Preventing Winter Weeds Now Leads to Spring Lawn Health
Spring may be some time away, but lawns still face challenges from winter weeds. Here at American Lawnscape, we understand the importance of proactive weed control to maintain a lush, green lawn throughout the growing cycle.
In this blog series, we’ll discuss our approach to winter weed control (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weed_control) and how it sets your lawn up for success in the coming months.
Understanding Pre-emergent Herbicides:
Pre-emergent products prevent weeds from growing in your lawn but there is much confusion about how they do that and how they should be applied. Let’s start with what pre-emergents don’t do. Pre-emergent products do not keep seeds from germinating. In fact, seeds must germinate before pre-emergents can work.
So what are they? Pre-emergent products come in both liquid and granular form. The most common pre-emergent compounds are pendimethalin, prodiamine and dithiopyr (Dimension). Granular products are applied with a rotary or drop style spreader.
If it’s a liquid, it can be sprayed on with a backpack sprayer, hose and tank system or a motorized wheeled spray system.
Regardless of whether you apply a liquid or a granular, these products must be watered in to be effective. Most manufacturers recommend at least 1/2 inch of water (normally one complete cycle of your sprinkler system).
Applying a pre-emergent right before a steady rain is also effective. As the product is watered in, it dissolves and binds with the organic materials in your soil. This creates a shield or protective barrier. This “shield” is at full strength right away and slowly deteriorates and loses its effectiveness over the course of a few months.
As weed seeds germinate (crack open), the initial stages of growth come in contact with your herbicide barrier and stop their growth. The product has stopped the plant from “emerging” into a full plant.
Most recommendations for our area are to apply pre-emergent products before spring, early summer and fall. There are many weeks in the winter where the temperature is warm enough for both winter and spring season weeds. Applying a “shield” every few months ensures that your lawn doesn’t go unprotected for long periods of time.
A head start now means a healthier, greener lawn going into summer.
Don’t let winter weeds steal the spotlight! Contact American Lawnscape today to learn more about our winter weed control program. Our experienced technicians will assess your lawn and recommend the most effective solution to keep those pesky winter weeds at bay.
Any Questions?
As always, please reach out with any questions pertaining to your yard. You can reply or call/text (214-308-1322). We appreciate getting to work with you and appreciate your partnership.
Throughout this Winter Weed Blog Series, we’ll drill down into weed prevention strategies as well as specific weeds that you will likely see during winter months.
Learn More Information
2024/25 Winter Weed Series (#1 of 8)
How do I manage my Sprinkler System during all of this rain?
Why it’s Important For Turf Health To Aerate Your Lawn
Understanding Watering is Critical to Your Lawn’s Health
What are Pre-emergent Products?