The time has gone when we used to make wishes over the fuzzy flowers of dandelions. Today, as an adult, all of us know that dandelions are not the kind of flower which sprout out to cheer us up. Instead, it anchors your garden soil to sweep out all the other healthy plants and even the beautiful green turf.
Not only does its long and thick root system sap the nutrients and water out, but also its far floating and lightweight seeds are extremely hard to control. Thus, in such circumstances, slicing or pulling out the dandelions by hand will not be enough!
The only remedy to tackle this issue completely is to get the best dandelion killer; the one which inhibits the sprouting and growth of dandelions in the very first place. Remember that only a single daisy flower of dandelion will be enough to make your lawn life miserable. To help you get the best dandelion killer, which not only acts effectively to vanish this pesky weed but also comes with easy application, we have enlisted some of the most favorite products of our gardening experts. Go through the list, pick up a product, and get your luscious lawn back.
Table of Contents
Best dandelion killer 2022 Comparison Table
7 Best Dandelion Killer
1. Southern Ag Amine 2,4-D WEED KILLER
This weed killer is the ideal choice for all those looking for an affordable yet effective solution to control dandelions. Not only the yellow pesky weed, but this 2,4-D formula is extremely powerful for controlling a vast range of weeds, especially the tightly entrenched broadleaf weed.
The main active component of this weed killer acts as a post-emergent herbicide which causes the water transporting cells of plants to expand and then burst. This selective working mechanism is effective enough to kill not only the fully established dandelion plants but also chickweed, crabgrass, and many other woody plants.
This contact herbicide comes in a concentrated liquid form that needs to be diluted manually as per the given instructions. After making a fine solution with water or other labels, spray it over the weed plants. You can also apply it over the root surface to destroy the root system directly.
As the product comes in concentrated form and also comes in large quantities, it’s perfect for use in commercial gardens, golf courses, rangeland, pastures, and even cemeteries. Since the formula acts selectively, it doesn’t harm corn and grain plants. Still, it’s better to consider all the precautions to prevent any sort of contamination. The only drawback is that this weed killer took about two weeks after the first application to show the ultimate results. We observed some telltale signs of weed removal in 48 hours in our trial, such as discoloration and wilting, but still, the total eradication took 14-16 days.
- Selective weed killer
- Doesn’t harm turf and healthy plants
- Start showing results in 48 hours
- Easy to use
- Suitable for both warm and cold regions
- Cost-effective
- Not pet-friendly
- Not in ready-to-use form
All in all, you will get nothing but an easy-to-use, selective, and budget dandelion killer in the form of Southern AG amine Furthermore, this selective herbicide dries quite rapidly which makes it perfect to be used both in colder and warmer regions. Although it doesn’t harm your garden turf, it can be harmful to pets.
2. Scotts Turf Builder Triple Action – Weed Killer & Preventer
All the gardening products that belong to the Scotts brand are more than exceptional and the same thing can be observed when it comes to weed killers. This triple-action weed killer of Scotts is capable of not only brushing off the weeds like dandelions, clover, and chickweed but also preventing the crabgrass from sprouting out in your land for at least four months.
Not only this, but this pre-emergent herbicide also triggers the growth of thick and greener grass in your lawn due to having sufficient amounts of fertilizer in the composition. In other words, you will find three essentials; preventer, weed killer, and fertilizer, in a single packing.
The best thing which we liked the most about this granular formula is that it is suitable to be used on almost all the common types of grasses including centipede grass, Bermuda grass, bluegrass, fescue, ryegrass, Bahir grass, and zoysia grass.
The best time to apply this herbicide is before the arrival of spring. You better mow your land once or twice and damp it a little. After watering the turf, apply the formula to the lawn using a fertilizer spreader to ensure uniform distribution.
Since it takes one day to rainproof, it’s better to check the weather forecast before heading towards the application process. After applying, do not water the land for at least 24 hours. Plus, keep the pets and kids out of range as it could harm them.
We have also observed that this herbicide shows better and efficient results in class colder regions whereas the efficacy decreases a little when it’s being used in a warmer environment.
Just like the previous product, this Scotts triple-action herbicide also takes two weeks to remove weeds completely. However, the lawn feed and preventer present in the formula stay active for four to six months.
- Triple action formula
- Prevent the crabgrass
- Feed the grass for six month
- No need for frequent applications
- Easy to spread
- Suitable for a broad range of turf
- Take 24 hours to rainproof
In a nutshell, this product comes with a lasting composition that doesn’t need frequent applications. It possesses all the things required by a gardener for a newly seeded lawn.
3. Pulverize PW-C-128 Lawns Concentrate Weed Killer
It doesn’t matter how many newer and newer weed killer brands are hitting the market every new day, the importance of natural and organic formula remains the same and the chemical solution could never compete with them at all.
This pulverized herbicide is also one of those natural weed killers which are not only effective to eliminate most of the pests and weed plants but also do the entire job without harming the ecosystem. Thus, if you are up to organic gardening or cropping the fruit or veggies on your lawn, you should look no further.
