Lawn Care: Weed Control
The first thing to remember is there is no weed season. Weeds grow all of the time. And they are easy to grow. If you want a low maintenance lawn, just let the weeds take over! I hope that you do not want that. And I am sure that your neighbors wish for the same thing. So just as you have a schedule for feeding your lawn, you also need to include weed control. And a thick healthy lawn really makes it harder for weeds to grow.
For your first “feed” fertilizer of the year you may want to get one with a pre-emergent weed killer. This will help keep the weeds from coming up. Somewhere between the end of February and the middle of March. Some people say a few days after the Forsythias bloom.
For your second feeding you will want to include a post-emergent weed killer. This will help to kill some of the weeds that did come up. This should be a couple of weeks after the first feeding.
Just a word of caution. This plan is not for new lawns or reseeded lawns. And on the post-emergent try to keep it away from established bushes, flowers, and other things that you do not want to kill! As with anything: “Read and follow all instructions”!
And more is not better with fertilizer. Use the recommended amount only. And do not put it down after the end of May.
What I do is keep some weed killer in a pump sprayer and evry week or so take a walk around the lawn and spot shoot the weeds. And you don’t have to do the whole lawn. Just a little at a time. And the same caution. Read and follow the directions.
I did want to mention cutting. Do not cut your lawn too short. That encourages weed growth. Your grass should be 3 1/2 to 4 inches tall.
So there you have it. A good weed control plan. The most important things are to keep a healthy thick lawn. And try to stay ahead of the weeds.
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