Spring Lawncare Tips: 4 Ways to Prevent Weeds

As many parts of the country head into consistently warmer temperatures, it’s prime time for taking stock of the state of your lawn. Nothing spoils an otherwise-beautiful lawn like patches of weeds. Here are four key tips to setting your yard up for a successful season.  

• Feed your lawn on a regular basis: Build a fertilizing schedule (many fertilizer companies have schedules within their apps) and follow it. Consistency is key to seeing results. In general, fertilize about once every 6 to 8 weeks. Make sure to build your fertilization plan with your specific region and turf types in mind.  
• Mow at higher heights: Weeds are plants. Just like your lawn, they need sunlight to germinate and grow. If you maintain your turf at higher heights with proper maintenance, it will limit the ability for weeds to germinate. An added benefit of taller turf is that it strengthens your grass and makes it healthier. Depending on your fertilization schedule, irrigation habits and weather patterns, you can play around with lowering or increasing the height by ¼ inch For cool-season grasses, set your mow height to 3 to 3.5 inches. For warm-season grasses, mow height should be 2 to 2.5 inches.

Recommended Heights During Growing Season:

• Practice deep watering: Irregular, deep watering is key to successful turf growth. Frequent, light watering will encourage shallow root growth. In turn this will promote thin grass, bare spots, and weed growth. Infrequent, deep watering will encourage deep roots and a stronger, thicker plant, which will crowd out weeds. Water should penetrate about 6 to 8 inches into the soil. We suggest allowing established grass to get 1-1/5 inches of water per week.
• Don’t go bare: Avoid leaving bald patches in your lawn because weeds will likely take advantage of them. First, figure out the cause of the issue. If those bare spots aren’t due to fungi, bugs or grubs, seed may be all you need. If you’re unsure of the cause, provide a sample to your local lawn care service or garden center for testing. Then, prep the soil by weeding and loosening the surface. For grass seed, sow and then cover with topsoil. For sod, cut a patch to fit and tamp firmly into the soil. Then water well — seeds must be kept moist until they sprout.

 Follow these guidelines to start your yard off on the right foot this spring and summer season.