A one-time application of these powerful herbicides is enough to kill dandelions and many other types of pests including even the algae and moss. Using the mixture is also quite convenient as all you need to do is to dilute the concentrate or add the instructed quantity to the garden sprayers and spray all over the area that is congested with weed.
However, you also need to be cautious since, unlike chemical solutions, this herbicide is nonselective which means it will wash out everything coming in its way. The solution starts showing its results as soon as it gets absorbed by the plants. That’s the very reason why the manufacturer suggests blowing off the upper layer of algae before applying the solution so it can readily reach the targeted cells.
During our trial of using this Pulverize herbicide, the thing which was a little strange to us was the sudden curling of weed plants at the edges. However, it was revealed later on that this behavior/response is only a telltale sign; a symbol that shows that the formula has started its working.
- All-natural composition
- Safe towards kids and pets
- One-time application is enough
- Easy to use
- Show noticeable signs of working
- No toxic chemicals
- Non-selective nature could harm healthy plants
Whether you want a fast, natural, and easy-to-use weed killer for your home garden or a commercial property, Pulverize PW-C-128 acts as a go-to product. Due to being enriched with natural components, it’s completely safe for both animals and humans.
4. Roundup for Lawns-1 Weed Killer
If dandelion is not only the single enemy you have to deal with, you should try out this Roundup for Lawns-1 weed killer. This product is exclusively designed to wash out as many as 250 different types of weed plants at a single time including the clover, dollarweed, yellow nustage, and of course, the dandelion.
Roundup company has also launched two to three different weed killers under the same tag but with a slight distinction. Every single product of the brand which falls into the weed killer category suits a different type of grass.
For example, the herbicide we are now talking about is suitable to be used on all classes of northern grass including fescue, bluegrass, and ryegrass. In other words, these turf types will stay completely unharmed even under the careless application.
Still, if you are having veggies or ornamental plants, you need to take proper preventive measures as the chemicals present in the formula might harm them a lot. Thanks to the extendable and lengthy wand which ensures the spot-treat application. Using this spraying wand, you can easily access even the hard-to-reach areas without any hiccup.
- Best dandelion killer for northern grass
- Rainproof in three hours
- Works rapidly
- Destroy the entire root system in a few hours
- Comes with a precise-shooting wand
- Ready to use
- Not organic
The active components of this weed killer are Quinclorac and 2,4-D. These chemicals travel from the surface to deep down the root to destroy the powerhouse of the weed community. As compared to other commercially available herbicides, the time required by this solution to rainproof completely is quite lower (only three hours).
5. Ortho WeedClear Weed Killer
This weed killer also is a well-known herbicide and is potent enough to wash out dandelions, clover, foxtail, crabgrass, and many other types of pesky weed plants in a few days. The credit goes to its concentrated nature which not only acts efficiently but also prevents unnecessary damages.
Since it’s a post-emergent herbicide, you need to use it during the fall or spring; the time when the weeds grow up completely and not in a dormant phase. However, before applying to the targeted plants, you better should dilute it in a separate tank sprayer to minimize the lawn damage.
Remember that handling a concentrated herbicide is not a child’s play since a slight deviation from the direction could open up the ways for uncontrollable disaster. One bottle is enough to make about twelve gallons of weed killer which, in turn, could seamlessly cover a huge landscape of five thousand square feet.
Over the packaging, clear instructions are written regarding the grass and weed type over which you can confidently use this weed killer. These include Fescues, buffelgrass, ryegrass, and nearly 200 different invasive and broadleaf weeds.
We applied this herbicide to both the recommended and non-recommended weed plants to analyze its efficacy and we observed that the common weed plants die off even before the end of a week. The telltale signs of dying were wilting and shivering. However, the less common weed plants took far more time. Speaking of dandelion eradication, this formula is a little milder to brush out those daisy flowers in a single flow and you have to stay patient until two applications. This weed killer needs one hour to get rainproof which is also a plus point.
- Brush off common weeds in 4 days
- Rainproof in one hour
- A gigantic bottle filled with concentrate
- Seamlessly cover 5000 square feet
- Easy to dilute and apply
- Minimum lawn damage
- Not in ready-to-use form
- Takes a little more time to remove dandelion
The efficacy of this herbicide gets increased when it is used during sunny and warmer days. Still, it eventually sweeps the dandelions out of your land, and the super-effective wide area you can cover by this concentrate makes this Ortho weed clear herbicide a favorite of our experts.
6. GreenView Weed & Feed
This product as the name indicates not only acts as a weed killer but also comes with the essential nutrients and minerals to nurture your soil to sustain damages and flourish gracefully.
The composition of this herbicide consists of two main components; herbicide formula that effectively kills at least 250 different kinds of weeds, and slow-feeding formula which saves you from the hassles of purchasing an all-new seasonal plant feed.
In this way, the chances of dandelion overabundance diminish even before the growing season whereas the turfgrass grows in a pleasant deeper green hue with the enhanced thickness.
The slow-releasing nourishing formula ensures constant feeding for at least eight weeks and prevents the weeds like dandelion, plantain, and crabgrass from anchoring into your garden soil.
