No one likes weeds, so it’s a given that weed control is an essential part of any landscape maintenance plan. This week we’re covering the best methods for weed control in any area. You’ll never eradicate them completely, but you can make it look like you have.
Read on to find out what your landscaping team should be doing.
We know the details can be a bit dry, but it’s a quick guide you can refer back when you need to make sure the right maintenance plan is practiced at all your site locations.
A Weed is Usually Considered to be Any Plant Growing Where it is Not Intended
A maple seedling that has sprouted in a seasonal color bed is a weed. Honeysuckle is very desirable if kept trimmed, but it can cover a fence in one growing season if not maintained, and is thought of as a weed.
Weed control can be accomplished in several different ways, depending on the application. Herbicide is the most effective and provides the fastest results, but is not always the best method.
In beds, spray herbicide can be applied topically with a pump sprayer. If desirable plants are present, care must be taken to spray only the weeds. It may be necessary to hand pull weeds to avoid killing desirable plants.
In turf areas, a pellet fertilizer containing an herbicide should be broadcast applied at the beginning of the growing season. The fertilizer should contain a pre-emergent herbicide to prevent new weed growth. Pre-emergents kill the weeds and reduce new weed growth by also killing the seeds. In warmer climates, it may be necessary to apply herbicide more than once a year.
Weeds that grow in the cracks of sidewalks and paved areas must be spray treated with a topical herbicide throughout the growing season as they appear. Using a topical spray on weeds in a turf area will also kill the surrounding grass, which will necessitate reseeding, or planting new sod to the affected area.
The active ingredient in herbicides reacts with the root systems of any plant, and should never be applied to kill sucker growth at the base of trees. Doing so could kill the tree. Suckers are to be hand trimmed as they appear throughout the growing season.
Broad-leaf weeds such as dandelions, clover, and dollar-weed are more aggressive than grassy weeds such as crabgrass. Some herbicides are formulated specifically for either broad-leaf or grassy weeds.
Preventing Weeds is More Cost Effective than Killing Them
If weeds have been allowed to overrun a turf area, a broadcast spray application by a licensed professional is probably the only method that will kill all the weeds. Herbicides have been possibly linked to conditions like cancer, so use them with caution.
Dated signs must be posted when herbicides are sprayed. The signs may state the area was treated with pesticide, as the same license is required for herbicide and pesticide application.
It is important to remember that herbicide treatment must be more frequent in areas with longer growing seasons.
How do you keep up on your weed maintenance? Let us know in the comments! Are you ready to bring in professional landscapers to turn your backyard into a lush, weed-free paradise? Contact the Transblue franchise nearest you to connect with our experts!