Anyone with a yard understands how frustrating weed control can be, but with a few simple steps, you’ll be ready to tackle your weeds with ease.

Ask any gardener, and they’ll agree that weeding is one of the most dreaded landscaping tasks. Maintaining a completely weed-free landscape might not be possible, but addressing problems promptly can help mitigate this formidable task.

Rampant weeds steal water, sunlight, nutrients, and space from plants, affecting their growth, so staying on top of the weeding duties is important. Keep reading to find out which techniques and tools will make the task simpler so you can enjoy your yard again.

Know Your Weeds

The first step to effective weed control is knowing what type of weeds you’re dealing with because different types of weeds require different actions. Like any plants you intentionally grow in your garden, weeds can be annuals or perennials.

• Annual weeds – Annual weeds spread by seed through self-seeding or birds and other animals. Examples include crabgrass, chickweed, pigweed, common mallow, nettle, speedwell, and spurge. Just as with other plants, annual weeds can be cool-season or warm-season.

Cool-season annual weeds sprout from fall through spring and grow even during winter. The weed might disappear during the summer, but if you don’t eradicate it in the spring, you’ll see even more of them germinating the following fall.

Warm-season annual weeds start growing in the spring and last through the growing season. You must remove these weeds before they begin to seed again. These weeds often have shallow roots, so you can easily pull them out by hand or with a hoe.

• Perennial weeds – Perennial weeds are spread by seed and creeping roots. These weeds are the most difficult to control because if you don’t pull out the entire root, the plant can reproduce from every piece left behind. Some examples of perennial weeds include ground ivy, ragweed, burdock, poison ivy, thistle, and dandelion.

Hoeing and tilling aren’t the best choices for removing perennial weeds since these methods can’t dig deep enough. These weeds are the easiest to remove in early spring when the ground has recently thawed. Sometimes herbicide is the only solution for eradicating these stubborn weeds.

Make a Plan

Now that you know your weeds, it’s time to make a treatment plan to eradicate them. There are many different ways to control weeds, and the method you choose will depend on what’s best for you, your family, and your yard.

The five general categories of weed control are:

1. Preventative-Preventative weed control is any method that aims to prevent weeds from taking root in the first place.
2. Cultural-You can achieve cultural weed control by creating an environment that makes it difficult for weeds to compete with the plants we want to have. Building healthy turfgrass is an effective way to achieve this.
3. Mechanical-Mechanical weed control refers to any technique that involves the use of equipment. The two most common types of mechanical control are tilling and mowing.
4. Biological-Biological weed control involves using natural enemies of weed plants to control germination. Some examples include using the cinnabar moth to control tansy ragwort or the chrysolina beetle to control St. John’s Wort.
5. Chemical-Chemical weed control refers to using any chemical or herbicide to reduce weed growth.  

Time Your Application

Once you’ve selected your desired method for weed control, you must determine the best time to apply it. Utilizing weed control at the correct time is just as important as using the right type.

Chemical weed control is often categorized as either pre-emergent or post-emergent. Here’s what you need to know about applying these products to keep pesky weeds at bay:

• Pre-emergent herbicides-Pre-emergent herbicides work best on annual weeds and should be applied in the spring before the weather turns warm. This product places a protective barrier around the seeds to prevent them from germinating and growing in the summer months. This product comes in a liquid or a granulated version and should be used when the temperature is below 60 degrees.

• Post-emergent herbicides-Post-emergent herbicides need to be applied regularly throughout the spring and once in late fall. You should use this product once you start to see weeds and plants growing during the spring season. Pull away the weed to open up the structure before administering this chemical.

How To Prevent Weeds From Growing

The best way to control the pesky weeds in your yard is to stop them before they take root. Consider taking the following steps to prevent weeds from growing in the first place:

1. Fertilize-Too much fertilizer helps nourish certain weeds, but too little can lead to a sparse lawn that loses the competition with weeds. Strike the balance of fertilizing enough but not too much.
2. Water your grass infrequently and deeply-Lawns need about one inch of water per week. Instead of frequent watering for only a few minutes each time, provide your lawn with infrequent, deep soakings.
3. Mulch your beds-Mulch is an effective and natural option to prevent weeds from taking over your garden. Apply a thick layer two inches deep in the garden area to keep weeds at bay.
4. Use the closest recommended spacing-Weeds prefer open, sunny spaces between plants. Plant your garden shrubs at the closest recommended spacing to eliminate these open areas.
5. Plant a cover-A synthetic landscape fabric provides a physical barrier to keep weeds from thriving.
6. Apply pre-emergent herbicides-Pre-emergent herbicides help kill weeds as they germinate.
7. Deprive weeds of water-Weeds can’t survive without moisture, so refrain from watering them whenever possible.

