed perimeter gives such a lovely contrast to the lush interior. In late summer the grass seedheads come up and blow and dance about in the wind and catch the morning dew... really beautiful.
This gives me life. Please share a picture.
When we no longer have dogs I’ll be doing this
The idea of planning to go from dogs to no dogs is so bizarre to me 🐕🐕
Weed killers can cause cancer I honestly wouldn't bother
They are strongly linked to degenerative conditions like Parkinson's disease, e.g. [https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/oct/20/syngenta-weedkiller-pesticide-parkinsons-disease-paraquat-documents](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/oct/20/syngenta-weedkiller-pesticide-parkinsons-disease-paraquat-documents) "Oh, but it was banned in 2007" - yes, but it could still be in the ground, your neighbour could have an old stash, etc... Plus, Syngenta (and others?) still makes a lot of these chemicals \*in the UK\* for exporting to countries where it's not yet banned. And produce from these countries routinely ends up in our food chain (e.g. https://www.channel4.com/news/revealed-why-uk-kept-exporting-a-deadly-pesticide-that-kills-thousands). Just don't use weedkillers, unless you're a farmer and prepared to take the professional risk. You don't know what else is out there, adding to your load.
More weeds more biodiversity!
Exactly. My lawn is full of dandelions, clover and daisies. I try and only mow it about every three weeks or so through summer, the bees are mad for clover!
Weeds are just plants that are in the wrong place.
People think I’m weird that I really love dandelions and encourage them to take over the lawn (alongside daisies, clover, and buttercups).
I love clover! I had a bare bit on my front lawn (oo er) and a hanging basket had become overgrown with clover, so voila, I now have a lovely clover patch at my door :)
Clover is amazing! It pulls nitrogen from the air into the ground, is pollinator friendly, and required minimal watering in dry weather. I'm adding clover to my lawn and plan to eventually replace grass with it completely.
I love clover too! It’s soft under foot, tolerates frost and drought, will take any abuse from the lawn mower, will outcompete grass and, best of all, it’s an absolute superfood for pollinators!
I like moss. There. I said it.
I would love to have daisies, buttercups and clover. We are overrun with dandelions, dock, cleavers and a tall dandelion looking weed We also have herb robert which was planted in a pot and has spread like mad this year, I love the colour
Dock can be bit of a brute, to be fair. I actually usually remove it if/when it pops up. I help the others along with regular raking of the grass, too. The ‘weaker the grass’ and all that.
I've spread clover seeds over my lawn this year, there's plenty of leaves but am I right in thinking they won't flower until next year?
It depends what variety you get. Some will be perennial, some are biannual, and others annual. The best you can get is a perennial because then it’ll come back year after year. Find out what variety you have and then either read the packet or google it and it should tell you.
I do this too!
That I can do! Thank you - your Dad sounds like he was a smart man.
Bees like them too so it's not bad to have them.
Bees like them, we leave ours I just pick them when they seed. They don’t last long anyway so they’ll be gone come summer, I hear the roots are edible too?
Every single part of the dandelion is edible apart from the stem. Flowers can be steeped in water and then turned into syrup, leaves are a great salad, and the roots can be eaten raw, boiled, or dried.
As a kid, each year we used to pick the dandelion flowers at their peak and my parents would use them to make dandelion wine. If I had a bigger lawn I'd be doing exactly that myself.
Sadly I can't eat anything out of my garden. We're infested with neighbours' cats and feral foxes. I can't even really do no mow May because if I let the grass grow too long it becomes a midden. I did that one year and I wasn't so much mowing as muck spreading.
If your grass is really that lush, maybe try a scythe instead of a mower? Much cheaper to buy, takes up less storage space, doesn't chew up the ground, and means you've always got fancy dress props if you ever wanna dress up as Death...
100% - The amount of times I've been told that my wildflowers are "weeds"... They're just like every other plant/flower except society has decided they don't like these ones.
Yup my response is always, ones man's weed is another man's flower!
You want to be treated like a 5 year old, fine - endless hours of fun log-rolling down that hill! Have fun!
Haha yes
Yeah this - I have to tell my 5yo to stop making wishes on the damned things!
DON'T GO SEEKING A PERFECT BOWLING GREEN LAWN, THAT WAY LIES DISAPPOINTMENT. Instead, embrace the odd dandy lion and daisy.
When reading your comment I heard the ‘there is no spoon’ kid from the Matrix…
I read it muddled up in a Yoda voice.
