Fairway Green, Inc
9 Ilene Ct, Suite 14 Hillsborough, NJ 08844
Phone: (908) 281-7888

Category Archives: Weed Control

Japanese Stiltgrass

Japanese stiltgrass is an invasive summer annual that is troublesome for many homeowners, especially those whose properties are adjacent to wooded areas. Although this weed may be difficult to control and eradicate from residential lawns, this blog will walk you through why Japanese stiltgrass grows and how to go about controlling it.

About Japanese Stiltgrass

Japanese stiltgrass becomes active in late spring each year just before the far more infamous summer annual, crabgrass. Due to its creeping growth habit and low requirement for moisture and nutrients, it is highly adaptive and can spread across large areas. In wooded areas, it can blanket the entirety of the forest floor and can grow to three and a half feet in height.

From there, it can spread onto nearby residential lawns that may have shaded and thin turf and prove especially difficult to control. On a residential lawn kept at a 2”-3” mowing height, Japanese stiltgrass looks very similar to small bamboo shoots and can weave in and out of existing turf, forming dense, unsightly patches each summer. Not only does it contrast a great deal with the look of any desirable grass species in the lawn but being a summer annual, it will not persist beyond early fall. This leaves behind bare areas of exposed soil in its absence.

How to go about control

The decision on how to proceed with control measures depends on just how much of this weed exists on the property. If Japanese stiltgrass consists of most of your groundcover on your property, the best idea is to start with renovation seeding. Remember, Japanese stiltgrass is a summer annual, so it will die on its own once it becomes cooler heading into the fall. This means the lawn can be mechanically seeded with a slit seeder, core aerator, and/or dethatcher at the end of August.

In some cases, the weed cover may be too thick to seed through, especially if there are other weeds (and there usually are) in addition to the Japanese stiltgrass. If this is the case, it would be best to eliminate the worst portions of the lawn first using a non-selective weed and grass killer such as Roundup. This should be done around mid-August because seeding will have to be delayed 10-14 days following application of the herbicide.

Once the lawn has been established, or if you already had a pretty good lawn to begin with, steps must be taken to keep the Japanese stiltgrass from returning each year. Unlike the stiltgrass, desirable grasses used on home lawns require ample soil moisture and fertilization to grow vigorously enough to keep out invasive weed species. Keeping the lawn on a maintenance fertilizer program and promoting the growth of the grass will be the most important part of keeping out invasive weed species such as this one.

To gain more complete control over such an aggressor, use of herbicides will be necessary. Pre-emergent crabgrass control applications done each spring will help keep down some percentage of the Japanese stiltgrass. The control will not be as complete as it is for crabgrass, but the partial control it provides will be helpful. There are also selective herbicides that can be used to control whatever Japanese stiltgrass continues to come up in the summer. Treatments can be made to the lawn as necessary to suppress this weed while it is actively growing until the weather becomes cooler in the early fall and new growth ceases.

Conclusion

If you are struggling with Japanese stiltgrass on your property, the most important thing to keep in mind is that significant control takes time. To successfully control this weed we recommend establishing a thick lawn, then maintain the turf with a comprehensive fertilizer and weed control program each year. The biggest mistake homeowners make with this weed is trying to gain control with just a few selective applications in the summer, or having the lawn seeded without maintaining the turf.

When dealing with such a formidable issue such as Japanese stiltgrass, it is best to enlist the help of a professional lawn care company. A knowledgeable technician can walk you through the process of control step-by-step, as well as make any adjustments necessary to contend with other weed issues the lawn may develop. But even with professional help, the control will be progressive and can take years. Be patient and be persistent, and eventually you will develop the level of control you are looking for.

If you have questions about Japanese stiltgrass, and would like to speak to a licensed professional, please give our office a call at 908-281-7888, or request a free estimate online.

