For many homeowners, mowing is the easiest method to eliminate lawn weeds from your grass.
Mowing your lawn to a range higher than its regular height is effective in crowding out unwanted weeds.
It helps in blocking the sunlight from reaching such weeds, thwarting their growth.
However, mowing is not the ultimate solution to your weed problems.
In order to be effective in keeping them off your lawn, it is best to identify the weed types.
Each weed type has its best way for controlling.
Lawn weeds come in three types, each requiring a different method for control.
These weeds are grassy, grass-like and broad-leaf.
Grassy weeds are technically grasses such as Tall Fescue that grows among Kentucky Bluegrass or Bermuda.
Mostly, grassy weeds are annual weeds that come and go every year.
Besides Tall Fescue, crabgrass is the most commonly seen growing in your lawn.
It produces 2-8 large bluish green flat leaves from clumps and expands outward from its center.
The best way to eliminate this type of lawn weeds is mowing.
It is best to bag your clippings in mowing the seed heads to stop them from reaching the soil and planting for the next season.
Fertilization is also good.
In fertilizing your lawn, the recommended time is before the prime growth season of the grass.
Bear in mind though that too much fertilizer given during non-prime growing season enhances the growth of the weeds.
Hence, it is better if you know the best time to fertilize.
Grass-like weeds resembles the grass; and the only way to recognize that they are not is by its triangular stems and soft, sand-bur-like flowers.
One common example of this type of lawn weeds is Sedges.
Broad-leaf weeds are oftentimes mistaken as small plants mainly because of their assortment of leaf shapes and configurations.
Dandelions are the most common broad-leaf weeds.
They are distinguished by their yellow flowers and white round seed heads.
The most effective method for eliminating them is by pulling them off the soil.
It is also the quickest.
Most annual weeds can be pulled by hand.
In doing this, remember to take out the roots.
Most roots can grow up to 6-inches deep into the soil.
If the roots are not completely taken out, they will most likely grow back again.
If the roots have matured, making them difficult to pull off, you can use shovel to dig them up from root depth.
If the ground is hard, you may try soaking it.
Many gardeners use hot water to loosen up the soil or kill the weeds on the spot.
The use of herbicides is another approach in eliminating lawn weeds.
Today's herbicides are formulated to kill some weeds without harming your grass.
However, herbicides are toxic and can cause health hazards if mishandled or misused.
For lawns that have never been aerated, receive a lot of foot traffic or planted in clay soils, aerating is necessary.
For weeds such as crabgrass, chickweed and plantain, the soil may indicate high compaction.
To loosen it up and prevent such weeds from growing back, aerating is recommended.
In some areas where warm-season annuals often go dormant, reseeding your lawn allows it to grow and appear green year-round, and to keep out cool-season weeds from your lawn.
Mowing your lawn to a range higher than its regular height is effective in crowding out unwanted weeds.
It helps in blocking the sunlight from reaching such weeds, thwarting their growth.
However, mowing is not the ultimate solution to your weed problems.
In order to be effective in keeping them off your lawn, it is best to identify the weed types.
Each weed type has its best way for controlling.
Lawn weeds come in three types, each requiring a different method for control.
These weeds are grassy, grass-like and broad-leaf.
Grassy weeds are technically grasses such as Tall Fescue that grows among Kentucky Bluegrass or Bermuda.
Mostly, grassy weeds are annual weeds that come and go every year.
Besides Tall Fescue, crabgrass is the most commonly seen growing in your lawn.
It produces 2-8 large bluish green flat leaves from clumps and expands outward from its center.
The best way to eliminate this type of lawn weeds is mowing.
It is best to bag your clippings in mowing the seed heads to stop them from reaching the soil and planting for the next season.
Fertilization is also good.
In fertilizing your lawn, the recommended time is before the prime growth season of the grass.
Bear in mind though that too much fertilizer given during non-prime growing season enhances the growth of the weeds.
Hence, it is better if you know the best time to fertilize.
Grass-like weeds resembles the grass; and the only way to recognize that they are not is by its triangular stems and soft, sand-bur-like flowers.
One common example of this type of lawn weeds is Sedges.
Broad-leaf weeds are oftentimes mistaken as small plants mainly because of their assortment of leaf shapes and configurations.
Dandelions are the most common broad-leaf weeds.
They are distinguished by their yellow flowers and white round seed heads.
The most effective method for eliminating them is by pulling them off the soil.
It is also the quickest.
Most annual weeds can be pulled by hand.
In doing this, remember to take out the roots.
Most roots can grow up to 6-inches deep into the soil.
If the roots are not completely taken out, they will most likely grow back again.
If the roots have matured, making them difficult to pull off, you can use shovel to dig them up from root depth.
If the ground is hard, you may try soaking it.
Many gardeners use hot water to loosen up the soil or kill the weeds on the spot.
The use of herbicides is another approach in eliminating lawn weeds.
Today's herbicides are formulated to kill some weeds without harming your grass.
However, herbicides are toxic and can cause health hazards if mishandled or misused.
For lawns that have never been aerated, receive a lot of foot traffic or planted in clay soils, aerating is necessary.
For weeds such as crabgrass, chickweed and plantain, the soil may indicate high compaction.
To loosen it up and prevent such weeds from growing back, aerating is recommended.
In some areas where warm-season annuals often go dormant, reseeding your lawn allows it to grow and appear green year-round, and to keep out cool-season weeds from your lawn.
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