Thick Lawns Prevent Weeds

Thick, healthy lawns have fewer weeds. Why is this? The density and health of the grass will out-compete weeds for water and vital nutrients.

To test this idea, find a thick healthy lawn and walk along the driveway and sidewalk. These areas, where the turf is ending and not as thick, may have a weed or two. Now, walk in the lawn - no weeds. Likewise, look at thinner, unfertilized lawns. You will find weeds all over. Compare this to the thick lawn.

Of course, it is possible the thick lawn owner has used something to kill the weeds. However, we all know how fast weeds pop up, so the likelihood that the thick lawn is only weed-free because of weed control is slim.

Do you have thoughts about this? Leave a comment below.

"Neon" Grass in Your Lawn

Poa Annua (Annual Bluegrass) If you look closely, you can compare its color
to the darker grass in the background.

Two types of bluegrass, poa trivialis and poa annua (Annual Bluegrass) will appear in your lawn as neon green patches of grass in the spring. If you have a Fescue lawn, these grasses are generally regarded as weeds.

Annual Bluegrass is an annual. It will take away from the uniform color of your lawn in the spring, but will die during our hot summer. You can apply a preemergent in mid-August to prevent the grass from coming back next year.

Poa trivialis is a perennial. It is more "neon" than the annual version and tends to grow a little faster than the grass in your lawn. Because this grass is perennial, the only sure way to get rid of it is to kill out your lawn in July and reseed. Weigh your tolerance for the plant with the labor intensive project of reseeding to decide if this option is right for you.

*Poa annua and poa trivialis are very similar. The seeds on poa annua alternate, while the seeds on poa trivialis are directly opposite one another.

Prevent Crabgrass Today

You can avoid this by applying a preemergent to your lawn this spring.

If you time in the next week or two to put down a preemergent, you will be able to radically reduce the crabgrass in your yard this growing season.

At RYAN, use a preemergent + fertilizer in the early spring to help lawns greenup and to prevent annual, grassy weeds like crabgrass and foxtail. Your local garden center will have a product to fill this bill, or, you can request a free estimate from RYAN.

If you have seeded any areas this spring, skip the preemergent in those places.

Broadleaf Weed Control

Since temperatures have begun warming overall (we had a high in the 30's earlier in the week!) the weeds have really begun to take off. I enjoyed a walk with my kids over the weekend and snapped this picture of some broadleaf weeds in someone's yard.

The preemergent products that homeowners (and industry professionals alike) put down earlier in the season for annual grassy weeds, like crabgrass and foxtail, provide little control of broadleaf weeds. Weeds like those pictured above (dandelions, henbit and violets) must be treated as they appear.

If you want to control these weeds on your own, choose a product labeled for the specific weeds you need to control in your lawn. Whatever product you choose, make sure you apply the product when temperatures are above 40 degrees for best results. If you would like help controlling weeds in your lawn, contact a lawn service, like Ryan Lawn and Tree, in your area.

Are Dandelions a Sign of Spring?

I don't know if I would consider dandelions my favorite sign of spring, but once these little yellow guys poke out their heads, I start feel like baseball games and picnics are just around the corner.

I spied some this week for the first time, so of course, I took a picture. Most of the plants I saw were in bare areas and along the sidewalk. To me, this is further evidence that well-maintained lawns are the best defense against weeds.

If you have some little guys in your landscape, wait until temperatures are above 40 degrees to spray them. Products available to homeowners aren't effective below this threshold.

P.S. Don't tell my niece dandelions are weeds. She LOVES them and thinks they are SO PRETTY.

NOW Is The Time To Stop Crabgrass

Crabgrass can be prevented now.*

If you live in the Midwest, the window to prevent crabgrass with a preemergent is narrowing. Crabgrass is difficult to treat once you see it in your lawn. Applying a preemergent to your lawn will stop this ugly weeds before it breaks the soil surface.

If you have a lawn service, be sure they are getting your preemergent down now. If you want to treat your lawn yourself, go to your local garden store and follow the directions on the label.

At Ryan Lawn & Tree, we actually use two preemergents, one now and one in approximately six weeks.

*Bare areas are prime locations for any weed to break through. The best defense against a weedy yard is a thick stand of grass, achieved through regular fertilizing and proper mowing and watering.

Summer Weed Control

http://extension.missouri.edu/

Weed control in the summer is more difficult than controlling weeds in the spring, because the growth rate during the hot, dry summer is considerably slower. When plants (including weeds) aren't actively growing, they don't intake weed control product as effectively.

Therefore, if you are going to treat weeds in the summer, be patient. It will take a few more applications to get the job done. Violets and nutsedge are particularly difficult to control.

Thankfully, once fall temperatures arrive, most weeds are finishing their life cycles and dying off. You may choose to apply a preemergent in the fall to prevent annual, grassy weeds (crabgrass) the next growing season. It is also acceptable to apply preemergent in the spring, before soil temperatures hit 55 degrees F.

Poison Ivy

Poison ivy is common throughout the United States, but many homeowners still have trouble identifying it. Let’s take a close look at identification, it’s irritating qualities and how to get rid of this pest.

The plant is a vine. It is very adaptable from dense shade to full sun. It can occur as a self-supporting woody shrub, as a thin trailing vine running along the ground, or as an aerial-rooted vine growing up trees, power poles or fences.

No matter the growing habits, all poison ivy has a distinctive leaf pattern of three leaflets occurring alternately along the stem. All forms of the plant are poisonous.

Poison ivy is irritating. The oil from the leaves produces an allergic reaction in many people that causes blisters and severe itching.

Poison ivy is spread through our landscape by birds eating the berries and passing them through their digestive systems. We often see small volunteer plants along fence rows and growing under trees. When you think about it, this is where birds like to congregate.

It is not hard to control poison ivy, especially when it is young. The best method is to spray the leaves with common broadleaf weed control products like Trimec or Weed No More. Use the regular spray rate. Poison ivy becomes more difficult to control when it becomes a thick vine. Cut or chop the thick vine close to the ground, then carefully pour a small amount of concentrated weed control product directly on the stump of the vine. Wait a few weeks or even a month. If there is no new growth from the stump, your plant is dead. If it sprouts new leaves from the stump, you probably need to use a brush control product. You can buy a small container of this product at a garden center or the lawn department of many chain stores.

Weeds! Weeds! Weeds!

Photo from: http://www.ppdl.purdue.edu/PPDL/

Nutsedge is growing like crazy!

Yellow nutsedge is often mistaken for grass plants when it is young, but can be identified by it's triangular stems. If you roll the stem of the plant in your fingers, you should be able to feel the triangular shape. The leaves are light green to yellowish in color, and the plants outgrow turf, making them especially noticeable in summer.

A healthy, dense, stand of turf that can compete with yellow nutsedge and other weeds is the best control method. Encourage a dense stand of turf by following proper turf maintenance practices.

Herbicides may be required when large patches of nutsedge are present in the turf area. For homeowners, a herbicide containing methanearsonate is recommended for controlling yellow nutsedge.

Purdue University offers these tips on treating nutsedge with a herbicide:

1. Be sure to read and follow all directions on the herbicide label.

2. One day before making the herbicide application, irrigate the turf area to moisten the soil profile to a depth of 6 inches.

3. Treat the area with the proper rate of herbicide based on the recommendations found on the label. Do not apply the herbicide if the air temperature is above 85^oF.

4. Two days after the herbicide application, irrigate the treated area with enough water to moisten the soil profile to a 6-inch depth.

5. Seven days after the first application, repeat steps 2 through 4. A third and possibly a fourth application may be necessary for complete control.