Your average do-it yourselfer lacks the basic tools to properly treat weeds in turf grass. There are many cultural practices that contribute to overall weed control. There is no magic product that will completely fix a neglected lawn. Increasing your lawns health and density is a good place to start. If your lawn is weak and stressed, your grass does not have the strength to compete with actively growing weeds. Many of the cultural practices that contribute to a weak lawn are avoidable. Increasing the quality of your turf will help you properly treat weeds. If you lawn is thick and healthy, it will naturally provide resistance against weeds. Thin and neglected lawns will encourage weed infestation.
Properly treat weeds in your lawn through mowing.
Let’s start with mowing. When cutting Kentucky Bluegrass and Fescue turf it is important to maintain a cut level of about 2 ½ inches in the spring and fall and 3 to 3 ½ inches in the summer. When I refer to summer, depending on the year, summer mowing heights should be exercised when daily high temperatures are consistently above 85 degrees F. Scalping your lawn by cutting your grass blades too short will weaken the grass and makes your lawn vulnerable to weed infestation. On the other hand, not cutting your lawn frequently enough can also stress your lawn by cutting off too much of the grass blade at once. Since nutrients are stored in the blade of the grass, only cut 1/3 or less off at a time to ensure that the health of the plant is maintained. Healthy mowing habbits will help you properly treat weeds naturally by providing competition.
If you lawn is lacking nutrients, this can diminish the health of your grass and lead to a weed take over. If you are unsure of the nutrients that your lawn needs, the only true way to find out is take a soil sample of your lawn. Most lawn care providers like Clean Cut can analyze soil samples from your lawn and tell you what nutrients your lawn has too much of and what nutrients your lawn may need.