Posted on September 17th, 2022
Weeds Turf Protection – There’s nothing quite like the feeling of coming home from a long hard day and casting your gaze upon your beautiful lawn. There is a sense of calm that gardening brings – whether it’s when you’re hard at work with your next lawn treatment project or whether it’s when you take a minute to appreciate all the hard work that is paying off.
Summertime is when pesky summer weeds can ruin the sight of your lush green lawn. Turf Unlimited is here to help you with the right turf protection – before, during, and after the invasion of ground ivy, crabgrass, or any other weed that wants on your beautiful lawn.
In this post, we examine ways in which you can help protect your lawn from those pesky summer weeds. Here, we’ll look at common summertime weeds, how to treat and prep your lawn, and how Turf Unlimited can help eliminate weeds from your lawn.
Turf protection from summer weeds begins with knowing what you are dealing with. If you’re unsure as to what type of grass you have, it’s best to give us a call.
There are cool-climate grasses, and there are warm-climate grasses, all growing in the range from 1/4 inch to 3-inches in length. This often determines the type of weed that will or will not grow in the shade of the grass leaves.
Weeds can be annuals or perennials – if left alone, they can annoy you once a year or all year round! Crabgrass is a common annual weed – even when it dies after a growing season, and you think you’ve gotten rid of it, it leaves its seeds to grow and haunt you the following year.
Dandelions are an example of a perennial weed, growing from their roots and germinating new seeds to annoy you even further. Other weeds can be more grass-like, with a broadleaf or thicker sedge.
Removing a small section of grass and taking it down to your nearest garden center, along with any suspicious-looking weeds, blades, or roots is also a safe bet if we’re unable to assist you first.
Summer weed protection requires knowing not only what you are dealing with but also when. In other words, what time of year is it – and what stage of growth are the weeds in?
If you’re ahead of the game and there’s still frost on the ground (but you’ve been here before, and you’re thinking ahead to what a summer’s lawn will look like ruined by dandelions), then you’re looking for a preventer.
This will prevent seeds from germinating and is also referred to in garden centers as pre-emergent weed control. Post-emergent weed control is the other kind – that’s for when you’ve left it a little late, and you need to fight back.
Perhaps you’ve mowed your grass too low or in the same direction over and over which has caused soil compaction. Or maybe your lawn treatment plan up until now hasn’t utilized enough water, and your lawn is thirsty, and the foxtail and goosegrass are taking over.
Whatever the reason for a pre-emergent or post-emergent herbicide, rest assured that they won’t kill your lawn in the process. What you do want to achieve though is thorough penetration so that you’re not wasting the application.
Especially with pre-emergent herbicides that provide a chemical buffer between the weed seed and the soil, it’s crucial that you prepare your turf accordingly.
Check your lawn for any clumps of debris that might have accumulated over winter. Thatch is the name given for organic remains that get caught up between the grass blades and their roots. It is in these ‘in-between spaces that weeds like to grow.
Thatching may make your lawn look a little ugly – but give it a month, and it will thank you for it. Use a thatching rake to get it done yourself, or contact Turf Unlimited today for your free estimate.
Aeration is another process that will breathe new life into your lawn by allowing for the better absorption of oxygen, water, and nutrients. First, start by looking at your lawn’s roots: if they don’t go deeper than 2 inches into the ground, then you’ll need to water the lawn a day before hiring a core aerator to get the job done properly. Then add compost.
Overseed your lawn in early spring or early fall. Then water the seed to help it get established.
Mowing your grass right is key to a good lawn treatment plan. A thick lawn is a healthy lawn. The denser the grass, the more impervious it is to resist weeds. You never want to ‘scalp’ your lawn completely, thinking that by giving it a shorter cut, you’re saving on another mow in a few weeks.
Taller grass actually shades out the weeds, preventing them from germinating. Your grass will grow nice and straight if you keep changing your mowing direction between mows. And remember to keep your mower blades nice and sharp!
Overuse of herbicides and aerator machines may sound overwhelming if you’re looking for the calm respite that gardening offers when you’re doing it yourself by hand.
Vinegar as a weed killer has been known to offer fair weed protection, but it does require vinegar with a level of 20 percent acetic acid that you’re more likely to find at a home improvement store than your local supermarket.
If you’re content pulling weeds out by hand (roots and all, remember), then a garden or stirrup hoe will work well; or better yet, a handheld weeder (ask for a Japanese, leverage, or fishtail – depending on the types of weed you have).
Consider stone or mulch for areas where you are losing the battle to weeds – perhaps a section of the path. You can always beautify an area like this further with attractive garden plants.
Turf Unlimited wants to help you with your turf protection plan so that you can feast your eyes on the thick and healthy lawn that you deserve. We are the preferred lawn care professionals in the Northern Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire area, and we’ve earned our good reputation by going the extra mile with our customers.
If you’re looking for overseeding equipment hire, a curated lawn maintenance program, care for your trees and shrubs, or even just a virtual consultation to identify the grass and weeds that you’re dealing with, then contact us at Turf Unlimited. We’ve got you covered.
