Getting rid of weeds is time consuming, back-breaking, and can be expensive if you use herbicides. Ideally, you should stop weed growth before it starts--this is easier and cheaper than killing weeds when they pop up. Preventive lawn weed control is also safer for the environment and more long-lasting than defensive approaches.
Effective Lawn Weed Control
Here's how to keep weeds at bay, before they invade your yard:
1. Repair bare or weakened areas. Weeds take hold in bare spots in your lawn, or in areas where the turf is weakened. Make sure you fill in bald spots in your yard in the early spring by sprinkling with grass seed and lightly raking (make sure you also water). If the lawn is thin in spots, add fertilizer to strengthen the grass.
2. Reduce soil compaction. Heavy foot traffic areas are prone to weed growth as the soil gets compacted and grass has trouble growing. If you must, add a pathway (with mulch or gravel) to prevent weeds from growing in place of grass--and spreading to other parts of your lawn.
3. Mow high. Mow the grass at three inches or higher so it can shade out the weeds and weaken them.
4. Watch for weed growth near driveways, walkways. Weeds gain a foothold in areas where high temperatures can damage cool-season grass, such as along the edges of driveways, walkways, and patios (the hardscape raises the temperature of the surrounding lawn). Pull out any weeds that emerge in these areas immediately so that seeds do not sprout and spread throughout the yard.
Marcia Passos Duffy is a seasoned freelance writer specializing in small business, gardening, farming, personal finance, B2B, food, travel and other topics. She is widely published online an in print; her credits include Yahoo Finance, CNBC, Fox Business, AAA Home & Away Magazine, Smart Busines Magazine, among others. She is a member of the Garden Writers Association.