Nutsedge: Causes and How We Can Treat It

As a homeowner with a maintained lawn, you may have heard of something called Nutsedge. Sometimes referred to as “sedgegrass,” “nutgrass,” or “watergrass,” this undesirable plant that tends to grow in wet areas is troublesome to many home lawns. Also, nutsedge is not a grass or a broadleaf weed, it is in the sedge family. This perennial plant grows from nutlets and rhizomes in the soil, that can remain there for many seasons. Throughout this blog we will dive deeper into identifying and treating the unsightly plant.

How to Identify Nutsedge

Nutsedge is easy to identify in a well-maintained lawn. In the summer months you might notice a small area of tall lime-green colored grass that is standing out amongst your lawn, this is typically nutsedge. One way to be sure is to look closely at the plant; the plant has a triangular base, and the nutsedge blade has a pronounced mid rib running down the middle.

What to Do If I have Nutsedge

  • Nutsedge is most problematic in lawns that have poor drainage or stay wet too long. This could be from overwatering with a sprinkler system, a lot of rain, or a combination of both. The best way to minimize nutsedge is to grow and maintain dense and healthy turf to outcompete nutsedge for space, food, and moisture.Low spots in the lawn that hold water also contribute to the proliferation of nutsedge. If you have drainage issues where water is pooling and is not running off or percolating into the soil, you may need to install drains or regrade the soil on the property. This will help move the water along, so it doesn’t sit causing the soil to remain wet for long periods of time. Additionally, you may want to rethink your watering schedule and timing in those zones, if you don’t want to regrade or add drainage.

    For information about cultural practices that may help with nutsedge control, you can read our blogs about each topic.

Should I pull Nutsedge out by hand?

We do not recommend pulling nutsedge out by hand. The reason being, when you pull nutsedge out by hand, you are only removing the blade above the soil. The nutlets and rhizomes are still present in the soil. Without killing the nutlets and rhizomes the nutsedge plants will continue to regrow in the same spot.

Chemical Control Option

At this point there are no preventatives for nutsedge currently on the market, so this only leaves post emergent control options. It’s important to know that traditional broadleaf weed and/or crabgrass controls do not kill or prevent nutsedge. Why? Nutsedge is not a broadleaf weed or grass, it’s considered a sedge. For nutsedge control a specialized product specifically or nutsedge provides adequate control when applied properly. Also, you may need more than one treatment to control the nutsedge present in the lawn. We recommend contacting a professional lawn care company to treat the nutsedge.

Homeowners can also treat nutsedge. We recommend if you are going to treat the nutsedge yourself to follow the label instructions closely to get the proper control. Finally, give the product time to work before you apply more.

We do not recommend using a non-selective herbicide (i.e. Round-Up) to control nutsedge. Products like this will damage the turf surrounding the nutsedge as well! This would lead to larger damaged areas of turf that will need to be seeded to establish grass again; the idea is to kill the nutsedge, not the desired grass around it.

Conclusion

As the temperatures decrease with the onset of Fall, nutsedge will naturally start to die out on its own. It is important to remember that although the nutsedge blade is gone the nutlets will still be in the soil and will not die from the colder weather. Nutlets will produce new plants the next season and the nutsedge cycle will start over again, if left untreated.

Treating the nutsedge each year with a chemical control helps to reduce the amount of nutsedge present in the lawn from year to year. Although you may never eradicate the plant from your lawn entirely, a reduced number is more manageable than leaving it untreated.

If you are in our service area, and have questions about nutsedge control, request a free estimate online or give our office a call at 908-281-7888.

Controlling Weeds in Pavers, Patios, and Driveways

Just as you control the weeds in your lawn and landscape beds, other parts of your outdoor living space may need weed control; such as pavers, patios, and driveways. This blog explains in detail the various ways to control weeds in pavers, patios, and driveways that either a homeowner or professional can do.

 

Apply a Pre-emergent

Just like applying crabgrass pre-emergent to the lawn in the spring to prevent crabgrass, a pre-emergent weed control applied to pavers, patios, and stone driveways help suppress broadleaf weeds throughout the year.

Timing of this application is critical; it is important to apply it early in the spring before weeds start to germinate. The pre-emergent weed control acts as a barrier at the surface of all the joints and cracks in between paver stones, or driveway cracks. A pre-emergent works by appling the product before weeds germinate so when they do, that barrier controls the weed prior to breaking through the surface of the crack or joint.

