Weeds are unwanted plants that appear in areas of your lawn where grass should grow, making life harder for both you and the grass itself. Their presence can make enjoying your beautiful green yard much harder.
Herbicides (weed killer) are chemical products designed to kill unwanted plants in your yard or garden. Common applications include applying them directly onto soil surfaces or as granular form – either synthetic or organic options should be available, with OMRI listing being an indicator.
Weeds can be a sign of a healthy lawn
Even lawns cared for with meticulous precision can succumb to common weeds. Seeds blowing in from outside often float directly in and form crabgrass patches or clover colonies at an alarmingly rapid pace – but having a healthy lawn may actually be more effective at combatting these threats than you think!
Rather than turning to chemicals for weed control, hand-pulling weeds is one of the easiest and most effective ways of killing them. But for best results, be sure to pull when their roots are still shallow so they don’t regrow after pulling; hand-pulling works best when the soil is wet from watering or rain.
Maintaining the health of your lawn through proper mowing, watering, fertilization, overseeding, dethatching and biocontrols such as parasitic nematodes will allow grasses to out-compete and choke out weeds. When using chemical herbicides to control weeds be sure that you apply it while the weeds are still small for maximum effectiveness.
Weeds can be a sign of an unhealthy lawn
A healthy lawn is defined by its ability to combat problems like weeds. Without regular maintenance, weeds can quickly overrun and crowd out grass – competing for water, nutrients, sunlight etc.
Weeds can be a telltale sign of poor soil health. If your lawn features patches of bareness or thin patches, additional organic matter or fertilizers could be needed.
An overfed lawn can quickly become infested with weeds. There are various factors that could be contributing to soil health problems; to determine their source before beginning treatments for weeds. A lawn treatment program including pre-emergent treatments in spring to prevent new weeds sprouting; broadleaf applications to kill dandelions and clover; spot treatments throughout summer as needed will help your lawn remain weed-free; natural solutions include boiling water or lemon juice may even work.
Weeds can be a sign of a poor lawn care routine
As using multiple weed and feed products regularly exposes too many chemicals to the environment unnecessarily, many end up washing away during storms or irrigation and endanger children and pets alike.
Weeds flourish in thin lawns, consuming vital resources like water and air for their survival. To combat weeds effectively and keep them away, creating thick turf through services such as mowing, fertilizing, overseeding, and soil testing is the best strategy.
If you opt to use a weed killer, always follow the directions on its label. Wear gloves and remove shoes when applying the product and wait until the grass has fully dried before walking on it again. Chemicals tracked indoors can pose serious threats; keep children and pets off lawns until their surface dries completely; this will also protect trees and shrubs from being damaged by chemicals used on lawns until dry. It is wise to apply your weed killer when ground is slightly damp so granules adhere better to weeds for best results.
Weeds can be a sign of a poor lawn care budget
Weeds drain both water and nutrients from grass, while being highly invasive by nature – they quickly overrun lawns if left neglected. Unfortunately, using weed killer can only compound these problems by depriving it of essential nutrients required for its success.
Herbicides are toxic chemicals that disrupt ecosystems. They pose risks to pets, children and adults and pollute groundwater sources as well as pollute aquatic environments. There are other effective means of eliminating weeds without polluting the environment such as manual or natural methods that do not use herbicides to do it.
Lawn care technicians are expertly trained to identify the optimal times and products to use to treat lawns for weeds. They wait until conditions are ideal before switching products if one doesn’t seem to be doing its job as intended. Mowing to normal height and watering before treatment helps the weed killer stick better to weeds – thus increasing effectiveness of treatment products.