Don’t let weeds take over as snow and ice leave your lawn

Weed control is absolutely an all-year round job for lawn owners. Fighting weeds and all methods of weed prevention, however, are best done in the fall and in early spring. These are the best times in your year-long calendar to take advantage of the growing season of turf grasses. Like so many other lawn care habits, timing is everything with weed control. At this very moment, if you have not had your lawn treated for weed control just yet, you need to act fast. If you let the end of February pass without applying early treatment, you will be fighting weeds all summer with post-emergent herbicides. Even more so, it will be harder to control the weeds as they will have germinated by the time spring is ready to roll. Now that is not exactly “weed control.”

Aside from being unsightly, weeds compete with your grass. At this time, your February lawn is just getting ready to wake up from a long winter slumber. It should be ready to consume the precious nutrients you fed it before winter. Now more than ever, your grass is rebuilding its root system. This is a crucial time for your grass as it will help them rebound green and lush come spring time. Proper weed control helps your grass have a fighting chance against the inevitable attempts of various weeds at this time.

How, then, do you want to position your weed control treatment and timeline in these few weeks before spring?

Know that some weeds also grow in cycles throughout the season. They follow their own growing season. These are called annual weedsf. In fall, there are some types of weeds that grow, bloom, and seed over the winter. Although these seeds die in winter, they lay there the whole time to wait for the snow to go away. They take their time to sprout again when spring begins. There are other types of weeds that can withstand extreme climates. Their root are so much established that they can withstand the frost in winter.

There is one known weed control solution for both types of weeds – the pre-emergent herbicide.

This weed control agent is best at this time of year. Why? Because as its name suggests, the pre-emergent weed killer gets rid of weeds before they have a chance to sprout. This is given that you apply them at this time instead of waiting for spring to come. If you wait a bit until the last of the snow and ice melts away, it might be too late. Once the weeds germinate and sprout, it becomes too late to stop them completely. You will end up in a painstaking battle against them all summer until fall comes again to put them to rest. February is the perfect time to prevent weeds from taking over your lawn before your grass even gets the chance to grow. Act fast and you will do well with a great pre-emergent weed killer as your weed control aid.

There can only be so many options of pre-emergent weed killers to list as your weed control measure. The chemical content differs based on the different kinds of weed seeds you need it for. You should also take into consideration the reaction time of the weeds you have to the type of pre-emergent weed killer you chose. Iowa lawns commonly have dandelion and crabgrass problems. Crabgrass Preventers is one weed control option you will want to consider to bid your crabgrass problems goodbye.

Pre-emergent herbicides primarily help in weed control by preventing the crabgrass and dandelion from emerging.

Thus remember to never start treating your lawn too early or too late. The timing of the applicatio of this weed control agent should be just before germination so it would work effectively on those unwanted weeds. Observe your lawn. Include the temperature changes. Between now and early spring, your lawn needs to veil of protection that only the pre-emergent weed killer can provide. You must apply it and water it into your lawn. Do not be selective of where you apply it. Consider applying it on the entire lawn. Weeds do not choose space. They can grow on any part of your lawn. Hence it is best to keep your lawn protected early before spring sets in.

FAQ: Can I just choose any powerful pre-emergent herbicide and apply it on my grass?

Choosing just any weed control agent spells out suicide for your lawn. It’s fine if you get lucky, but what if it’s otherwise? Pre-emergent herbicides come in different types and components. You cannot use them on just any type of grass. Weed killers normally specify in their product labels for which grass and type of weed they are safe and effective to use. Remember to review the product label before making a purchase and before applying pre-emergent herbicide on your lawn. The worst case scenario is if you end up killing your entire lawn. Identify your weeds and grass first. This helps you pick the right kind of pre-emergent herbicide to use.

Once you have the type of weed and your grass type down, then you can start looking at options for an effective pre-emergent herbicide. There is usually enough information on the labels, but do not hesitate to enlist the help of a lawn care expert to help you determine with accuracy what your lawn grass and weeds need.

What All American Turf Beauty Says About Weed Control in February

Weeds are a real pain to deal with, not to mention the perennial ones that just won’t go away! Stop the weeds from invading your lawn after the winter ice leaves. Get ahead of them with the right timing and targeted lawn solutions. Your lawn care experts in Iowa can give you insights and seasoned advice on weed control in between winter and spring. Get in touch with the lawn care experts of All American Turf Beauty to keep you on the right track with your weed control timeline. Call us today and talk to our lawn care experts at 1-800-365-8873 or you may visit us at 311 Desoto Rd, Van Meter, IA.