Summer Weeds and your Lawn
Read MorePosted on: Jul 28, 2023Raunie
Introduction
Weeds are a constant issue and summer weeds are no different. While the last few years have been interesting for a number of reasons, the weather patterns definitely have caused some additional issues that make or treating summer weeds that much more difficult.
The reason for this is that when we have an extended warm period in the spring the grass and the weeds start to wake up. Unfortunately, Mother Nature decided to throw a curve ball and give us another winter blast that lasted approximately 2 weeks. This fluctuation in temperatures caused the weeds to double germinate. Therefore this creates double the amount of weeds that spread once the weather stabilized. Given the fact that we use natural products, this makes it a little more difficult for us to treat throughout the year. Here are some facts and tips on how to best handle weeds throughout the hot summer months.
Visibility
When we get an extended period of extremely hot and dry weather, lawns go into dormancy to help protect their root system from the stress from the sun and air temperatures. When lawns go dormant they tend to go yellow in colour. Weeds don’t need the added protection and continue to grow strong especially when the surrounding grass may be stressed and vulnerable. This makes the weeds more visible to the naked eye and therefore easier to treat throughout the property. It is important to still keep the lawn cut during these months for the weed control to be more effective in reducing their presence within the lawn.
Don’t pull them out
By pulling out the weeds you are actually causing more harm than good in most cases. When a weed establishes and Fiesta is applied, the product is absorbed by the leaves and travels to the tap root killing the existing weed. When pulling a weed, the space left behind is an ideal spot for new weeds to grow. Also, the seeds that cling to the root system are disrupted and more weeds will germinate within the area. A common analogy references an old-wives tale of pulling a grey hair out of your head – by pulling one, 5 more come in its place. The same is true for weeds!
Watering and weeds.
We cannot stress enough the importance of watering your lawn. Especially when it is consistently over 30 degrees Celsius and we aren’t getting consistent rainfall. By providing the benefits of water to your grass, of course it results in the weeds getting watered too. This causes everything to grow and require a cut. When the lawn is cut it exposes the tap root allowing the weed control to be more effective. If the lawn isn’t being cut regularly the weed control will take longer to work.
Conclusion
While summer weeds are a problem, knowledge is the power towards the solution! Knowing what your lawn needs will help arm you towards preventing any excessive damage throughout the hot and dry summertime.