How to Prevent Spring Weeds in Your Lawn
Nothing can compare to the satisfaction of looking out at your lawn in the morning and seeing a well-watered, healthy bed of grass before you, free of patches, uneven mowing, and most of all, weeds. Before early spring and temperatures begin to rise, you can begin developing your plan of attack for managing spring weeds.
Maintaining healthy grass through consistent watering and keeping your mower blade high will ensure that your grass grows in optimal conditions. Thick, moist grass means weeds will never get the nutrients and sunlight they need to compete.
In early spring, you can implement a few tactics to keep weeds at bay throughout the growing season. Beat the weeds before they can germinate by following these easy steps:
Plant your grass at the appropriate time - Timing and variety of grass are two important factors to consider when preparing your lawn for spring. In the northern, cool climate states, the optimal time to seed cool weather grasses like Kentucky blue and tall fescue is early spring when temperatures reach the high 50s ℉. Overseeding is a good practice to avoid patches and uneven grass.
Use a pre-emergence herbicide - Weed and feed products are easy to acquire and use. When applied in the early spring, your grass get’s a nice shot of nutrients while weeds are stopped in their tracks before they can break the surface of the soil. Wait until soil temperatures are consistently in the 50s before applying your pre-emergence herbicide. If used too late, after the weeds have sprouted, your pre-emergence herbicide will not be effective, wasting both your time and money.
Water your lawn evenly - Check your sprinkler system to make sure you are getting adequate coverage of your lawn. Missed spots or areas that receive less water are more likely to sprout weeds as the growing season continues.
Repair any bare spots in your lawn - After a long winter, it’s common to have some damage to your lawn. To make sure weeds don’t capitalize on the bare spots repair them early in the season. Rough up the bare spots with a trowel or rake to prepare a seed bed and apply a layer of your cold-season grass seed. Rake over the seed to ensure good seed-to-soil contact and then sprinkle a fine layer of soil or mulch on top. Water lightly, making sure not to drench the seeds. Keep the patches moist and limit traffic on the spots to encourage germination.
After completing your preparations, evaluate your lawn as things begin to green up and identify weed zones that may have established themselves. Knowing which weeds are growing and where will better help you target them.
Once you’ve found those pesky weeds, you can determine the best management practice for you. First, determine the cause so you can prevent them next year. Winter frost damage, pet spots, poor light, tree roots, and high-traffic areas are all susceptible to the invasion of weeds.
You can take care of spring weeds in your lawn using simple tactics. First, you can pull them by hand, making sure to rip them out by the root to ensure they don’t grow back. This is easiest early in the season when they are small and have a developing root system. If you miss your opportunity and you have slightly larger weeds, apply a small amount of herbicide directly to the weeds. Do your best to minimize contact with the surrounding grass. This is most effective when the plants are immature.
The best things you can do to prevent spring weeds in your lawn are to keep a healthy, well-maintained stand of grass that is evenly watered and mowed. Watch out for patches developing and weeds sprouting so you can act fast to repair damage and eliminate weeds. Your lawn will be looking beautiful this coming spring!
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