Here We Go Again...Those Early Spring Lawn Weeds

Every homeowner wants a beautiful lawn...certainly.

I haven't provided basic lawn care in quite a while, but when I did, I studied lawns, soils and turf grasses just as I continue to study shrub and tree care.

Slightly earlier, due to weather, this is that time of year when those lawn weeds may seem more prevalent than our turf grass.

If you have or have had a well-established lawn, the presence of weeds, now or over the next few weeks should not be cause for much alarm. I'm not stating this emphatically, but my experience with many, many properties, is to simply wait it out.

In other words, don't go to extremes or spend much time and money trying to resolve an issue which will probably go away on its own - by nature's accord.

Over the years (this time of year) I have received many calls from customers concerned about prolific weeds in their lawns. These are usually identified as dandy lions or cat's eyes/ears or whatever. I can't keep track. Many of these weeds are annuals. This doesn't mean their off-spring won't come back next year; however, they are usually short-lived. A healthy lawn (evergreen, by nature) will usually win out.

Following are a few things you or your lawn service can perform:

• Set mower height one inch below what is set during the growing season and mow even if the grass is not yet high (probably not) to lower weeds and catch their weed heads/flowers.
• Use a collection bag on your mower. You don't want to distribute weed heads/flowers about your lawn.
• If your lawn debris is not carried off or bagged, but placed roadside, spray it with water so that weed heads/flowers can't be blown back onto your property by the wind. Shake out your mower bag well and perhaps rinse it with water while not on your lawn. Do not place the debris in a compost pile.
• You probably didn't remove all the weeds, but you just removed most of the reproductive elements and now you can at least see your lawn.
• Yet, you may have some broadleaf weeds which love to spread out wide and retard turf grass growth by blocking sunlight. Use a specific (friendly to your turf grass - read the label) weed killer or use a weed removing tool, Trake, trowel or mattock to remove. Some of these weeds will be deep-rooted so you may want to spend some extra time getting their roots out of the ground.
• Water your lawn. All plants love water (including weeds), but your turf grass roots' growth will aid in preventing weed growth.

Hopefully, these few measures will have your lawn looking healthy and well in the coming weeks.

Trake