How to control weeds | Tip of the Week

Keep weeds in check

What is a weed? It's any plant that grows where we don't want it. Often, they are non-native, potentially invasive plants that can outgrow and crowd out the plants we put in our landscape on purpose. In this blog post, we will tell you how to avoid a big problem in the height of the growing season. The key is to get rid of them before they flower or go to seed.

There are two basic methods of weed control: hand pulling and spraying

Hand pulling weeds
If the ground is still moist from rain, pulling weeds becomes much easier and you should be able to remove the root easily. If you only remove the top part of the weed but leave the root in the ground, it will soon grow back.

At the end of a weed-pulling project, there's great satisfaction in seeing the nicely cleaned bed area and the big stack of weeds that are no longer in your yard. Hand-pulling weeds is not a one-time effort - you'll need to keep an eye out for those left-behind roots sprouting and for weeds that come in on the wind and try to make a new home in your landscape.

Spraying weeds
Applying a weed-killer product is another option and is most effective when sprayed on small, newly emerging weeds. Trying to pull out short weeds often ends up with them breaking and leaving the root in the ground to regrow. Taller weeds that are sprayed will eventually turn brown and will still need to be pulled out and removed.

Use the proper treatment on the right weed. Before applying any weed killer, read the label, pay attention to safety precautions and pollinator information and know the difference between the two basic types of products. Better still, rely on one of our maintenance professionals with proper training and licensing to use weed killers safely and most effectively.

Don't expect to become weed-free
For many weeds, total eradication is unlikely. For example, if your neighbor lets dandelions bloom, you won't be able to keep them from popping up in your landscape. You'll need to determine how many unwanted plants you can tolerate seeing when choosing your weed control method. 

Remember that a healthy landscape is your best defense against weeds. Encourage the plants  you want by keeping them healthy so that they can establish themselves and push out weeds by claiming their real estate.