I love to see dandelions.
Not just because they are a beautiful yellow, but because it is a sign of a chemical-free lawn.
When I walk my dog Prin this time of year and during the warmer months, I always have to be cautious of where we are walking and he is sniffing. I’m never concerned for him in an area where dandelions are growing.
Lawns everywhere are treated with chemical weed killers, fertilizers and toxic pesticides.
As much as I’m against using toxins on lawns, I do appreciate when people take the courtesy to warn us with lawn flags that show that area has been treated, but I can’t trust that all people do that.
If you want to keep weeds under control in your lawn without the use of chemicals. . . surprise, surprise. . . essential oils can help.
“Essential Oils for Organic Weed Control”
I’m not encouraging you to use your essential oils on your lawns like we do on our bodies – because that could be ridiculously expensive.
But I do want you to know that essential oils are being studied for organic weed control, and there is a way to use them where you won’t break the bank.
A study has been done by the Appalachian Fruit Research Station in West Virginia on the herbicidal effects of plant-derived oils (aka essential oils).
Twenty five oils were tested for their herbicidal effects on dandelion leaves.
The most effective oils found were:
–Red thyme
–Summer savory
–Cinnamon
–Clove
Cinnamon had the highest herbicidal activity. This is primarily because of eugenol, the main component in cinnamon.
Essential oils can be used directly on the weeds. Or they can be added to other natural products such as herbicidal soaps, to enhance their effects.
These soaps work by penetrating the waxy coating on plant leaves and cause them to dry out.
If you are energetic and willing to spend a bit, you could create a small mixture of dish soap and water and add a few of these oils and spray on your lawn.
Doing this would give you a good chance of cutting down weed growth and you would also be naturally treating the area for fleas and ticks.