Lawn Weeds
The old saying goes: "a weed is a plant
out of place." Guess that saying makes sense when you consider that a dandelion
is a weed on a home lawn, while grass is a weed on a dandelion farm! All
a matter of perspective it seems.
Weed Rule #1
If you keep your lawn healthy and
properly mowed, you'll have a lot fewer weed problems. Think about it,
weeds have much less room to grow on a thick lawn than one that's
sparsely populated with grass. LawnBoss tip: For the best weed
control, get your soil pH
right, fertilize
your lawn properly, and mow your
lawn at the correct height. Taller grass has deeper roots and shades
out young weeds.
Know the Enemy
Weeds have different life cycles - mostly
annuals and perennials. An annual (like crabgrass) lives for one growing
season, produces seed, and dies. A perennial (like a dandelion) comes
back every year.
While weed control timing is always important, it is most critical with
annual weeds like crabgrass. It's important to have your crabgrass
control on the lawn, and watered-in, prior to crabgrass seed
germination. At the same time, crabgrass controls applied too early in
the spring can lose effectiveness if there is a lot of rain.
LawnBoss tip: Crabgrass germinates when the yellow Forsythia
blossoms are dropping (when the soil reaches 50-degrees F.) so you
should apply crabgrass control when Forsythia starts to bloom.
Perennial weeds, like Dandelions, have a longer treatment period. That
being said, weeds are most vulnerable to herbicides when they are
"actively growing," in other words, when growing conditions are
favorable, not when they are under drought stress. Most weed controls
are "translocated" inside the weed and active growth assures that
movement.
LawnBoss tip: Apply broadleaf weed controls when weeds are actively
growing.
Common lawn weeds
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Everyone knows the dandelion, even
without its bright yellow flower
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One of the more difficult to control
perennial weeds is Ground Ivy
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Violets
Another tough customer!
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Plantain
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Clover stays green in the summer but is
usually on the hit list as a lawn weed
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Lawn pesticides
When it becomes necessary to use
herbicides, it's important to choose the least toxic product available,
and apply the herbicide properly. Your best source of product
information is on the container's label, so be sure to read the entire
label and follow those instructions.
Proper mowing helps
control weeds
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