Avid gardeners are fully aware that most lawn issues are prevalent in the spring. Pests come alive at the onset of warm weather, and weeds grow aggressively at this time as well.
For properties with big lawns, crabgrass and dandelions appear in time with the resurrection of grass after the long winter. While some folks like the whimsical appearance of dandelions and do not always mind having them around, it’s usually a different story for crabgrass.
Crabgrass doesn’t look good, and it grows quite aggressively. In a short period of time, it can suffocate the grass and other plants around it. Crabgrass grows outwards, drinks up more water and absorbs the nutrients intended for the living things around it.
If you do not want such weeds to proliferate in your yard during the warm months, a take-charge approach is crucial. The experts in lawn care Mason, OH residents rely on offer the following tips to help you control weeds more effectively in the spring and summer.
1. Make weeding a daily activity.
Weeding every day does not mean spending every single day on the task. It means taking a moment to scan your yard for crabgrass and dandelions (if you don’t like them) and plucking out the ones you see.
Do this when you’re on your way to the garage in the morning after watering your lawn or as you’re coming home after workday. Plucking a few weeds every day will eventually have a significant impact on the health of your lawn.
2. Use white vinegar or boiling water to annihilate weeds.
If you spot weeds that are not easy to pull out, use the extreme heat of boiling water and the high acidity of white vinegar to kill them off. The weeds will quickly dry out all the way to their roots. Pulling them out will become so much easier after doing this.
If the dead weeds are still tough to pull out, water your lawn first. Drenched soil is soft and there will be less resistance when you tug at the weeds.
3. Let your turf grow tall.
Weeds thrive on light and moisture. Therefore, if grass is allowed to grow tall around weeds, it gains a greater chance of survival as the weeds will become deficient of those two elements that they need.
So, let your grass grow up to four to five inches before mowing it down to the healthy height of three inches if you want to control the fast proliferation of weeds.
4. Avoid frequent light watering.
According to top professionals in lawn care Liberty Township, OH property owners hire, it’s best to avoid light watering when you’re dealing with weeds. First of all, this does not benefit turf much. And second, it creates a moist environment that weeds thrive in.
It wouldn’t hurt your lawn if it experiences some surface dryness between deep watering. It would actually encourage grass to root deeply and stay well hydrated even when the topsoil is dry. Meanwhile, weeds grow weaker when there is not enough surface moisture and will eventually wither on their own.
5. Apply a layer of mulch all around your lawn at the start of spring.
Crabgrass and dandelions are both invasive and grow aggressively, but they are actually not very hardy. Thus, spreading an adequate layer (typically about two inches deep) of mulch on your lawn can make it difficult for them to fight through the surface.
Putting in a layer of mulch that can make growth challenging for weeds is a useful tactic in keeping them at bay so your turf and other plants could thrive better.
6. Burn all the weeds you’ve pulled out.
Prevent crabgrass from germinating in your lawn by getting rid of them after plucking them out. Do not include them in your compost bin. Instead, throw them into your fire pit and burn them (this can double as a pest control strategy).
Alternatively, simply throw the weeds in the trash to prevent seed distribution.
7. Use organic post-emergent weed control spray.
This product is truly helpful in preventing the outbreak of crabgrass and other types of weeds. But unlike other weed killers, this is very safe to use; it will not harm other plants in your yard, and it’s safe for children and pets, too.
To ensure the efficacy of this product in killing weeds before they can grow, follow the instructions on the bottle.
8. Use landscape fabric.
Using landscape fabric can significantly help in preventing the distribution of weed seeds, which happens quite naturally. Birds and garden insects can carry the seeds around. Even a soft breeze can distribute the seeds from weeds throughout your garden.
However, if you use landscape fabric, you can cover the ground and prevent seeds from coming in direct contact with the soil and germinating. At the same time, placing landscape fabric on barren spots of your yard can smother emerging weeds.
9. Plant in profusion.
Do not give weeds the space to grow. You can do this by planting in profusion. Cover the barren spots on your lawn with fresh turf or plant a lot of ornamentals and edibles on them.
According to lawn professionals, close plant spacing is a highly effective strategy in choking out emerging weeds. It messes up the ideal environment for weed growth because flourishing plants do not allow for light and water to reach weeds easily.
10. Invest in the right tools.
There are weeding tools that can make weed control significantly more manageable. The following are some of the best ones to buy:
- Dandelion weeder. This is a handheld tool that has a notched tip which can easily pop weeds right off the ground.
- Hula hoe. Also known as a stirrup hoe, this tool comes with a sharp blade that can quickly cut weeds. With a push and pull motion, you can even pull out the shallow roots of the weeds.
- Collinear hoe. This slices weeds off at the surface with its single sharp blade. It’s useful in getting the weeds out of sight, but not so much in preventing regrowth.
- Handheld weed flamer. This is a small tank of propane with a wand that emits flame to burn stubborn weeds that usually grow between and around concrete surfaces.
Make sure to consider all the weed control strategies shared above and discover how useful they can be in helping you take full control of your lawn’s condition in the coming seasons.
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