Applying a pre-emergent is a great tool to largely reduce the weed population throughout the spring and summer months. So, what can be done for the weeds that sneak through the cracks and emerge on your patio and driveway? Keep reading, and we can answer that question for you!

Non-Selective Herbicide

For the weeds that were not controlled with the pre-emergent application, we recommend applying a non-selective herbicide (i.e. Finale) to spot treat weeds as they emerge. It is important to recognize when using a non-selective herbicide, it will negatively impact any plant you get the material on. Be careful not to spray any grass or ornamental plants that could be near your patio, pavers, and driveway.

Paver Locking Sand

In addition to applying various weed controls, upkeeping paver stones can help control the weed populations from year to year. When landscapers install pavers as a patio, walkway, or driveway, they finish the installation with putting down a polymeric sand or paver locking sand. This sand has small amounts of cement in it that help lock the stones in place. Over time this does erode and should be replaced to keep stones from moving and prevent cracks for weeds to come through.

This product is available at landscape supply stores, which is different than a general home improvement store like Lowes or Home Depot. It is also important to note that this sand, like grout, comes in different colors, so make sure you pick accordingly.

So how does this help with weeds? The polymeric sand acts as a hard barrier between the paver stones that locks everything in place, this also is a tougher barrier for weeds to break through. If the polymeric sand is put down correctly, it certainly helps reduce weed growth as there are little to no cracks between the pavers.

For information on how to apply the polymeric sand to your pavers, be sure to read the label on the product for instructions.

Conclusion

Weeds in pavers, patios and driveways can be controlled throughout the year with the help of pre-emergent weed control, post emergent nonselective weed control and re-applying paver locking sand when needed. With these three measures, weed growth should be very minimum between pavers and on stone driveways. If you are in our service area and would like an estimate for treating your driveway, patio, or walkways, please give us a call at 908-281-7888 or request a free estimate online.

The Importance of Crabgrass Control

The most common question we get in the early spring as lawn care professionals is “Isn’t it too early to apply the crabgrass preventer?”  Since crabgrass becomes apparent in the lawn in the hot summer months, some may think the spring is too early to apply crabgrass control. In this blog we will discuss the appropriate time to apply a crabgrass pre-emergent as well as the importance of it on your turf for the rest of the year.

 

What is crabgrass?

So, what exactly is crabgrass? Basically, it’s a weedy grass that can grow anywhere, it grows fast and we can all agree that it looks bad in a lawn. It typically grows low to the ground and resembles a “crab-like” shape. This is an annual weed, which means it germinates in the spring, proliferates throughout the growing season, drops its seed for next season and then dies in the fall. In the following spring, the seeds germinate, and the process starts all over again.

Crabgrass is the most troublesome weed in lawns and can tolerate environmental extremes; including hot temperatures, drought conditions and full sun exposure. It is a coarse textured plant and lime green in color. It also has fine hairs along the leaves and leaf sheaths. One crabgrass plant can produce upwards of 150,000 seeds, making crabgrass a very big problem in the future years. Crabgrass plants can also tolerate very low mowing heights and can still produce seeds when cut at ½ inch short.

How to control crabgrass

A pre-emergence herbicide or “crabgrass preventer” controls crabgrass by stopping the seeds from germinating and spreading. Before crabgrass seeds get a chance to germinate, you want to apply a crabgrass preventer to the lawn each spring. Once the crabgrass germinates, the pre-emergence is not effective in preventing crabgrass.

When to apply pre-emergent

It’s important to apply your crabgrass pre-emergent in the spring, before the crabgrass germinates.  Earlier is always better than later, because if you wait too long and the crabgrass seeds have germinated, the pre-emergent will not be nearly as effective. Unfortunately, the timing is based on soil temperatures so it can vary year to year. A good rule of thumb is to apply a pre-emergent between the beginning of March and the end of April. A second application can also be made about 6-8 weeks after the first, this will help prevent crabgrass from germinating later in the summer.