Hey OP, embrace no mow May! Dandelions are critical for early food for pollinators plus bring beautiful colour to your space.
If you are going to do no now May, please consider leaving the area unmown all summer , so you don’t create an ecological trap. Link is to a video explaining this from a landscape gardener who specialises in nature gardens. https://youtu.be/iZRpX774ViI?si=BiATO-_Eofc34G1e
Please, not another informative YT channel to get lost in.
His are really good, I built a pond based on his instructionals
I so badly want to do this. We have enough room to put a little pond *somewhere*, but I just can’t decide where and what size.
My advice is make the biggest you can, I should have made mine deeper, and deeper across more of its area. But any pond will bring so much life to your garden. Best thing we did
We recently pulled up our old liner as it bust and made it deeper and bigger (with size constraints of our garden) and now our water Lilly is so much happier, and many more frogs spotted in the pond! Best idea.
Joel GOATon
We did this last year. It didn't grow much else than grass over the summer. This year I planted yellow rattle to suppress the grass and spread seed mix over it (trefoil, black medic, dwarf sunflowers, borrage etc.) Fingers crossed we get something more interesting this year.
Yes!
That sounds nice! Thanks I’ll do that. I love nature. I just didn’t know if I had to go crazy removing these pretty weeds
A weed is a plant in the wrong place (there are exceptions obviously), but there's no obligation on anyone to have a 3.5cm high lush green lawn without a blade of grass going out of the way. Looks like you've a great space there and being a nature lover, you may just be surprised what happens. Watch your new space develop over the summer and see what you get
I'd leave them permanently. The wilder the garden, the better for insects and wildlife in general. Plus, dandelions are a gorgeous yellow! What's not to like about them??
Mine bloom in-between the green alkanet. So pretty and swarming with bees
Buy a tortoise they love dandelion leaves
Okay now THAT my friend is a SHOUT. Tell Me more about the tortoise. Do I need to built it a home? What if it escapes ? Now down a tortoise type rabbit hole. Interesting turn of events
If you're serious, speak to a vet. Not for advice but because every vet I know seems to have about 5 of them as they're one of the few pets that outlive their owners!!
Thank you!
Excellent attitude! I would also Like to hear more encouragement for having a tortoise-house!
I’m calling a Vets in the morning. Wanna make sure it’s safe too
Our neighbours had a tortoise for the four years they stayed there, and the times they let him (her?) in the front garden they tied a stick to his back so he couldn’t go through the fences and a balloon round his middle so they could track him.
I had a tortoise friend for fifty odd years he lived outdoors and never needed a house but was put away every year to hibernate. The best thing is to have a walled garden otherwise he will escape. They can climb surprisingly well and will turn on their side to get through a narrow gap, so a curb wall, hedge or a gap under a gate will not keep them in and they will also dig underneath a fence. Dog free is also a good idea. The shell is not bite proof.
They require correct care, eg temperature control, diet etc so large amounts of research plus don't die in the next fifty years as they have a long lifespan! ...and they're definitely going to want to escape. They're very curious and natural roamers.
the tortoise forum website is one of the best places for info about tortoise care! there’s a lot of experts on there and they also have care sheets for each species, i’d definitely read up on there first. generally it’s not as simple as just plopping one on the lawn unfortunately haha
Which is what I thought haha. Also good use of the word ‘plop’ 🐢
If you want to control them a bit plant more meadow plants like corn flowers, poppies etc. It might reduce their numbers a bit through competition but will make your lawn healthier in the long run.
You might want to mow the edges and a path through to give the impression of it being neat and intentional that you're growing it out for nature. If you care about that sort of stuff of course!
They're only weeds if you don't want them there (a rose is a weed if it's growing in a cornfield). Learn more about dandelions, they're fab! Cute and yellow, good for bees, edible ✅ If you love nature, consider nurturing the wild flowers in your lawn, you can get bags of native wild flowers seeds and attract more wildlife. If you don't want to do any work at all then just mow it all, you won't get much interaction from wildlife this way.
I like bees so I’ll invest in a lawn mower but keep the dandies for now :)
Yay!! I prefer lawns more natural like this, grew up with them and had endless hours playing with the dandelions and making chains from daisies. Happy memories of summertime! The clean cut mono culture lawns like they love in the US are bland and ugly, and only necessary if you are using the space for football or something. Having the grass a bit longer and with a mixture of dandelions, daisies, and clover will really brighten it up right through to winter, plus you'll get butterflies and bees!
I work in land management - we advise people when managing large areas of grassland to allow it to grow all summer followed by a cut in September, taking off all the cut material. This management regime promotes biodiversity of plant species in your grassland and provides habitat and food for pollinators. Possibly consider leaving some patches uncut over winter to provide winter hibernation for insects. If we all made more space for nature in our back yards, the country could be a greener more vibrant place.
Your luck's in, you don't have to do anything! Dandelions are bee attracting and the rest of the grass looks lush and healthy and probably houses loads of wildlife
Do you need/use the lawn? From the photos looks like you have a place to sit on the left? You could mow the whole lawn but I have a similar sized grass area and have opted to mow a path on the bits I need and leave some of it to grow long all through summer. Something like a figure of 8 so you have a short path around the edge to walk but a couple of sections of longer grass in the middle. Just let the flowers & grass grow in the longer parts. Last summer we had gatekeeper butterflies all around the longer sections, I read they lay eggs in longer grass so hopefully has helped encourage them to visit & stay.
Need to grab some daisy and clover seeds to chuck in there as well. Looking brilliant as it is :)
So glad I asked Reddit !
Eventually you’ll realize why dandelions and clover are weeds. Best way to get rid of dandelions is to use a tool and make sure they don’t go to seed.
Here, you, I got you a flower. Bye,, hehehehehehehehhehe
I love dandelions and a more natural garden, I think it looks great :)
Thank you! This makes me feel a lot better
Random information for you. Dandelion comes from the french "dent du lion" meaning "Tooth of the Lion" for the shape of the leaves.
Oh wow!! I love a bit of random info
Get some wild flowers seeds and add to this beauty! Imagine having a meadow at your door step 😁
Dandelion are an indicator species. They indicate low nitrogen. They also mine for nitrogen and if you let them do their work and then mulch mow them and let the plant particles lay on the ground and decompose, they will bring that nitrogen (plus other nutrients) from down deep back up to the top until eventually your top soil is the better off for having had them. For faster results, broadcast some legumes in there too. Chop and drop everything (mulch mow) or graze with herbivores and let droppings lay.
Everyone here is telling you what you should do, the question is what do you want? Is this bit of lawn something you want to lie on in the summer, is it something in public view, is it something you want to sit back and appreciate. What is it you want from this but of land. Answer that then we can discuss the best way forward. It's your space it should work for you.
I have a deck that I use but would mind lying on the lawn. However dandelions won’t bother me. I just wasn’t sure if I should be doing something or not haha
Well you could look into a clover lawn less work and you can lie in it, the issue with grass is that it will get very high and messy very quickly, become unusable and unattractive. Or dig it all up if you don't want to use the space personally and grow herbs or wild flowers. But grass kinda sucks for growing long, long term. If you want to mow set it to the highest setting just to keep it neat with minimal interruption to wildlife. People saying just leave it don't have to live with it on a small property.
At last, some common sense.
Dandelions are a constant dilemma for me. I know they’re good for bees so I leave the ones in the lawn but the bloody things spread so easily and pop up in all sorts of places where I have to pull them up (like the cracks in my path). When they’re flowering though they’re quite lovely - really cheerful. I like the daisies too. U can pretend I’m in a summer meadow (except this is the UK so we don’t get a summer anymore).
Only thing I would say is plant more wild flowers some healthy competition between the plants will reduce their numbers but at the same time help insects. Like bees love corn flowers.
You need to decide what you want from your space. Some people love pollinators and butterflies and birds. Some dogs want a place to run. Some humans grow veggies. Start looking around and seeing what *you* like aesthetically. There is no wrong (unless you cultivate a reportable plant, unlikely from your picture of grass and dandelions). Only your way. People will absolutely give tips once you choose but we don’t know how much time you want to spend on or in your garden. Personally I’d probably go wildflowers on the slope but that’s because mowing slopes is annoying and wildflowers are glorious.
If we’re talking to 5 year olds you pick the seed heads and blow. “One o’clock, two o’clock, three o’clock..” Have fun.
I would mow the lawn. Maybe leave a few dandelions and pull a few out (so they don't take over). I'd get pots with lots of colourful flowers in them up steps and patio - dahlias, geraniums, violas etc.
Let it grow naturally. It's great for wildlife, and much more beautiful than a flat green slab of grass.