However, I’ve found that this weed killer is not that effective towards clover but as long as it’s showing its efficiency towards dandelion, it’ll remain on our list of best dandelion killer products.
Besides healthy growth and broad-range weed prevention, this formula also contributes a lot to improving your soil texture and restoration by making the nutrients seep deep down the base. It imparts resilience within the soil against cracking and erosion.
- Slow-releasing plant feed
- Kills 250+ weeds
- Prevent the weed outspread on time
- No phosphorus release
- Improve soil texture
- Grow deep green and thick grass
- Not that effective towards clover weed
Last but not least, the herbicide is manufactured in a way not to release even a minute amount of phosphate into the soil. In this way, neither your soul nor the ecosystem is subjected to a chemical unbalance.
7. Spectracide HG-96587 Lawn Weed Killer
For all those looking for a robust solution to get rid of numerous absurd-looking weeds from their lawns, spectracide may prove as a lifesaver since this product promises to deal with minimally 450+ types of weeds.
Ranging from the traditional dandelion, crabgrass, nutsedge, and chickweed, the product locks the potency to brush out other common and uncommon weeds in a go. To be more specific, you can see the names of grasses and pest herbs over the product labeling.
In addition to being multipurpose, this weed killer is also quite efficient. We just sprayed it all across the landscape and the results were seriously very impressive. To begin with, the most standout feature of this formula is that it doesn’t harm the healthy grass and plants even when touching them up. However, you should stay a little cautious while spraying over edible plants.
Furthermore, the weed we had in our lawn underwent wilting, discoloration, and even withering in just a few hours. Yes, it would not be wrong to say that this herbicide is the super-quick or fastest-acting product that can clear your lawn from all the unwanted stuff in a day.
When we were reviewing different products to narrow down our search, we saw some products which kill the weed only from the surface whereas the roots remain totally unaffected and grow up again after some time. That’s the point where this spectracide has captured the limelight since it doesn’t only ruin the outer parts of plants but also destroys everything present under the ground. For better and long-lasting results, you need to apply this herbicide a few times to ensure the complete washout of weed roots.
- Kills 450+ weeds
- Destroy weeds from the root
- Rainproof in a few hours
- Shows visible results in five hours
- Lasting results
- Comes with a sprayer head
- Super-fast
- Need frequent applications
Lastly, the container enclosing the liquid is made in the form of a hose-end, flipping sprayer which accelerates the application process. Since it doesn’t need an entire day to get rainproof but only a couple of hours, you don’t have to worry about wastage at all.
Buying guide
Since you are trying that hard to invest your precious money over a 100% effective herbicide, you deserve nothing but only the best dandelion killer. Although we’ve enlisted our expert’s favorite products in the previous section of the article, there are still some things that you need to decide yourself while buying the herbicide. What are these things, let’s have a look!
Post-emergent or pre-emergentFirst of all, you need to decide whether you want to combat the erectile yellow flowers once they are fully grown or whether you prefer to close the dandelion chapter even before the growing season.
In the first case, you need to go with the post-emergent dandelion killers; the herbicides that brush off the weed once they have grown up. This type of herbicide usually comes in liquid form and you need to spray them either on the weed surface or near the roots.
In doing so, the ingredients destroy the chemical balance and metabolism of weeds and eventually, eradicate them completely out of your land. The other type of dandelion killer is a pre-emergent that prevents the dandelion seeds from growing by blocking their moisture and nutrients supply or using other means.
In this way, they don’t grow even during the spring season. This type of herbicide usually comes in granular form and needs to be applied in the fall. After applying, you just need to water the soil to activate the preventive ingredients. But remember, they cannot eliminate the already existing dandelions.
Convenience and durabilityThe other thing you need to consider is what type of herbicide is more convenient near you. For example, some people prefer granular herbicides as they can be easily spread via fertilizer.
On the other side of the barrel, some users prefer liquid weed killers, especially when you need to apply a herbicide frequently since you can spray them off while watering the plants. Whatever the form of weed killer you are comfortable with, remember your decision regarding bringing one should be based on the selective and non-selective nature of the product.
Lastly, consider the durability or active lifespan of your weed killer. It’s always better to get a herbicide which not only needs limited applications but also stays active to stop weed sprouting for at least an entire growing season.
Final verdict
Still not sure which one you dandelion weed killer you should choose to buy? Don’t worry since we are going to close the article with the top-three products which are not only our expert’s most favorite and highly recommended but can also meet the needs of almost all the users. These best of best dandelion killer products are
- Southern Ag Amine 2,4-D WEED KILLER due to being selective, staying harmless towards healthy plants, and suitable for both warm and cold regions.
- Scotts Turf Builder Triple Action due to its triple action formula, presence of slow-releasing plant feed, and limited application frequency.
- Roundup for Lawns-1 Weed Killer due to its suitability towards northern grass, super-fast performance, and ready-to-use form.
For better and faster results, it’s recommended to follow all the instructions present on the product labeling and don’t overlook the points mentioned in the buying guide since it’s a matter of your lawn’s health and curb appeal.