It is significantly easier to prevent crabgrass than it is to control it once it starts to grow. You may need multiple applications of post-emergent crabgrass control throughout the growing season to control the already matured crabgrass plant. Luckily, in the fall once soil temperatures dip below 56 degrees and we get our first frost, the crabgrass will start to die off on its own. It will start off by turning a purplish color and then It will leave brown skeletal remains behind and decompose on its own.

What happens if you don’t control crabgrass?

If you do not take care of the crabgrass on an annual basis, slowly over each season, more and more crabgrass plants germinate and take up a significant portion of the lawn. There may be some turf remaining; however, if your lawn is primarily made up crabgrass, you will need to reseed or have sod installed.

We would also like to mention that seeding requires a lot of upfront work to prepare the lawn, then bring in the right equipment to complete the seeding, followed by the big commitment of watering for the seed to germinate and grow. This process is time consuming and often very expensive.

Also, bare or thin spots in your lawn are more susceptible to crabgrass growth than a dense portion of lawn. These bare or thin spots present no competition to the crabgrass germinating, which lets the crabgrass populate. Even when you apply a crabgrass pre-emergent on your lawn, bare and thin areas are still susceptible to crabgrass germination. The best course of action is to spot seed bare or thin areas.

If you are going to do any seeding in the spring, it is important to understand the challenges that come with spring seeding. Unfortunately seeding in the spring means these areas can’t have the crabgrass pre-emergent or weed controls applied as these will adversely affect seed germination. We recommend waiting to do any large seeding renovations until late August through September. To learn more about spring seeding and its limitations, check out our recent blog.

How to apply crabgrass pre-emergent

The best way to use any lawn product is to read the label and follow the instructions from the manufacturer.  If you use a product labeled for 10,000 square feet and apply that to a 15,000 square feet lawn, you will not have applied enough product and your crabgrass control will be limited. Read the label completely and follow it closely for the best results.

Conclusion

Crabgrass prevention is important for homeowners looking to have a maintained lawn. It not only looks bad but can take over sections of your lawn if left untreated. If you are in our service area and have questions about crabgrass control, request a free estimate online or call our office at 908-281-7888.

Controlling Summer Broadleaf Weeds

During the summer, there are many broadleaf weeds in home lawns.  Some look similar to each other and often times these weeds are confused with each other.  What are broadleaf weeds?  Broadleaf weeds are dicots characterized by their broad leaves and network of veins. Whichever weed your lawn has, broadleaf weed control can help get the results you desire.

Black Medic

The black medic weed is often confused with clover and oxalis.  While black medic, clover and oxalis all grow similarly and have common features, there are many differences that distinguish the three apart from each other.

Black medic is found in mostly dry and compacted soils, it will grow along the edges of walkways, patios, driveways, etc., or in thin areas of the lawn.  It germinates from seeds in the spring and grows throughout June, July and August.  This weed can tolerate low mowing heights because of its (low, flat, stretched out) growing pattern, and it is able to grow out to 2 feet in length.  While this weed does not fully root into the ground, it does have a very deep taproot that anchors it into the soil.  Also, black medic weeds have the ability to make their own nitrogen, which is why they can outcompete turf in low nitrogen soils.

The foliage has a trifoliate leaflet arrangement at the end of the stem, similar to clover and oxalis.  The leaves have a mid-vein with pronounced rib-like veins running off vertically with a notch at the tip of the leaf.  One distinguishing characteristic is that the leaf stem on the center leaf is slightly longer than on clover and oxalis.  Black medic also produces small yellow flowers.  Once the flowers get to maturity, they form tightly coiled black seedpods, hence the name “black medic”. Like many weeds that are problem some in the summer months, broadleaf weed control can be used to control black medic in your lawn.

