If you want to have a great lawn, you do not want weeds to mar your view. While dandelions may look pretty, and clover may be lucky, they are considered plants out of place or weeds, and they can take valuable nutrients from the rest of your lawn. In addition, they are difficult to eradicate. Just one dandelion can contain over 15,000 seeds, and each of those seeds can survive for up to six years and create more dandelions.  Other weeds, such as crabgrass and nutsedge, can also wreak havoc on your lawn.

So how can you control weeds, and prevent them from wrecking your lawn? Here are a few tips:

Note what types of weeds are prevalent in your area

Basically, weeds fall into three categories: there are broadleaf weeds like clover and dandelion, grassy weeds like crabgrass, and sedges like yellow, purple and green nutsedge and kyllinga. You should know your enemy, so to speak, and know which types of weeds you need to watch out for. Your Lawn Doctor lawn care expert can give you advice on what weeds to watch out for and how to prevent them.

Mulch your lawn

Spring is a great time to mulch and aerate your lawn. Not only can it help reduce weeds, it can also make the rest of your lawn grow. Mulch, a layer of material that goes on top of the soil, can be made of manure, compost, grass clippings, bark chips, or other organic materials.  However, you should monitor the pH level of any areas on your yard that receive mulch, to make sure that the decomposing materials in the mulch do not become too acidic.

Fertilize your lawn

Lawn fertilizer can also help grow your lawn and prevent weeds. Your Lawn Doctor professional can help you with the right amount of application of fertilizer on your lawn, as well as when to use the fertilizer.

Pull weeds by hand

This is something that you can do, but you must be very careful with. That is because if you pull a weed, but do not remove the entire weed, and do it carefully, seeds from it, or the weed itself, can continue to grow. The best chance to have success with this method is in the early stages of the weed’s lifespan.

Don’t forget regular mowing and watering

Proper, regular mowing can help remove and prevent weeds, depending upon the type of weed, and can cut them up before they continue to grow.

Apply an herbicide

For broadleaf weeds, including dandelions, applying a post-emergence herbicide. This will work on weeds from the surface, and go down to the roots. However, this does not prevent weeds from  returning in your lawn if seeds are present in the soil. There are also pre-emergent weed control treatments that can be used in order to prevent weeds like crabgrass from growing. Your Lawn Doctor professional can recommend what product will work best on your weeds.

Getting rid of weeds can be a tiresome chore, but it is possible. Talk to us at Lawn Doctor to get your lawn beautiful and weed free this summer.