Learn how to prevent weeds from overtaking your garden.
Weeds are an inevitable part of gardening and maintaining a healthy landscape. They can sometimes perform valuable services, such as fixing nitrogen in the soil, but most gardeners prefer to keep the weeds from growing. You can use several techniques to prevent weeds from growing in your landscape, including Scientific Plant Service’s unique weed program. Read on to learn how to avoid unruly weed growth this summer.
Keep Healthy Grass and Soil
As with all good landscaping, most problems can be curbed by maintaining healthy grass. Thatching, or raking away dry stubble in your grass, lets the grass fill in and prevents weeds from taking root. Thatching may only need to be done during the spring and fall when clippings are more abundant. Letting your lawn grow longer also lets your grass shade any undesirable plants from germinating and form denser roots. Additionally, if you have a high density of weeds, this can often indicate soil deficiency that needs to be checked.
Mulch Your Garden
Many weeds are pioneer species that move in to protect bare soil from the sun and create microclimates for plants to grow beneath them. You can prevent weeds from moving into bare soil by covering your soil with mulch. Be careful not to let too much mulch accumulate in your garden though.
Uproot Your Weeds
This old-fashioned method of weed removal is still a viable option, even though it can be tiring. However, it is important to remember that only some weeds like dandelion and thistle need to be uprooted. A hoe can otherwise scrape away plants that don’t require uprooting. Several weeds, including dandelion and chickweed, are edible and can be used after you remove them from your garden!
Synthetic Herbicides
Although weeds can be edible, and fix nitrogen in your soil, they can spread quickly and become a nuisance and an eyesore. Synthetic herbicides might be able to help control and prevent weeds in your garden. You can use selective herbicides, which only kill undesired plants and are otherwise safe for your lawn. Non-selective herbicides kill everything and should only be used for instances such as killing thistle sprouting from patio cracks. Whatever product you use, make sure you follow the safety precautions carefully.
Basic 1-2-3 Weed & Feed
Scientific Plant Service’s unique program helps prevent weeds from growing in your lawn in three steps. First, an early spring POLYON fertilization will slowly release nitrogen when your grass plants can best utilize it into late summer. An herbicide is incorporated into this fertilizer that prevents the germination of crabgrass and goosegrass.
In late spring, we return to apply herbicide controls, and we only treat where the weeds are active. Finally, when the stress of summer nears its end, we scout your lawn for weeds and apply POLYON fertilizer to feed your lawn through autumn. This treatment helps keep your lawn healthy and helps prevent weeds throughout the year.
Scientific Plant Service Is Your Go-To Source In Landscape Healthcare
Scientific Plant Service, located in Baltimore, is a privately owned corporation, chartered in Maryland in 1957 by Frank J. Burke. We started as a full-service Arborists specializing in the care of shade trees and ornamental shrubs, but today we are a Lawn Care company that is a huge part of the community. From aquatic environments and snow management to deer and mole control, SPS has services tailored specifically for your lawn and landscape.
We offer services in Maryland, Washington, DC, and Virginia, including: Harford, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Howard, Anne Arundel, Montgomery, Prince Georges, Talbot, Queen Anne’s, Calvert counties in MD, as well as Loudoun County, Fairfax County, Arlington, Alexandria, and Falls Church in VA. For more information, contact us online, or call us at 410-321-0970. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest!