Effective Weed Control In Your Lawn

Next to drought, weeds are probably your lawn’s biggest foe. While some homeowners don’t care what is growing in their yard, as long as it looks green, most people would love to have a lush lawn of just grass. For those in the second group weed control is often a full-time job, and while is may seem somewhat satisfying to pull up weeds by the roots the exercise wears thin pretty quickly, and trying to get rid of perennial weed species by pulling is a losing battle. However, there are some tried-and-true methods of lawn care that will keep invasive species out of your yard.

Chemical Control

Application of chemicals can be an effective weed-management method, and there are a number of herbicides that offer effective relief from weeds without harming grasses and other plants. However, it is crucial to follow all the product instructions for use and cleanup are always carefully, keeping in mind there can be both health and legal consequences for not following the application instructions.

When using a herbicide take into account the proximity to trees and other vegetation. Chemical weed killer is applied by spot spraying, meaning targeting the individual plants, or broadcasting the herbicide over large areas. Whichever method is used it is important to be sure the spraying equipment being used is properly calibrated for accurately delivering the herbicide to the targeted area, otherwise application can be too heavy or weak, which can cause collateral damage to nearby plants or not have the desires effect, respectively.

Aside from toxicity, there are other downsides to using chemicals on your lawn. Glyphosate and other chemicals often appear as an effective weapon in the war on weeds, but many experts, like Ronald Smith at the Department of Plant Sciences at North Dakota State University, discourage the use of herbicides as the runoff can contaminate other plants, like fruits and vegetables. Moreover, continued applications can be expensive and ultimately less effective than other methods.

Preventive Measures

Prevention is the most crucial aspect of weed control, as once a weed species become established it can spread like wildfire. This makes early detection and aggressive action on a newly established infestation a priority.

Off with Their Heads!

If weeds can’t be removed the next best thing is to keep the seeds from spreading by chopping off the head of the plant, before it goes to seed. This method will buy a little time with annuals and forces perennials to use up stored energy reserves and thus limiting the spreading of seeds.

Remove Opportunity

Robert Hartzler, professor of agronomy at Iowa State University, points out that non-grass species are opportunists and will move into any unoccupied areas. Simply put, the easiest way to prevent grass from being crowded out is by eliminating any open areas were weeds could become established by planting grass or other foliage.

Healthy Soil Equals a Healthy Lawn

Maintaining fertile soil is a critical component of lawn care, by helping grass grow healthy and strong to prevent those open spots that weeds take advantage of. Keeping your soil well drained and aerated and having it regularly tested to see what nutrients it may be lacking will keep your lawn lush.

Mulch

Cover open areas adjacent to the lawn, such as vegetable and flower gardens and around trees, with mulch to prevent weeds from taking hold. Almost any barrier, like shredded bark, dried leaves and even cardboard or newspapers, will keep sunlight from reaching the soil and keep weeds from getting a foothold, reducing the need for the use of weed killer. Sheets of solid plastic also work well, blocking both water and light, to prevent weed growth and kill any plants that have taken root underneath the plastic.

Source: http://www.occupy-detroit.us/effective-weed-control-in-your-lawn/