Weeds are opportunistic plants. They will take root wherever there is space, sunlight and water. Getting the better of weeds means denying them these things and hitting them with the correct weed killer, when needed.
Weeds need space to grow. Crowding them out with a good seed grass is an excellent first step. Feeding that grass a regular fertilizer is a good second step.
Cutting your grass too short allows sunlight to reach between clumps of grass, and opportunistic weeds will take advantage of this very quickly. Keep your grass a little longer, between 2 and 4 inches, and weeds won’t get the light they crave.
Weeds need water just as much as any other plant, but in a different manner than your lawn plants. Your intentional grass, bushes and trees have established, deep roots, whereas weeds have shallow roots. This difference means that a light, frequent sprinkling will favor weeds over grass, whereas an infrequent, much deeper watering schedule will favor your lawn and allow the weeds to dry up.
It is tempting to pull weeds out by hand, but doing so usually leaves the root behind, which will just sprout again. Use a weed puller or a weed killing herbicide. Blue Seal carries an excellent line of Bonide® weed killers. But you’ll need the right tool for the job. Take a look at the types weeds you are fighting and the area in which they are growing.
A non-selective herbicide (Bonide® KleenUp Grass & Weed Killer or Ground Force Total Vegetation) will kill every plant it touches. Good for sidewalk cracks and driveway crevices, but not right for lawns.
A selective herbicide (Bonide® Weed Beater Plus or Chickweed, Clover & Oxalis Killer) will attack weeds without harming your lawn. Check the bag to be certain that the weeds you want gone are on the list and that your lawn’s grass type will not be effected. Certain southern grass types, Centipede and St. Augustine in particular, may be damaged by these herbicides.
Herbicides tend to fall into the following categories:
- A pre-emergent herbicide (Bonide® Crabgrass & Weed Preventer) is a weed preventative, to be used keep weeds under control before they show above-ground growth.
- A post-emergent herbicide (Bonide® Weed Beater Plus, KleenUp, and so forth) are applied after the weed has grown. It attacks through the leaves, so good coverage is important.