If physical removal and regular lawn care alone aren’t enough to control weeds, chemical herbicide may be needed. Make sure you read and select the most appropriate type for your situation.
Liquid herbicides should only be applied when grass is damp. Spraying in windy conditions could wash it away before reaching its intended target.
Weeds are a natural part of your lawn
There are three basic pantry essentials you can use to quickly eliminate weeds: boiling water, lemon juice and vinegar (see our DIY formula here). They work by drying out and shrinking the leaves of weeds while not eliminating their source or stopping recurrences. However, while this approach works quickly against individual weeds it won’t prevent future outbreaks from returning.
Dandelions and crabgrass tend to come back year after year, so for best results you should use a systemic weed killer. This type of product travels throughout the weed internally until finally killing it; additionally, unlike residual products it won’t harm soil as easily.
Fall is an ideal time for applying pre-emergent herbicide applications on both warm season and cool season grasses, to keep winter weeds at bay such as common chickweed, purple deadnettle and henbit. Regular lawn maintenance and overseeding also go far towards keeping these wintertime nuisances under control; soil with higher organic matter content makes weed growth significantly harder.
Weeds are a source of nutrients
Weeds compete aggressively with grass and desirable plants for water, sunlight, and soil nutrients – competing fiercely with them for water, sunlight and nutrients in order to suffocate roots and steal vital resources from your lawn’s soil, leaving your landscape looking dull and unsightly. They may even serve as the perfect breeding ground for pests! Weeds also present an ideal environment in which these pests can flourish.
Though many weeds can be unsightly, they provide pollinators with food sources throughout the year. Relying on toxic chemicals to eradicate them would be harmful both to people and wildlife.
There are various natural ways to combat weeds without turning to chemical weed killers. Starting off, conducting an annual soil test to assess your lawn’s nutritional needs will go a long way towards keeping weeds under control. Aeration and overseeding will further boost soil health, making it harder for weeds to take hold. In addition, natural pre-emergent herbicides inhibiting seed germination may be effective or alternatively vinegar can be used effectively as an inexpensive and simple weed-killer by depriving them of essential nutrients that they need in order to proliferate.
Weeds are a source of pests
Weeds feed on nutrients taken away from grass, taking over its resources if left uncontrolled. Furthermore, their seeds spread easily by wind and can sprout anywhere in your yard.
Weed killer can be an excellent addition to most lawns, but its use requires proper consideration and timing. Avoid spraying during windy conditions as this could damage nearby plants or flowers by drifting onto them and killing them off. For maximum effectiveness use a gel-type herbicide or paint or daub the area affected with liquid or granular product instead.
Thick and healthy grass is the key to long-term weed control. Achieve this through regular lawn care treatments from spring through fall, overseeding, aeration services and compost and mulch treatments that improve soil structure and microbial activity; all this will work to choke out weeds before they take hold and spread further.
Weeds are a source of disease
Weeds are notorious for spreading diseases to your lawn through contamination of its soil. Furthermore, these plants produce seeds which are easily dispersed via wind currents or becoming stuck in animals’ fur, eventually sprouting into new patches of growth.
To reduce your weed problem, try nontoxic methods of control. Or promote a thick lawn which will shade out any potential weed seedlings and make it more difficult for new ones to germinate.
Avoid spraying weed killer in windy conditions as its granules could spread across your yard and irritate pets and children, damaging other areas or irritating skin conditions. Rinse sprayers and watering cans after each use to minimize potential issues with drift. Alternatively, consider gel-type weed killers which adhere more strongly to weeds than traditional spray-on versions and may even prevent rainwater washaway; one or two days prior to applying pre-emergent herbicide, it’s wise to mow grass as this helps make use of pre-emergent herbicide more effective!