Most homeowners want to get rid of weeds because they’re unsightly. Did you know that they also compete for sunlight, nutrients and moisture with your turf grass? This can cause your lawn many problems. In this article, we’ll go over some summer weed prevention so you can keep your grass healthy during one of its best growing seasons.
You should mow your lawn high during the summer. We suggest that you don’t cut off more than 1/3 of the blade when you mow. More than this can leave you vulnerable to weeds. The extra height can help shade them out robbing them of the sunlight they so desperately need to grow.
Water your lawn to a depth of 1 inch per week when lawns show sign of drought stress. You want to wet the entire root zone so you need to wet deeply. Once inch of irrigation will wet the oil to about ½ a foot deep and encourages healthy root systems. Healthy roots can keep weeds out of your lawn. Watering more frequently actually promotes weed seed germination by keeping the surface constantly moist.
Don’t apply a chemical fertilizer in July or August when your lawn is already heat-stressed. The odds of damaging or discoloring your lawn are greater at this time of year than any other. You can try getting rid of weeds with herbicide, preferably in early spring or early fall. However, at any time of year, you can head out to your lawn and try to pull out the weeds from the root on your own. Just make sure to wear plenty of sunblock and drink plenty of water.
Core aeration can help relieve soil compaction that prevents proper root growth. Soil compaction encourages the growth of weeds. Emerald Lawns can aerate your lawn with a core aerator to ensure that the proper air, water and nutrients are getting down deep into your root system.
We want you to know that if you can’t handle the weed situation in your lawn, we can. Emerald Lawns is very successful at controlling both broadleaf and grassy weeds. We can help make your lawn healthy. Give us a call at 512-990-2199.