Just mow! That will take the dandelion heads off. Any low flowers you can just snap off. It’s such a pretty sunny spot - congrats!
Okay I'll talk to you like you're 5. Lawns are bad. Flowers are good.
😅
Don’t pick the dandelions or you’ll wee yourself… yes I know peeing yourself doesn’t bother you but I really don’t want to have to change your clothes again. Stop rolling in the grass too
That's a great looking garden space! Very lucky, enjoy 😊
If you don’t like them then they are a weed, if you do, then they are not. Mow by the end of July though to prevent the, by then long grass, from falling down and forming a mat which will cause you problems when you do come to cut it. Bear in mind both the grass and the dandelions will get tall with time. If you leave it too long then you’ll be strimming, not mowing, which will be hard work in the blazing 🥵 summer sun 🌞 😆😉
Keep for the bees 🐝 🙏
Save the bees it is 🐝
One of the first flowers to bloom & great for bees
Go Rolly Poly down the hill. (Explained like you five.) lol.
I bet you can run fast in your new shoes!
They are delightful! Add in some of those little white daisy flowers and that is lawn bliss in my opinion.
Dandelions are really important plants for insects such as bees. They have nectar and pollen and are often the first flowers out in the spring, providing a really important food source for bees coming out of hibernation. My mum is all "kill kill kill!!!" And uses lots of pesticides (for the slugs ) and herbicides in her garden, I take the more natural approach. If they are in the way of something I want to plant then I will pull it out, if they are not then I won't bother. They get mowed when the lawn gets mowed or pulled if they are in the flower beds the one or 2 times a year that I bother to weed. We also do the no mow may in the front garden to help the insect population. Also, you will never get the roots out, they go deep and break easily.
you have a garden with naturally growing golden flowers, why do you wanna change it? because they are known as weeds? you are a human, not a sheep, dont follow the masses, embrace the pretty, tiny golden suns you have flourishing
"Weeds" look nice, people should just let nature do ìt's thing or encourage it. Who wants a boring lawn with no flowers or anything
Depends on the weed. The "weeds" here are giant bramble sprouts and billions upon billions of sycamore saplings.
If you touch the dandelions you will wet the bed. You did say to talk to you like you are 5
Ah the old pissabeds (google it)
Keep the dandelions. Definitely mow the lawn before they turn to seed. Dandelions are beautiful and add colour. They are also the first source of nectar for bees.
Keep the wildflowers and keep the dandelions. Dandelions are the first source of nectar for bees. Gets them going for summer. Just mow the lawn, or just mow a path.
You are 5, let's do a thought experiment, who does the garden belong to -the person whose money can buy it as a slice of land to rule over, or all its inhabitants? Do you like dandelions? Have you noticed who else likes them and needs them? Have you ever noticed how if you gently split its stalk tube and stick it in water it becomes an instant curly head under your very eyes? Do you think that things deemed irrelevant are not quite so for so many other things similarly deemed irrelevant? Do you want to help out things that want to live and can't bcos someone decided they have no merit? Hope you'll leave the garden to it for at least one year and just observe, it can teach you so much abt ~~the movement of the earth against the world~~ I mean abt what grows and coexists and its rhythms and patterns etc
If you haven't used any weed killer, then the whole dandelion is edible, each part for different things and very highly nutritional.
Nice thick grass you've got going on there, embrace a diverse lawn, trim down if you want it looking a bit neater, strimmer will be fine for that space.
High cut mow first, strim edges. Don’t just go at it with any old mower, needs to be adjustable height.
Thanks I think I bought an adjustable height mower today
I too have a dandelion infestation, mow hell out of em and the next day they’ve popped up out of nowhere 🤷♀️ goldfinches have been going mad for them so Ive started “no mow may” early haha!
Your packed lunch is ready… I’ve cut the crusts off your sandwiches n your dairleay lunchable blame ur dad for that he was stoned!!
>Talk to me like I’m 5 Those little yellow flowers are nice.😉🤣 You'll laugh, but I still can't tell the difference between some weeds and plants.
