Dandelions and Mowing

Many residents have noticed the recent increase in dandelions and have asked if the City has changed its approach to their management. The simple answer is no. The City’s approach to dandelions has remained the same over the last 10 years, but the increase in rain has led to their growth.

Although many people consider dandelions a weed and don't enjoy them, dandelions are not considered one of the 74 noxious weeds in Alberta. The City takes the following approaches to dandelions:

• Sports fields: the growth of all weeds is controlled, including dandelions. This is done for safety concerns, as uneven turf from weeds can create hazards for users.

• Meridians, boulevards and other City green areas: the City does not control growth of dandelions in areas beside roadways, ditches, utility right-of-ways.

• City parks and natural areas: the City practices some level of dandelion control in manicured parks, and spray parks on a rotation every five years to control weeds. Natural or naturalized areas do not have dandelion control methods applied.

Please visit the City of Calgary's web page on dandelions for more details.

The City has two primary areas of mowing: City parks and street boulevards. Heavy rain can affect mowing schedules, especially on side slopes and low-lying areas for heavy equipment and operator safety protocols. Mowing typically begins in late May/early June, depending on weather, when grass begins to grow. Turf growth this year has been faster than usual due to higher-than-normal rain in June.

The heavy rain has also made the soil conditions soft in Calgary. Heavy machinery like ride-on mowers will sink into wet ground and damage the turf. The ground surface needs to dry out before equipment can access sites. Further, water-saturated dirt and grass can be a safety hazard for staff and contractors, especially on slopes or hills where equipment can slide.

Because of annual weather patterns, mowing presents a challenge every spring when wet conditions occur.

Over the past several years The City has adopted strategies such as reduced mowing cycles in boulevards and increased contracting for Parks to lower mowing costs. Please contact 311 if there is an area you feel requires mowing or maintenance.