It is generally recommended to avoid mowing your lawn within 24 hours before spraying dandelions or any other herbicide treatment. This is because freshly mowed grass may not have enough leaf area for effective weed control.
When you mow your lawn, you remove a significant portion of the grass blades, reducing the surface area available for herbicides to come in contact with. Herbicides, especially those targeting broadleaf weeds like dandelions, need to be absorbed by the foliage to be effective. If there is not enough leaf area left on the weed, the herbicide may not be able to penetrate and kill the plant effectively.
Personal experience has shown that mowing before spraying dandelions can lead to less effective results. I have observed that when I mow my lawn right before applying herbicides, the dandelions tend to bounce back and show less damage compared to when I allow the grass to grow a bit longer before treatment. This suggests that the herbicide did not have enough leaf area to be absorbed and translocated throughout the weed, leading to reduced control.
It is important to note that the specific instructions provided by the herbicide manufacturer should always be followed. They may have specific recommendations regarding mowing and timing of treatments. However, as a general guideline, allowing some time between mowing and herbicide application can increase the effectiveness of the treatment.
In addition to avoiding mowing before spraying dandelions, it is also important to consider the weather conditions. Herbicides are typically more effective when applied to actively growing weeds under favorable weather conditions. Therefore, it is often recommended to wait for a period of active weed growth, usually in spring or early summer, before applying herbicides for optimal control.
To summarize, it is generally advisable to avoid mowing your lawn within 24 hours before spraying dandelions or any other herbicide treatment. This allows for sufficient leaf area for the herbicide to come in contact with and be absorbed by the weeds, increasing the effectiveness of the treatment. However, always refer to the specific instructions provided by the herbicide manufacturer for the best results.