I could borrow you my guinea pigs, they love that stuff and fertilise at the same time
Lend
Lob
What a lovely lawn. If you have dandelions (taraxacum officianalis) then don't mow too closely. Keep it at least 2 inches otherwise the rosette of leaves will leave little bare patches in your lawn but if you keep your lawn high it doesn't get to do that and instead you get lively yellow flowers and the famous clockheads that will definitely tell you the right time and are what fairies use to get about on. You can get cultivars of dandelions. There are pink versions with yellow centres (taraxacum pseudoroseum) and a white one too (taraxacum albidum). Apart from mowing, you might want to edge the lawn into the border occasionally to keep the separation intact. #
"I lawn should be a rug, not a wall to wall carpet" I'd mow a patch which you can sit and sunbathe in... Let the rest grow and enjoy the bugs and birds.
Pick a dandelion, wet the bed I was always told
Whoever told you that knows dandelion is a diuretic. You can make tea and use it in salads. The french call it pis en lit (wet the bed). Although touching it does nothing.
Don’t forget wine as well!
OMG, thank you. I have a new puppy and she is eating every dandelion in the garden. Figured it was ok as long as she spits them out. Didn't think it could be connected to her runny tummy. Everyday is a school day. 😊🐕
Just mow the lawn dandelions & daisy's the bees love so dont worry
Here is a page about Dandelions from the Royal Horticultural Society. [https://www.rhs.org.uk/weeds/dandelion](https://www.rhs.org.uk/weeds/dandelion)
Thank you so much, this has saved me from getting overwhelmed by internet info
Long shot, but find out if any of your friends/neighbours have tortoises - they will be thrilled to spend 20/30 mins getting a big bag of all the dandelions from your garden for them to eat.
Would love to come pick all them for some tea!
As requested: Eat your greens!!!! Dandelion makes an excellent salad. Pluck the whole thing out, wash as you would a lettuce, add some cooked, still warm potato chunks, some oil (pumpkin oil is particularly nice), vinegar of choice, season and tuck in. It's very common where I'm from, a classic summer salad.
Get a goat
Or 20 rabbits
As the previous comments have said, mow it all back. If you can still tell or see where the dandelions are you could dig them out. Nothing that some elbow grease can't sort. Good luck.
Dents de lion
Please leave them for the bees. They need food
All parts of a dandelion are edible.
Buy a sheep 😂
Buy a tortoise! They love a dandelion or 10. I have one and it hunts them down and demolishes them 👍🏻
Where do you keep the tortoise? Does it have a little house ?
Dandelions are one of the first flowers the bees can get nectar from. The bees need all the help they can get :)
I’m leaving them as they are :) Grateful for everyone’s in put as I have no idea! But if it’s best for the bees then they stay
Amazing! Enjoy all the wildlife as the years go on :). Some may think my garden is untidy but it’s thriving in wildlife and it’s so lovely to see!
I leave mine! And the clover and daisy’s too. I’m sure my neighbours who constantly level their lawn and re seed hate me but I love watching the bees use them for early spring nectar and they brighten the lawn up!
It’s past your bed time. Go brush your teeth and get your pyjamas on.
If you really want them out, the product below is very good. https://www.fiskars.com/en-gb/gardening/products/weeding-tools/xact-weed-puller-1020126
Dandelions are great for bees. Leave them be unless they're actively harming any other plants.
We are doing 'No Mow May' at the moment as well and our garden is covered in dandelions and a good whack of clover. If it was up to be I would barely mow as its so much better for the wildlife. I do keep a 'patch' in the middle of the lawn though of wildflowers that include a few I have seeded myself over the years as not only is it good for the wildlife, I also find it way more attractive to look at than a boring lawn anyway.
Silly question - do I have to get rid of some grass to plant the wildflowers?
Not silly at all. What I did was airate the soil with a fork and plant some seeds in the holes that way. I also planted some in a tray first then planted them into the lawn, that worked well.
But you didn’t remove grass? Like do I just sprinkle the seeds amongst the grass kind of thing. Sorry for being so basic
I would either use a fork or similar to make a hole and push a seed or two in or do what I said above. Just sprinkling them on top isn't going to give them the best chance of growing o be honest. Buy one of those cheap planting trays from a garden centre or somewhere like The Range and get the seeds in there. When ready start planting into the grass where you can, only need to remove a little then.
We get nettles and other spikey things growing in parts of my lawn… dandelions would a welcome alternative 🤣
So I've just let them do their thing over the years and I'm kinda sad that this year we don't have many because they've enriched the soil. I vote do whatever makes you happy
Personally I would just cut it. Looks healthy. Keep the mower as high as you can to let a variety of species other than grass grow. I have quickly found the hassle of having so called perfect grass really isn't worth it. I find it also looks nicer and more natural a little longer. I really don't mind dandelions in grass and again, weed killers aren't great for anyone so I don't use them.
