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Weed Control Simplified: Kill Your Weeds, Not Your Lawn
Weed Control Simplified: Kill Your Weeds, Not Your Lawn
It’s warming up and lawns are growing once again, which unfortunately means the weeds are, too. Nothing detracts from the aesthetic beauty of a well-maintained lawn than seeing a bunch of puffball dandelions spread across it. Some people may like the bright yellow dandelions, but the flowers quickly turn into puffballs and spread seeds throughout the neighborhood. It can take as a little as a day to go from flower to puffball!
When I go to the hardware store on a Saturday morning, I often see one or two Joe Homeowners picking up bottles of lawn weed control products, scratching their heads and wondering which product to use. The “weed and grass killer” product they pick up will do the job, but their lawn will end up having dead spots. They may have killed the weeds in their lawn, but now they have to repair all those little spots where the grass died.
To Control Weeds, First Identify Weed Type
The definition of a weed is “a plant growing out of place.” So, broadleaf weeds like dandelions, clover, or thistles fit this description. Grassy weeds like bentgrass, common Bermuda grass, crabgrass, Nutsedge, etc., also match the description. The difference is that the control products that you want to use for broadleaf weeds are designed not to harm your desired grasses when used as instructed by the label directions. Grassy weeds are in the same classification of your desired grasses, so the majority of products that you use to control those plants will also damage or kill your desired grass as well.
Label Education
When looking for a lawn weed control product, the most important thing you need to do before purchasing it is to read the label. If you see the name “glyphosate” on the ingredient statement, you don’t want to use that product on your lawn unless you plan on repairing the dead spots in your lawn afterwards. Another important aspect is the amount of product to use when spraying your weeds. Don’t follow the old adage, “If a little is good, a lot is better.” If you purchase a concentrated product that is mixed in water, measure it according to the directions. When spraying you weeds, you don’t need to soak them down. Spraying too much can put the broadleaf weed into shock and it will stop absorbing the product before enough of it has been translocated into the plant, but the surrounding grass may be damaged. The same is true if you purchase a ready-to-use, pre-mixed product.
Spraying weeds may seem like an easy task, but you do need to exercise caution and read the label to make sure you are purchasing the correct product and that you mix it according to the label directions. Also be sure to wear the correct personal protective equipment, such as rubber gloves or boots, if the label so indicates.
Of course, the easiest thing to do is to contact a professional lawn care service like Spring-Green to do the work for you. We’ve been killing weeds and beautifying lawns for nearly 40 years, and we carry a number of professional, reliable products. Learn more about our weed control services!