A Guide to Weed Control

We at Brockman Tree & Lawn Care, are your landscape maintenance and lawn care specialists in Northern New York. We recommend the following tips to help you with weed control and to gain control over your lawn.

Apply Herbicides

We use weed control with herbicides as part of a larger lawn fertilization and care program to improve turf health. There are 2 ways in which herbicides act on weed.

• Pre-Emergent Herbicides: We use these herbicides to target seeds and seedlings. They create a kind of barrier in the soil that prevents weed seeds from germinating or establishing. They are usually applied during spring.
• Post-Emergent Herbicides: These herbicides act on growing weeds and are of 2 types – selective and non-selective herbicides. As the name suggests, selective herbicides target only weeds and don’t affect the grass. Non-selective herbicides can target everything growing on your lawn. They must be used with care.

Proper Watering

Selective watering is an effective way to control weeds. The key is to deprive weeds of water. For example, when soaker hoses or drip is placed under mulch, it can irrigate plants while leaving the weeds dry. When you deprive weeds of water, the weed-seed germination can get reduced by up to 70%. However, care should be taken if you have deep-rooted perennial weeds such as nutsedge and bindweed. They can thrive under drip irrigation. We also recommend soil enrichment with organic matter.

Pulling Weeds

Pulling weeds may seem to be a simple and straightforward task. However, it is commonly seen that many homeowners make simple mistakes that render the job ineffective. We recommend the following tips:

• Start Early: Remove weeds when they are small. They will have weaker roots, making the process easier. It is recommended to pull weeds right after watering or a rain shower. The soil will be moist and it will be easier to pull weeds by the roots.
• Grab & Pull Weeds by the Base:Often, people snatch a handful of weeds and give them a sharp tug. This is more likely to snap them in two, leaving the roots in the ground. It is best to work one weed at a time, grabbing it by the base and pulling slowly to remove it from the roots.
• Use Proper Tools:We use professional kneeling and standing tools to make the task faster and more efficient.

Apply Mulch

Proper application of mulch can also help with weed control. It helps your lawn and plants by maintaining soil temperatures and moisture. At the same time, it deprives weeds of light. We especially emphasize the use of organic mulches. These mulches can host carabid beetles and crickets that feed on weed seeds. It is recommended to keep the mulch at 2 inches depth through timely replenishing. This can prevent light from passing through.

If you need any more information about weed control, feel free to contact Brockman Tree & Lawn Care. We are located in Fairport, NY, and serve the entire Northern New York. Give us a call at (585) 608-0623 or write to us using this Online Form.