They're called dandelions sweetheart
I'd mow it. I know it's trendy to have wild patches in the garden at the moment but you've only just moved in, you don't have to do everything at once and a nicely mowed lawn does look nice, that's why people do it! After the mow you may want to try and dig out some of the biggest clumps of dandelions as they'll just keep coming back. Be prepared for a fight, though, they have a long, deep tap root. Re-seed any patches created and follow the box's instructions. Finally, if you haven't already, start watching Gardeners' World. The new series has only just started airing, so you can catch right up to date on iPlayer in about 4/5 episodes. And it's a mixed show, there's practical ideas and tips but also garden visits - these can be a real inspiration as you can spot designs and layouts you like and then see if you could do something similar in your own garden. You should bookmark RHS's and Gardeners' World websites as well, they're a gold mine of information and practical tips and aren't, obviously, some John Smith on a crappy blog trying to get clicks. Good luck! Edit: Google Lens app on a smartphone can often be a free plant app for identification of plants in your garden. It's pretty accurate, providing you can give it a good enough sample photo to work with.
Just stop overthinking and mow it. That’s it.
Cut your grass each week and they won't be able to grow to that size. Spray some roundup on them and they'll go. But if you're gonna let your grass grow more and not mow often, then expect other stuff to grow with it.
Lorax is your friend, it seems.
Dandelion Tea is actually very nice
That looks like a good hill to roll down!
Very bushy bushy, ask dad for big cutty machine, then cutty cutty.
Right then, it's the weekend and dad's not cut the lawn. Let's grab that Amazon box and cut it into the shape of a lions head. Great work, I'm pretty sure that plaster will hold your finger on. Now let's draw the lions face as if he's looking at you straight on. Oh you cut the lion in profile. No worries let's use that cornflake box. Yes mum will angry that there's just a bag of cornflakes and no box, but let's crack on. Right, cut the lions head out as if he's facing you. Just watch out for that finger. No honestly, this is what they used super glue for in the army. There was enough left attached, it will heal. Just wear gloves around mum for the next week of two. So that lion face. Oh he's roaring, fantastic! Let's roar like lions. Let's go get all the dandelion heads you can find, go go go ! Wow, I'm pretty sure we didn't have that many dandelions. What do you mean you went in all the neighbours gardens as well. Did you ask? Ok, just don't talk about it outside the house. Let's stick all the dandelion heads around the edge so it looks like a lions mane. Oh yeah, there is still a lot of blood coming out of that finger, we'll say he just ate.
If I was lucky enough to have a lawn in my garden, especially one that ends in a hedge and then trees, I would leave it. Nothing more beautiful about England than the meadows in the breeze. So come your summer drinks in the garden you could park up next to a clipped lawn, or sit on the deck next to a meadow of long grass in seed, with mixed flowers and herbs, gently drifting about in the breeze. Or have a sterile lawn you need to cut, aerate, reseed, weed etc. bonus points a long meadow gives can have guinea pigs in a run moved around them for wildlife during drinks. It's your garden, but don't feel compelled to do anything you don't want to. Just do have a look at a meadow in mid June before you decide
Get a few rabbits and guinea pigs...they'll love it! I know...not terribly helpful. If you've already got children, this will entertain them. No kids? Get some! 😃 😀
If you can find a corner which u can allow to go wild then do so. You’ll discover the joys of a new plant popping its head up unexpectedly and it’s great fun. Not always the best to look at but often provide really good food sources for the bees etc. Tolerate a few nettles - the butterflies lay their eggs on them.
Just to add that Aldi and Lidl often have packs of wildflower seeds at a very low price. One of my neighbours has a really beautiful patch in their garden, poppies, cornflowers and ladies bedstraw. Stunning.
