Cultivating a lush and luxuriant garden and lawn means taking good care of the plants that you do want and eradicating the weeds that you don’t. Persistent weeds like crabgrass, dandelions, thistle, and others can be unsightly and difficult to get rid of once they get established. Using the right weed killers can help you stop them from growing and keep them from coming back.
Pre-emergents Nip Problems in the Bud
Pre-emergent weed killers work by creating a barrier that prevents weed seeds from germinating in the first place. When using these types of weed killers, it is important to treat the entire area thoroughly. If you miss a spot, weeds can escape treatment and grow in your lawn.
Pre-emergent weed killers generally must be watered into the soil. This allows them to reach the weed seeds before they break ground and disrupt your lawn. Check labels carefully before using this sort of weed killer on a newly seeded lawn. You may need to wait until after you had to mow a few times before pre-emergents can be used safely.
Post-emergent Clean-Up
Post-emergent weed killers attack the weeds that are already growing in your lawn or garden. Generally, these are used for spot-treating broadleaf weeds and some grassy weeds. Check your lawn regularly for intrusive plants. These sorts of weed killers work best on younger plants that are actively growing. Do your best to catch weeds before they go to seed. Once weeds go to seed, they can spread and affect a wider area. If a weed does escape your notice and matures, do not worry. You can usually successfully eradicate it by using repeated treatments.
Timing is everything when it comes to removing unsightly weeds from your lawn. Faithfully treat early in the year with a pre-emergent herbicide, then follow up with post-emergents when needed. By keeping up with this task, you can assure that your lawn is full, lush, and pleasing to the eye.