 

 

White Clover

White clover begins to grow in the fall when the soil temperatures are between 50 and 60 degrees and remains present annually.  Similarly to black medic, white clover is able to tolerate low mowing heights and can produce its own nitrogen making it thrive in low nitrogen soils and therefore out compete turf.  White clover forms into a mat-like pattern, meaning the leaves are arranged in threes and occasionally fours (four leaf clover or the classic shamrock shape). Further, the leaves have a white ring towards the bottom of the leaf, which distinguishes it from black medic and oxalis.  The root system is similar to

Further, the leaves have a white ring towards the bottom of the leaf, which distinguishes it from black medic and oxalis.  The root system is similar to black medic in that it has a deep taproot and spreads by stolons.  The flowers that are produced are white with a pink hue formed into a rounded head.

Oxalis

The final summer weed to note is Oxalis.  Oxalis can go by many names, but is commonly referred to as “woodsorrel” or “sourgrass”.  Their leaves are made up of 3 heart shaped leaves that are attached to the top of a stem and the leaf color ranges from green to purple.  Additionally, the oxalis weed produces a small 5 petal yellow flower at the end of its short stem.  Under intense heat this weed’s foliage often reddens, wilts and turns downward towards the ground.  The seeds germinate when air temperatures reach 60 to 80 degrees and have a similar root system to that of clover and black medic.  The plant produces seed pods which can expel the seeds out to 10 feet in all directions.  One seed pod can produce between 10-50 seeds and one plant can produce up to 5000 seeds per year.

Broadleaf Weed Control

There is a type of preventative treatment for broadleaf weeds; however it is cost prohibited in a residential lawn setting.  To control these types of broadleaf weeds, a post-emergent herbicide is used, and there are many different herbicides to choose from.  Be sure to follow the directions provided on the label about application.

Other ways to help control broadleaf weeds is through cultural practices.  Proper watering, mowing and fertilizating helps keep the lawn vigorously growing and outcompeting the weeds.

Water deeply and infrequently to improve growth of the lawn.  To start (underground irrigation systems) water your lawn 1 hour per zone twice per week.  For hose-end sprinklers water 2 hours per zone twice per week.  Water your lawn between midnight and 6 am.  Avoid early evening watering. For a more in-depth description of watering properly, check out this blog article.

Mowing your lawn regularly at a reasonable height is another important practice. We recommend keeping the grass at 3-3 ½ inches in length and only taking 1/3 of the grass blade off at a time.  Mowing below recommended grass height aids in depleting the grass of its energy reserves, and also thins the lawn’s canopy and encourages weed growth.

Regularly fertilizing your lawn helps stimulate the growth of the grass plants and outcompete the broadleaf weeds.

Also, regularly seeding bare or thin spots in the lawn will help keep those sections thick and dense to reduce weeds.

Conclusion

Even the best manicured and professionally maintained lawns eventually get some type of weeds.  At the end of the day, all three of these weeds can be controlled with good cultural practices and herbicides.  If you are unsure on how to treat these types of weeds on your own with a herbicide, choose a professional lawn care company to help.  A professional lawn care company like Fairway Green Inc. has access to state-of-the-art tools, techniques and the best products available to produce the highest quality results.

If you are in our service area or have any questions about controlling broadleaf weeds, feel free to contact us at 908-281-7888 or visit our website at www.fairwaygreeninc.com

Crabgrass Prevention and Control

What is Crabgrass?

Crabgrass is an annual grassy weed that is a problem in most home lawns throughout the country.  As an annual, it completes a full life cycle in one season and germinates from seeds that were dropped during a previous season by a mature crabgrass plant.  One crabgrass plant produces thousands of seeds which can live in the soil for many years before germinating.  Crabgrass starts to germinate when soil temperatures reach 55-60 degrees and stay at that range for about a week. For New Jersey, this is typically sometime in late April or May, but can vary from year to year depending on the weather.  Crabgrass will continue to germinate throughout the summer as well.   

Why does Crabgrass grow in my lawn?

Crabgrass is typically found in stressed areas of lawns that are thin, bare, and have poor growth.  Common examples of these areas are along curb edges, driveways, and walkways.  It favors these areas because these types of areas are hit hardest by stress throughout the season.  That being said, even a well-maintained lawn can still have annual issues with crabgrass.

