Weeding Tips if Your Lawn is Overtaken by Weeds
Some homeowners prefer a pristine lawn without a weed in sight and some gardeners don’t mind having a few weeds here and there. The problem with just a few weeds is that they can quickly become a lot of weeds. Before you know it, weeds have spread throughout your lawn, setting you up for hours of lawn maintenance work. Here are the best ways to get rid of weeds, and, more importantly, how to keep them from coming back.
Weed Removal
Manually pulling weeds is the most effective way to get rid of weeds in your lawn. As long as you pull the roots out along with the top of the plant, that particular weed is gone for good. Unfortunately, pulling weeds takes time and often disturbs the surrounding lawn where healthy grass still has the best foothold.
The best time to pull weeds by hand is the day after a big rain while the soil is still moist. Soft soil means you are more likely to get all of the roots out without too much effort. Use a weeding tool to make your work easier with less disturbance to the surrounding soil. Your local garden centre will have several hand weeding tools available; choose one with a narrow fork or blade.
Natural Methods for Weed Prevention
Your best strategy for dealing with weeds in the lawn is to keep them from getting started. A healthy expanse of turf is much less likely to have weed issues than a lawn with bare spots and sparse growth because thick grass out competes weeds for resources. Conditioning and improving the soil conditions is usually the first step in improving the quality of your lawn. Aerate the lawn, get a soil test to find out if there are particular fertilization needs and topdress the lawn with compost. Do all of this before, or along with, overseeding your lawn.
Proper lawn maintenance also helps to prevent weed growth. Don’t have your grass cut too short – have it cut more regularly. Removing no more than a quarter to a third of the grass blades keeps them healthy. Late in the summer you can leave the grass clippings on the lawn when you mow. Both of these strategies keep the soil surface shaded so weeds are less likely to germinate.
Herbicides for Weed Removal and Prevention
In general, herbicides should be a last resort for weed removal and prevention. There are a few newer organic, all natural herbicides that are much safer for general use but they will not be as much of a “sure-thing” as the chemical products of years past. Therefore, more attention needs to be given to growing a thick healthy lawn and not relying on simply spraying the weeds when they become a problem.
The easiest approach to keeping weeds under control in your yard is to let a professional handle the maintenance. The Gardener’s weekly lawn cutting service combined with a 100% organic lawn care program keeps your grass healthy and mown at the right height to minimize weed problems. Contact your local Gardener today to book your service for the summer.
Pulling Weeds courtesy of the Official U.S. Navy Page
Back
