Weeding 101

weeding 101The weather is warming up, leaves are turning green, and the bluebonnets are blooming. Spring has come to Texas!

While the warmer weather brings many beautiful sights and sounds, it also brings weeds such as dandelion, clover, dallisgrass, and crabgrass. Weeds are opportunistic and will grow anywhere they can germinate. Left unchecked, they’ll crowd out your turf and take over your landscape.

At Earthworks, we provide a proactive weeding program to stop weeds before they become a problem. Our spring weeding schedule complements our fall pre-emergent application to help reduce weeds up to 90% on your property. Spring weeding consists of two components: fertilization and mechanical control.

Fertilization

Just as a good immune system is the best defense against disease, a healthy and dense turf is the best deterrent for weeds. As your turf comes out of dormancy in the spring, weeds also “wake up”, and they compete with your grass for nutrients and water.

Our fertilization program starts in the fall with pre-emergent. This application attacks weeds at the seed level, preventing many seedlings from germinating. We follow up with a spring fertilizer with pre-emergent mixed in. This second application feeds your turf while further combatting weeds before they germinate.

Fertilizer not only prevents weeds and helps your turf remain healthy; it can also help your landscape become more drought and heat tolerant, and more resistant to insects. A healthy turf means less watering and fewer chemical applications long term.

Mechanical Control

The second component of weed management is mechanical control, or proper landscaping techniques. How you care for your turf throughout the year can determine how easy it is for weeds to take root. In addition to fertilizer and pre-emergent, we recommend the following to keep weeds at bay:

Mow your yard at the appropriate height. When grass is too high, it’s easy for weeds (and insects) to sneak in unnoticed. Conversely, overcutting will cause the grass to develop a shallow root system, which can thin your turf. Your Earthworks consultant will advise you on the best height for your grass.

Don’t leave too many clippings.  Some clippings are necessary to turf health, but too many will affect moisture levels and hide weeds from view. Your lawn care company should be bagging clippings or redistributing them for better lawn health.

Keep moisture levels optimal. Overwatering or underwatering can both cause long-term issues such as overgrowth, shallow roots, and topsoil or fertilizer runoff. Consistent moisture levels will help your lawn develop deep roots and healthier turf. We recommend using sensors to ensure your turf maintains optimal moisture levels.

The bottom line: don’t skimp on preventative weed control. If you until weeds show up, the damage is already done. With a proactive strategy and long-term plan, you’ll be able to enjoy a healthy turf all year long.

Tag : Weeding 101, Weeds

 

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