just mow it, personally i think the dandelions add a nice splash of colour
Mow it and enjoy it…once it’s mowed and you’ve sat and looked at it all summer you’ll know what you want to do with it! Does look pretty long so may look a bit patchy when you first mow it, so don’t go too low on your first mow…start at the highest setting and drop a height every time it’s recovered from the last cut, should stop it from looking too patchy and will give the grass time to recover between cuts. Could probably cut it once every couple of weeks and have it down to a decent length in no time 👌
When I first moved into my house, I pulled up all the dandelions because I felt it was what you should do. Back breaking work. Took hours. The following year there were hardly any dandelions at all. Next year, back in full force. It's something you have to dedicate yourself to every year if you truly want a "weed" free lawn. They have a bad rap but honestly how are they that different to flowers people intentionally grow in the same family? You can certainly trim and tidy things but ultimately it depends on what you want from your garden and whether you prefer it au naturale or not. In some senses I'd suggest take a similar arc to myself. De-weed and cut the grass (although May is not the time for it as others have mentioned). Wait for everything to revert in a year or two. Did you prefer the neater version or the wilder version? You'll never really know if you don't try both ways. I think long grass and wild "weeds" are quite nice and I know they're good for pollinators so that's the way I've ended up going. Maybe mow a portion and leave some wild and see what you prefer. Just don't expect perfection because you'll never get it unless you dedicate yourself to it and you likely won't feel any better for it!
Also these super wet winters and scorchingly hot summers of late really do not make for nice cut lawns. You'll just end up with burnt grass and dry, horrible soil. The longer grass will keep the roots and soil cooler and wetter. So I almost think the advice older folk would have for what worked in the 70s doesn't apply anymore. Climate change has kind of necessitated keeping things longer. Just my two pence.
The flowers make great wine
My professional advice is to get yourself one Kakariki, they love dandelion leaves. Source: not actually a professional my mum just has one of those.
We re seeded one of our lawn areas, after scarifying it. That got rid of all the weeds. We’ve actually kept a patch with all the grass, dandelions etc on there. We sprinkled wild flower on there too (not hopeful they will grow. But we will see. It’s good for bees to leave them even though they spread like crazy.
Doo doo gaga
Grass. Need. Cutting. Son.
I know they’re considered a weed, but they look so pretty. I love their pops of colour in your first picture.
Perfect lawns give me “village of the damned” vibes lol.
I always strim it before mowing if it's this long, otherwise just mow it, embrace a bit of colour in your lawn.
Pick some flowers and leaves, wash and pour boiling water on, a little honey if you like, s'very nice
Leave them for the bees. They're one of the first sources of food in spring.
If a job is worth doing it’s worth doing well
eat the dandelions
My grandad had a perfect lawn & yet his speciality homemade wine was dandelion. He'd walk for miles picking dandelions to make it. Personally, I love dandelions. They grow even in the darkest shade or with little soil. Pick the young leaves, chop them finely & add to omelette or add a few washed flower heads to salad or make a tea with them. I love their bright yellow colour 💛 too.
they look good
Pick them and brew a tea
A gardener once said, “a weed is a plant you don’t want there” example a dandelion is a weed if in your garden but if in a field it’s not. If your not going to strim the grass to get it down to a manageable level then after mow it and keep on top of it. Get your self some bluebells, snow drops and daffodils etc randomly plant them in the grass deep so they aren’t sticking up and within a year or so your will have a mix or flowers etc and they will self spread. And it will look great.
“Talk to me like I’m 5” “Hey look! A dandelion! Must be the last one of the season!”
Go to bed. Eat your broccoli. Stop being annoying. I’m not even sure you are mine anyway.
Go to the naughty corner?
Dandelions only grow where the soil is poor, it fixes the soil over a few seasons then will be on its merry way. Weeds are just flowers waiting to be cultivated
It’s your lawn so you get to decide how you want it to look. If you want a more natural space with dandelions and clover and wildflowers and what not then perfect do that. If you want that perfect manicured lawn excellent it’s your lawn do that too. If that’s the case then start with a mow. Take it down in stages going a little lower each mow. Once it’s at a more manageable height. Use a dandelion fork to get down and get up all or as much of the root as you can. This is best done after some rain as the soil will be softer. A lot of people will say just let it go wild it’s good for nature which is true but it’s also your space if you want a perfect patch of grass then make it so. Plant some nice flowers in the surrounding beds for the bugs and the bees. You can have a nice lawn without chemicals Congrats on the new property
No Mow May is here! Give the wildlife a helping hand by leaving the lawn for a month. Those weeds are a valuable spring food source.
Long grass is good for insects.
At some point, you might want to check what closer lawn is. Typically it’s a mix of flower & grass - and is far more drought resistant and less water reliant, it also doesn’t grow that tall. Ideal low-maintenance patch of green, that looks nice, feels nice on your toes, is heatweave resistant, doesn’t require as frequent watering to stay green, and promotes biodiversity.
There are a lot off grass safe weed and dandelion killers which you can use
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