The most common complaint people have about their lawns is by far the presence of weeds.  While spring is still over six weeks away, it is not too soon to be thinking about your lawn and how it can be as weed-free as possible this year.  The best lawn weed control service is going to be one with a multi-faceted plan of action.

Pre-emergent

The first line of defense against unwanted weeds is pre-emergent control.  Pre-emergent controls prevent seeds from germinating.  This product is applied before the seeds start to germinate and when the young, emerging root tip encounters the product on the soil, the seed dies.

Advances in technology have led to the development of pre-emergent products that also have limited post-emergence activity and can eliminate young crabgrass seedlings as well as stopping new germinations so the window of application of these products is much wider than the old “forsythia in full bloom” rule of thumb.

Post-emergent

Some weeds will escape the pre-emergent and some simply aren’t affected by it.  In cases like this, a post-emergent herbicide or “weed killer” is needed to control them.  These products are typically selective as to whether they treat grassy weeds, like crabgrass, or broadleaf weeds like clover, dandelion, and spurge.

If your lawn care service applies a pre-emergent weed control, they should also be applying these products through the growing season as needed.  Most lawn services will apply a fertilizer and weed control treatment on each visit commonly referred to as a “weed and feed”. Check with your provider to ensure they are offering these lawn weed control services.

Fertilization

One of the best ways to keep weeds at bay is by having a thick, healthy lawn.  If weed seeds can’t get down to the soil through the grass, they can’t grow.  A hungry lawn will be thin and weak and invading weeds will soon be filling in those areas. 

The timely application of fertilizer is one of the best ways to encourage turf grass growth.  Most lawn service providers will include a crabgrass and weed pre-emergent herbicide with their first lawn treatment of the season.

Aeration

A compacted lawn is another cause of a weak, thin lawn that can be susceptible to weeds.  Aeration, the removal of plugs of soil and thatch from the lawn, helps get more water, nutrients, and air down to the roots making for stronger turf and fewer weeds.  This is a service best performed in the late summer through about mid fall if you want to overseed your lawn at the same time.  If you do not want to have seeding done, aeration can be done through the late fall and even into early winter if the ground does not freeze.

Get More Info From The Pros!

Looking for more information on weed control or just ready to let the professionals take over your lawn care needs? The Grassmaster Plus team is ready and willing to answer any questions you have and can provide you a free quote on your lawn care services for the season. Contact our local office today!