Weeds
Thatch | Shade | Shade Tree Decline | Weeds | Soil Compaction | Surface Insects | Grubs
CRABGRASS
This common pest (as well as others) grows from seed each spring when the soil warms and dies off with the first frost. The best way to control it is with the use of granular pre-emergent control which is watered into the soil. It creates a barrier which prevents the weed seed from sprouting. There are a number of pre-emergent materials to do this. The most effective longest lasting materials are more expensive.
Leisure Lawn uses only the most effective scientifically proven pre-emergent crabgrass control for our area. There are some things you can do to help this material perform at its best.
- Raise your lawn mower height to 3 inches. This helps to shade the soil and keep it cool so crabgrass has a harder time getting started.
- Remove no more than 1/3 of the blade length at one time. Cutting off more puts the plants into shock. This gives the crabgrass and other weeds time to get started with little competition. If grass gets very tall between mowings you may need to mow it more than once (allow several days in between) to get back to normal height.
- Maintain a regular fertilization schedule. This will keep your lawn as healthy and thick as possible so it can choke out weeds.
- Don't break the pre-emergent barrier. Avoid vigorous raking or edging which will break the soil barrier.
- Water during dry periods. This prevents the soil from cracking and breaking the pre-emergent barrier. It will also keep your grass actively growing and better able to compete with crabgrass.
There are many factors involved in preventing crabgrass. Using a good pre-emergent is an important part of the process, but weather conditions, watering and mowing practices are equally important in combating this unsightly weed grass. We need to work together to get the best results.
BROAD LEAF WEEDS
Dandelions and plantain are in this group. They do not die over the winter. They survive from year to year if they are not controlled and will eventually choke out grass. These weeds can be controlled best with a liquid weed control when the weeds are actively growing. When weed growth rate slows down during hot weather or dry periods the rate of control slows down too because it is tied to plant growth processes. Some weeds like violets are difficult to control and make take several treatments.
Weeds keep returning because weed seeds can remain dormant in the soil for 50 years or more! They just wait until growing conditions are right and then they germinate. Weed control is an ongoing process. A thick healthy lawn makes it hard for weeds to find room to grow.
Leisure Lawn goes over your lawn twice. Once with dry fertilizer, and once with liquid weed control because this is the best and most effective way to give you a green weed-free lawn. If you have a weed problem between scheduled applications there is no charge for a service call to take care of them.
WEEDY GRASSES
These plants like crabgrass and coarse fescue have growth processes like the good grasses in lawns and it is not possible to make a blanket application of weed control which will select only undesirable grassy weeds. To control them one must either kill off the entire area and reseed or spot spray each weed clump and reseed.
Leisure Lawn can help you plan a strategy to remove problem grassy weeds in the lawn.