Lawn Care Tips from the Experts
There is no better weed control than a healthy, thriving lawn. By following our expert tips for lawn care, you can stave off weed infestations. With a proper fertilizing program, mowing at a height of at least 3 inches, and watering correctly you will be ahead in the game. Here is a link to a handy lawn fertilizer calculator from Purdue. There are a number of ways to eliminate weeds before they germinate and control them after they have started to grow.
Weed Control
Weed control usually begins with crabgrass pre-emergent. This should be applied in spring, usually before April 15th in central Indiana. A good indicator that it is time to make this application is when the forsythia blooms. This signals that soil temperature has warmed up enough for crabgrass seeds to germinate. Applications made after this point may be too late. A pre-emergent application is usually made with a granular product and must be watered in with rainfall or irrigation to be effective.
Fall is the Best Time to Target Perennial Weeds
In general, most perennial weeds, such as dandelions, clover, thistle, creeping Charlie, and others, should be targeted in fall. This is usually done around the time that leaves on the deciduous trees begin to show fall color. Targeting weeds at this time of year is the most effective because perennial weeds are moving nutrients down into their root system to store for winter. Herbicides are easily moved throughout the plant by these physiological processes. Focusing on eliminating weeds in the fall can also be beneficial to gardeners because it lessens the chance of injury to ornamental plantings. There are a variety of products and mixes that will selectively control broadleaf weeds in turf. Different products have different active ingredients that will control certain types of weeds. Remember to always read labels and follow instructions.
Weeds such as yellow nutsedge, crabgrass, nimblewill, and others that thrive in warm weather should be targeted as early as possible in their life cycle. This is usually around late May. All of these weeds can be controlled selectively without damaging turf. Application should be done as frequently as the label allows, to prevent these weeds from becoming established and causing future problems.
In summation, there are dozens of products for weed control and it is important to select the right product for the weed you would like to control. However, by focusing on the timing of the application, you are much more likely to have success in controlling weeds.
Give Us A Call
Feel free to contact us if you are having a specific problem with weeds in your lawn. We also provide a lawn care service for those who feel more comfortable having a professional applicator control weeds in the lawn.