What options are available for Crabgrass prevention and control?

There are many options available for crabgrass prevention and control.  Here are some helpful tips to help you this season:

  1. Crabgrass prevention can be accomplished by apply a crabgrass pre-emergent every year. Crabgrass pre-emergent needs be applied in the early spring season (March & April) and it is also recommended to complete two treatments. The second treatment should be applied 6 to 8 weeks after the first treatment and is meant to reinforce the initial treatment and increase the duration of the product into the summer season.   Crabgrass pre-emergent products typically lasts in the soil for about ten to twelve weeks depending on site conditions and cultural practices.  A crabgrass pre-emergent creates an invisible barrier in the soil and controls the plants once they cross the barrier.  For more information on how pre-emergents work, follow this link to our Landscape Bed Weed Control Blog. Try not to disturb the soil after the crabgrass pre-emergent has been applied.  If the barrier becomes compromised (core aeration, dethatching, seeding, construction, etc.), crabgrass will most likely emerge in these areas.  Because crabgrass is very similar to desired grass species, the pre-emergent will also control any new seeding you may have completed.  For this reason, (and many others), spring seeding is not recommended.
  2. Once the crabgrass plant has emerged, it’s too late to apply any pre-emergent controls. This is where a post-emergent crabgrass control will come in handy. Post-emergent crabgrass controls are applied as a liquid, directly to each plant.  This will control the crabgrass plants after they’ve already started growing above ground.  A post-emergent crabgrass control will NOT prevent new growth of crabgrass nor will it control actively growing broadleaf weeds.
  3. Keep the lawn thick for additional help with crabgrass prevention. Any bare or thin areas should be seeded in late summer. A dense lawn not only helps shade the soil, keeping it cooler, but it also provides less space for the crabgrass plants to grow.  See steps 6-9 below for additional tips on keeping the lawn thick.  All of the following steps will not only help with crabgrass prevention, but also improve overall health of your turf.
  4. When mowing the lawn, keep the grass blades at a height around 3 – 3 ½ inches and only cut off 1/3 of the grass blade at a time. Keeping the canopy of the grass tall will help shade the soil beneath, keeping it cooler which will help reduce crabgrass from germinating.
  5. Edges of driveways, walkways, patios, pools etc., typically get cut too short with a weed wacker. In addition, uneven ground can result in short mowing heights or even scalping. Both scenarios are problematic when it comes to crabgrass prevention and control.  Scalping weakens the grass plant and makes it more susceptible to injury and death when stressed.  Once turf grass is in decline and more of the soil is exposed to sunlight, crabgrass seeds can germinate in those areas.  Be extra careful mowing uneven areas and using the weed wacker along the edges to avoid cutting your turf too short.
  6. Water. Watering will not only help improve color but will aid in growth as well. By watering correctly early in the season, and continuing thru August, you will be promoting good turf growth which will make it difficult for crabgrass plants to move in.
  7. Fertilize regularly. Fertilizing on a regular basis will help stimulate growth and create a thicker lawn. When the lawn is thick and vigorously growing, it will shade the soil and create more competition against the crabgrass plants.  A thick and healthy lawn is a great way to help with crabgrass prevention.
  8. Core aerate the lawn annually. Crabgrass thrives in compacted soils. By core aerating regularly you are creating better soil conditions.  This also helps improve water and nutrient movement to the roots, resulting in a stronger root system and healthier lawn.
  9. Lime the lawn if the pH of the soil is low. The pH is the measure of the alkaline or acidity of the lawn soil. When the pH is in the proper range (6.3 – 6.5) the lawn will utilize all of the nutrients it gets during the year, creating a healthier, stronger and vigorously growing lawn.  For more details on Soil pH, here is a link to our pH and Lime blog.

Conclusion

Don’t let crabgrass become a pain in your grass!  The steps above will not only help you with crabgrass prevention and control, but they also promote a healthier lawn.  With the tips above, you and your lawn professional can reduce crabgrass and make your lawn look beautiful for years to come.  If you are in our service area or have any questions, feel free to contact us at 908-281-7888 or visit our website at www.fairwaygreeninc.com

Applying Pre-emergent Weed Control for Landscape Beds

What is Pre-emergent?