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Mowing your lawn is essential to keeping your grass lush, healthy, and green; it also encourages growth. But did you know there’s a right way and a wrong way to cut the grass? You can trace some of the most common lawn problems back to how you mowed your lawn. Here’s a look at some basic rules for clipping your grass the right way to encourage a healthy, happy yard. 

Rule 1: Don’t Cut Wet Grass

You might be tempted to wake up early Saturday morning to mow the lawn before the heat kicks in, but that’s not what’s best for your grass. Wet grass doesn’t cut well and causes an uneven trim, so it’s essential to wait until it’s dry. But cutting the grass when it’s too hot can cause stress to you and the lawn. Mowing in the early evening is ideal because this is when the dew has dried up and the heat of the day is gone. This gives the grass time to recover before the intense sun hits the next day.

Rule 2: Set Your Mower to High

Many people prefer to cut their grass as short as possible so that they don’t have to mow again for a week or more. However, what’s best for your lawn is to set your mower to the highest preferred setting for your specific type of grass. 

That’s because longer blades of grass develop deeper root systems that resist drought and can find moisture and nutrients from deep in the soil. Taller blades also shade the soil and keep its temperature cooler, discouraging weed growth.

Check your grass type because certain grasses like Bermuda, centipede, and zoysia thrive with a lower mower setting. 

Rule 3: Change Your Mowing Pattern

Do you mow a cool checkered pattern into your grass? Or maybe you just start on the outsides and work your way in? There are so many different options when it comes to mowing patterns for your yard, and the best thing for any lawn is to change things up every time you cut your grass. 

Mowing the same route over and over can cause your grass to lean in one direction rather than standing upright. It can also lead to ruts in your yard. Mowing in different directions will lead to tall, upright grass that’s healthier and happier than grass that leans heavily in one direction.

Rule 4: Mow When the Grass Is Ready

We get it, you live your life on a schedule. But as tempting as it might be to add mowing your lawn as a recurring task every Saturday, your grass will do better when you don’t mow on a schedule. Instead, only mow when your grass needs it. 

Typically that means waiting a little longer than you might think you should. The season, type of grass you have, and its growth pattern will all determine when it’s the right time to mow. Rapid growth in the spring typically requires you to mow more frequently and then slows in the heat of the summer and into the fall months.

Rule 5: Leave Grass Clippings on Your Lawn

Have you ever walked on a freshly mowed lawn with wet feet and had grass clippings stuck to every inch of your feet and legs? It’s not fun. It’s also not great to look out at your yard to see piles and piles of heavy grass clippings. But that’s not what we’re suggesting.

If your grass is super long, it’s best to bag the clippings and add them to a compost pile or dispose of them in the green waste. As long as your grass is shorter and you’re not cutting off a huge amount, leave the clippings on the lawn. They break down quickly and return essential nutrients to the soil, which is a great way to encourage a lush, green lawn.

Rule 6: Mow With Sharp Blades

You sharpen your kitchen knives whenever they get dull, right? A dull blade can’t do the job it was meant to do nearly as well as when it’s sharp. The same is true of your lawnmower blades. Cutting your grass with dull blades can tear your grass instead of leaving a clean cut, resulting in brown, ragged edges. 

Over time this can weaken your grass and allow diseases to overtake it. Generally, you should sharpen your mower blades once a year—this will help improve your lawn’s health and keep your mower running more smoothly.

Rule 7: Be Smart About Safety

A lawnmower’s blades are powerful and can cut more than just grass if you’re not careful. Always be sure to follow these helpful safety tips when mowing your grass:

• Wear appropriate footwear. Flip flops or sandals are a major safety hazard when operating a lawnmower. Make sure your shoes are closed-toe and offer plenty of protection for your feet.
• Keep kids and pets away when mowing, especially if your mower is loud.
• Protect your eyes from flying debris by wearing sunglasses when you mow.
• Wear earplugs if your mower is too loud. Avoid headphones unless they are noise-canceling.
• Avoid mowing a slow up and down since this can result in slipping. Stick to a side-to-side pattern to keep yourself safe.
• Mow forward whenever possible. Try to avoid pulling the mower backward.
• Clear your yard of any sticks, rocks, or toys before you mow to minimize the mower flinging objects through the air.

Aeroscape Property Maintenance & Landscaping Can Help

Mowing your lawn regularly and properly is essential to keeping your lawn lush and green from spring until fall. Aerorscape Property Maintenance & Landscaping is here to make maintenance a breeze. 

Our landscaping and sprinkler experts are ready to serve your Utah home or business all year long. We provide superior property maintenance and landscaping services in Midvale, Utah, and throughout the greater Salt Lake area, including Park City, Lehi, and more. Contact us today to get started!