How to control weeds?
Every year, how to control weeds pose a top threat to lawns in the Macon and Warner Robins area. They come in many shapes, sizes and colors. Weed seeds are present in pretty much all lawns and can spread like wildfire. In order to combat these pests and keep them from taking over your beautiful grass, you need to know some key facts about them. Not all weeds are created equal, and learning some background, including weed identification, spreading, combatants and timing can help you protect your lawn and garden.
Types of Weeds:
- Broadleaf: With their wide leaf structure, broadleaf weeds are easily identifiable in your yard since they stand out from grasses. The dandelion is the poster child for this group of weeds.
- Grassy and grass-like: More difficult to detect are grassy weeds, since these are weeds that blend in or resemble grass while also stealing your lawn’s precious resources. For the Atlanta area, crabgrass and nutsedge (which is a common grass-weed that is a member of the sedge family) are familiar grassy weeds. Sedge weeds are also better known for their triangular stems and subtle flowers.
How They Spread: Sometimes weed seeds will sit dormant for years before they s
dandelion seed head
how up and germinate at the soil’s surface, basking in the sun and water. They can spread in any number of ways:
- Wind
- Water
- Poor Quality Grass Seed
- Lawn Tools/Equipment
- Soil Adjustments
Methods of Control:
- Plant Environment: Promoting a healthy environment for your wanted plants to grow is a good way to keep unwanted weeds at bay. Yards that are subject to poor watering or drainage, inadequate fertilization, extreme traffic, disease or insect damage are prone to weed growth, too. It’s also critical to keep your lawn mowed to the correct height and not too short to prevent weed development. A higher grass height will help shade the soil from weed seeds that may drift into your yard looking for a place to grow.
- Manual Removal: Removing weeds by hand can be effective for small areas and spot t
hand pulling weed
reatment. Removing weeds after a rain or as soon as they rear their heads will make this task easier.
- By Hand: Pull from the base of the weed, lifting as much of the root as possible.
- Using Tools: For weeds with excessive roots or that may be hard to pull up, drive a trowel or small rake underneath the weed and into the soil to remove the weed and its root system entirely.
- Herbicide Treatment: Applying an herbicide is more practical for larger problem areas like the entire lawn.
- Pre-Emergents: This is a preventative measure that Arbor-Nomics uses to prevent grassy weeds from showing up in the spring. They’re designed to target the seed before germination.
- Post-Emergents: This herbicide targets established weeds and should be applied post-germination.
The scheduling of your weed control will depend on whether or not your weed seeds have germinated and what types of weeds you are combating. Our certified lawn care specialists in Macon and Warner Robins are trained to develop customized treatment plans for your lawns, including the application of pre-emergents to stop weeds before they ever have a chance to evolve. With spring on the horizon, contact Liquid Lawn at 478-318-7644 to find a lawn treatment that’s best suited for your lawn and the weeds you may have before they get out of hand.