A pre-emergent is a type of weed control used to control broadleaf weeds as they germinate and before they become a problem. There are many products out on the market today. Most times it is a granular (pellet) formulation type product that is used but liquids are also available. For many landscape beds, weeds will seemingly infest over-night and homeowners will spend countless hours picking them by hand or paying a landscaper to pull them out. Applying pre-emergent weed control will give you a fighting chance to keep a little green in your wallet and the weeds out of your hands.

How does Pre-emergent for landscape beds work?

Pre-emergent works by creating an invisible barrier in the mulch/soil area. Weeds are controlled as they germinate and come in contact with the barrier.

Not all weeds and grasses are controlled by one type of pre-emergent product. There are pre-emergent products that work on annuals, some that work on perennials, and even ones that work on both. Product choice is extremely critical to ensure you don’t harm desired plants that are in your landscape beds that have not emerged by the time of application. This is especially true for homeowners that have desired perennials in their landscapes.

For example, daffodils in the picture would have been controlled if the wrong pre-emergent herbicide was utilized. We recommend applying pre-emergent weed control that is safe for your desired plants and still controls the majority of weeds. For the few undesired weeds that emerge later in the season, a non-selective herbicide like Round-up can be used directly on the weed. Always be sure to read the label prior to applying pre-emergent weed control in your landscape beds.

Applying Pre-Emergent: How to Choose the Ideal Locations?

Pre-emergent weed control for landscape beds can go on mulch, wood chips, shredded rubber mulch, rocks, stone type areas, etc. A granular product can be spread with a low volume back pack sprayer or hand crank type spreader. Driveways, walkways, and other high traffic areas should be avoided with a pre-emergent. The more traffic there is on an area, like a rock driveway where cars travel daily, the faster the material will break down and reduce its capabilities to control weeds. Weeds in these types of areas can be controlled with a combination of pre-emergent and post-emergent products, but this is outside the general scope of this blog.

Things You Can Do In Your Landscape To Help Reduce Weed Growth.

There are some things that you or your landscaper can do in the landscape beds to minimize the weeds.

  1. When installing new planting beds around your property, use a breathable landscape fabric instead of plastic or vinyl. Once trees, plants and flowers are planted and beds are edged, cut and lay down the landscape fabric prior to mulching. This will create a barrier that will help reduce weeds. The fabric can be purchased at any garden supply store and are easy to cut to any size you need. Depending on the thickness of the material, it can last anywhere from 2 to 5 years in most landscape beds.
  2. One of the easiest ways to reduce weeds in your landscape beds is a layer of quality mulch. Not only does mulch help retain moisture, but it also creates an additional barrier to reduce the weeds. Most homeowners prefer a double or triple shredded hardwood mulch that has been dyed. The dye used, which comes in many colors, will help the mulch retain its color for up to a year. A layer of mulch that is maintained around three to four inches is all that is recommended to help reduce the weeds in your landscape beds.
  3. Hand pulling weeds is also an effective way to reduce visible weeds. Keep in mind that by hand pulling the weed/plants, some of the roots may be left behind in the soil. Even if it looks like you got it all out, one little piece of root left in the soil can regrow the plant.
  4. Minimize traffic on the mulched areas. Try to not move the mulch around by raking or digging in the bed. This will disturb the mulch and weeds can start to grow.

Conclusion

Weeds are a nuisance and your time is valuable. One surefire way to help with weed management throughout the season is to treat them preventatively by applying pre-emergent weed control to your landscape beds. As the saying goes, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Here is a link to our tree and shrub service page where you can learn more about our Landscape Bed Weed Management Program. Also, if you are in our service area and have any questions, don’t hesitate to call us at 908-281-7888

9 Ilene Ct, Suite 14, Hillsborough, NJ 08844 United States | (908) 281-7888
Phone: (908) 281-7888 Fairway Green Inc.