Weed Free Lawn
Ok, so here we are, a week away from Valentine’s Day and the last thing we want to think about is our grass. Most of us haven’t had to mow or do anything to the lawn for many months, but what we forget ever so easily is the fact that last spring we were not happy with all the weeds in our lawn and wished we had done something to prevent them. Well, now is your opportunity and I want to encourage you not to miss this small window of opportunity. Planning now can dramatically change the outcome of your spring lawn. Let’s talk for a minute about what is to come in the spring.
Crabgrass, Henbit, Dandelion, Chickweed are all annual weeds which reseed themselves every year. These weeds do not survive the winter cold, but left their seeds last year for new plants to arrive this year. It is much easier to prevent these guys from arriving than it is to remove them once they appear. To do this, you must put out what they call a pre-emergent. There are many types and brands which can be purchased, I do recommend not buying the cheapest! Also, FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS ON THE BAG!!. Putting out more the recommended rate WILL damage the environment and potentially contaminate the water supply. I prefer using a granular product instead of a liquid. It will come with some fertilizer in it which helps with overall health of plants. As far as I know, there is no organic version of the pre-emergent. If someone knows of one, please let me know and I will share it with everyone.
So how does a pre-emergent work? Without getting into true science, what the pre-emergent does is create an invisible barrier along the top of the soil and will not allow seeds to germinate and turn into plants. By putting it down in February, you are preventing weeds like crabgrass from ever growing. You have to remember I live in Nashville, Tennessee, so February is our month. If you live south, it is getting late in the season, if you live north, you might want to wait up to six more weeks. If you live NE, you probably can’t even find your car today!! I saw on the news where some of you got 40 inches of snow?! I got 4 inches a week ago and everything was shut down…can’t even begin to imagine 40 inches. Good luck to you!
Some tricks of the trade…consult with your local garden center…many people will split the application rate and put some down now, and wait for another application in about April/May. With the weather in the spring, sometimes the weed seeds sprout late, and excess rain can diminish the products effectiveness and duration, so 2 applications can increase effectiveness.
Next time we will talk about how to create a lawn who will prevent weeds on its own.
Happy Pre-Emergent
