From fertilizer to herbicide, Turf Plus offers lawn solutions to common lawn myths. We offer the thrid instalment of our 5 part series, we give you myths 6 and 5. As always, if you have any questions or comments, please take advantage of the comments section below this post. (more…)
Posts Tagged ‘Weeds’
The Top Ten Myths of Lawn Care and What YOU Can Do About It: Part 3
Wednesday, June 24th, 2009The Top 10 Myths of Lawn Care and What YOU Can Do It: Part 2
Thursday, June 18th, 2009After surveying many of our customers, we found some common myths which can be very problematic. In an effort to alleviate some of these misunderstandings, we offer the second instalment of our 5 part series, we give you myths 8 and 7. As always, if you have any questions or comments, please take advantage of the comments section below this post. (more…)
If you dont kill crabgrass now, youll regret it later
Monday, June 8th, 2009You may have already started seeing crabgrass and other summer annuals in the cracks of your sidewalk or driveway. This is an indicator of the weeds that may soon infiltrate your lawn. You should have already received a first application of pre-emergence. A second application will help reinforce the pre-emergence barrier, and therefore prevent many of these weed-seeds from taking root and infesting your lawn.
The pre-emergence window is coming to a close. Act now and keep that nasty crabgrass out!
Crabgrass
Monday, May 4th, 2009Description: resembles orchard grass, forms in patches, side branches w/ wide leaves that branch out in a star shaped pattern
Peak Season: Summer-annual grass (July – August)
Treatment: Pre-emergent herbicide to prevent germination
Crabgrass begins with a single shoot that grows side branches and then extends out forming a star shape. Recognized by its wide leaves and blades, crabgrass also forms in patches in your lawn
When will I see Crabgrass?
Crabgrass is an summer annual weed, meaning it grows seasonally, namely during the summer months. We start to see crabgrass in the cracks of the roads and sidewalks in June, which is an indicator of possible growth in your lawn a few weeks later (peaking from July – August).
How do I get rid of Crabgrass?
There is not a selective herbicide that kills existing crabgrass and not your lawn. If you already have this noxious weed, the only way to get rid of it is by hand. Because its a summer annual weed, it will only last for the season, and if properly prevented, will not plague your lawn for years and years.
How do I prevent Crabgrass from infiltrating my lawn?
There are a few things you can do to help prevent new growth in your lawn. These include:
- A Pre-emergence herbicide in April or May to help prevent germination.
- Mowing your lawn on the second highest setting to help crowd out any potential growth and block out the sunlight.
Spurge
Monday, May 4th, 2009Description: Greenish-yellow, heart-shaped leaves. Tiny, inconspicuous flowers.
Peak Season: May – October
Treatment: Herbicide
Spurge can be identified by its greenish-yellow, heart-shaped leaves which stem out in an umbel fashion, meaning from a central point (the way umbrella ribs do). The small, inconspicuous flowers bloom from May to October and grow in clusters of around 10 or 12.
When will I see spurge? Spurge is a perennial, meaning it can live for years. Therefore, you may see it in your lawn throughout the year as long as there is no snow. It begins to flower and accelerates growth in May, slows down for the hot summer months, then continues rapid growth as the weather cools in September with the flowering disappearing in October. How do I get rid of spurge and how long will it take? Spurge is one of the harder weeds to kill with a selective herbicide, but it can be done. Apply this every 5 to 6 weeks. You should start to see damage and withering to the leaves after the first or second application, with the plant completely killed after 6 consecutive applications. If you don’t want to wait for the whole summer, you may consider weeding them by hand. If you choose this option, make sure you pull out the whole root system or they will grow back. How do I prevent spurge from infiltrating my lawn? While there is no way to perfectly keep out all spurge, there are a few things you can do to help prevent new growth in your lawn. These include:
