Weeds in lawns are typically viewed as an unwanted plant that homeowners do not want. While the plant world needs weeds in lawns to create balance and restore soil healthy, humans find them to be a nuisance.
Getting rid of unwanted grass weeds can feel like an endless battle. Knowing how to get rid of weeds in grass will help you keep your yard looking fabulous while reducing the amount of time and energy you will spend to remove them.
Step-by-Step Guide
Knowing how to get rid of weeds in the lawn is key to having a great looking yard. These steps will help you get rid of the weeds in you grass:
Grab Your Supplies
First, before you even begin to remove the weeds in your lawn, you will have to get all your tools and supplies ready first. You will need:
- Gardening gloves (cloth and rubber)
- Safety glasses
- Kneeling pad
- An adjustable lawn mower
- Sharp weeding tools, knives
- Dial sprayer
- Tank sprayer
- Fertilizer spreader
- Herbicides for broadleaf and non-selective plants
- Crabgrass killer and preventer treatments
Identify the Type of Weeds in Your Garden
Not all garden weeds are the same. Knowing what kind of weeds are invading your garden can help you research effective ways for weed control.
Choose a Suitable Time to Weed
A good time to go on a “weed attack” is soon after a downpour. Wet, loose soil makes pulling out weeds much easier.
Kill Weeds at The Root
There are weed seeds all over your garden. If you get caught up in destroying the weed seeds before they germinate and grow into weeds, you’ll be in for an uphill battle. Not all weed seeds will germinate and grow. Only the ones within an inch or two of the soil will have access to enough sunlight to grow. By digging and cultivating the soil, you bring weed seeds that are buried beneath the surface closer to the top, making it easier for the seeds to receive the sunlight they need to grow. So, try not to disturb the soil often.
When it comes to lawns, minimize soil disturbance by using a narrow blade to cut through the roots of dandelions and other lawn weeds.
Chop the Tops
Chopping off the top half of your lawn weeds will help kill them because you are removing the part of the plant needed to collect food and sunlight. You can use gardening sheers, an old knife, or lawn mower to chop the tops.
If you are unable to pull weeds out from the root, chopping them off at their heads prevents weeds from spreading by forcing them to exhaust their food supply. All you need to do this is pruning loppers.
Pull Smaller Weeds
When you cannot chop the grass weeds, gently pull the smaller seedlings out so you remove the entire plant including the roots without disrupting the surrounding soil. Use an old steak knife or fork to help remove the pesky plant. Weeds are easier to pull when the soil is wet.
Spot Treat Weeds
Using your sprayer bottles, spot treat your yard by spraying weed killers on targeted areas. Knowing what type of weeds are in your lawn is important when choosing the right herbicide for your grass.
Weed Prevention
Before weeds over take your lawn, there are several things you can do first Knowing how to get rid of weeds in the lawn will reduce the amount of work you will have to do.
Limit the Space Between Plants
Planting plants close together can help choke out weeds. Many plants have spacing recommendations to ensure the plants have enough room to flourish when they reach maturity, but cutting off 25 percent of the recommended spacing usually doesn’t create many problems. If you are planting plants that are prone to foliar diseases, you may want to adhere to the guidelines.
Mow Your Lawn Weekly
Mowing your lawn regularly is a great way to get rid of grass weeds because you are cutting off the top half of the weeds without disturbing the soil. For best results, know what type of grass weeds you have so you can set your blade to the right height.
Don’t Water the Weeds
Drip irrigation is a great way to only water what you want to grow. By place drip hoses underneath mulch, you can deprive weeds of water. This can reduce weed seed germination by 50 to 70 percent. Not only that, it conserves water, too.
Add Mulch
Before lawn weeds even start growing, add mulch to your soil. Organic mulch is made of natural materials like bark, wood chips, grass, hay, or compost that eliminate weeds by blocking sun and oxygen so they cannot grow.
Mulching your plants not only helps keep the soil moist, but it also starves weeds of sunlight. It also creates an environment conducive for insects like crickets and beetles that eat weed seeds. The more you mulch, the easier it will be to keep weeds at bay. The ideal amount of mulch is about 2 inches deep – anything more than that may deprive the soil of oxygen
Avoid Digging Your Weeds
Your soil contains hundreds of weed seeds just waiting for the perfect climate to grow. Every time you disturb the soil by digging, you bring more weed seeds to the surface where they can grow and thrive.
Rather than spending a backbreaking summer removing weeds, contact us. At JHC Landscaping Services Inc. we’re weed control experts.
Contact a Weed Control Specialist
If you’re having problems with your weed control, get in touch with a landscaping specialist. Either ask them for their expert opinion on removing weeds from your garden or hire them to come to your property. This way, you make sure the job is done properly and your lawn is weed-free for a few months.