6 Tips for a Weed Free Lawn
6. Don't forget about your insect control. Insects damage lawns making it weaker and easier for weeds to take over.
1. Adjust your mower blade height to at least 3" high.
2. Aerate and overseed in the fall.
3. Fill in bare spots with topsoil and grass seeds.
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What is the best height to mow your lawn?
Generally, the best mowing height is your lawn mowers top mowing deck setting. For most mowers this setting is between 3 and 4 inches. To get an accurate measurement for your specific mower, park your mower on a solid surface such as the sidewalk or driveway and measure from the surface to the bottom of the mowing deck. If your mower is trimming your lawn to less than 3 inches high, I would recommend raising the mowing deck this Spring.
Raising your mower deck will reduce the amount of sunlight that reaches the surface of the soil providing weed and crabgrass control. At the same time the raised deck is helping your lawn be more drought tolerant by promoting a larger root system.
How will aerating and overseeding the lawn help keep weeds away?
Core aerating your lawn will decompact the soil and allow for better nutreint, h2o, and oxygen flow to the root system of your lawn. This will allow the root system to spread out and fill the holes created by the aerator. This will give you a fuller lawn that will be able to better defend itself against a weed invasion. After aerating your lawn it is a good time to overseed.
Aeration and overseeding should be done in early fall when most weeds are going dormant. If you perform aeration during the Spring or Summer you could end up with a worse weed problem than you started with. You would actually help spead the seeds from the weeds all over the lawn if you aerate during the growing season.
Why do I need to fill in the bare spots in my lawn?
If you don't fill in the bare spots in your lawn then weeds will take care of filling in the spots for you. Weeds love nice bare sunny patches on your lawn. It is best to take action as soon as you see bare spots begin to appear. For best results, you want to first put down a topsoil and compost mix followed by grass seed, then straw. For best results I recommend performing this task in early fall.
Applying pre-emergent weed killer at the appropriate time during the season can make a great deference against weeds sprouting up in your lawn. The pre-emergent weed killer kills the weed seeds and prevents them from germinating, but it does not kill the root system of the weeds.
5. Treat with post-emergent herbicides upon first sight of weeds.
Catching it early will make it easier to control the infestation.
Do I need to apply a post-emergent herbicide if i already put down a pre-emergent?
The answer is yes, you will want to use a post-emergent heribcide on your lawn even though you applied pre-emergent. Remember the pre-emergent only kills the weed seeds, preventing them from germinating. Always apply post-emergent upon first site of weeds in your lawn. This is simply because, it is going to be alot easier to eliminate small weeds compared to larger ones.
Always check the label carefully.
Some weed killers are intended to kill everything in their path, including your grass. Always purchase herbicides that are labeled "Won't harm lawns" or "Safe for lawns".
4. Treat with pre-emergent herbicides (weed killer) before weeds emerge.
Insects damage the lawn makeing it weaker and easier for weeds to take over. There are a few different products out there to control the bug population.There are different products to eliminate different bugs. Apply bug control products during spring and summer.
Are you trying to figure out how to get rid of pesky weeds in your lawn? Follow these 6 tips for a weed free lawn.
By Steve Kelley