City crews mow fields full of dandelions

Dandelions take over Edmonton fields Recent weather has cause dandelions to grow in full force around Edmonton, but the city is now getting rid of them.

Dandelions are out in full force in Edmonton fields thanks to the perfect storm of a wet start to the spring and recent hot weather.

The wet and snowy spring delayed city crews from mowing the weeds out earlier, and now most sports fields and parks are covered in yellow.

“If you look at this field we’re standing in, it was cut three days ago,” Maurice Pelletier, the Turf Team leader for Parks NW District told a CTV News reporter. “So we’re getting exceptional growth on all our green infrastructure including broadleaf weeds, unfortunately.”

The city also stopped using herbicides in 2015. Crews are now cutting off the heads of the plants.

“I’m still receiving citizen concerns about dandelions and I’m also receiving notifications through 311 saying, ‘I’m glad the city is no longer spraying for dandelion’,” Pelletier said.

Home Depot staff recommends customers to use healthy products for their own grass.

“When the grass is full and healthy, it will allow the dandelions not even come up,” Home Depot Seasonal Department Manager told CTV News. “The grass will automatically take up the space for the dandelions.”

With files from Nicole Weisberg