How To Prevent Weeds From Growing: Tips From Experts

Whether it’s perennial weeds or annual weeds, these pesky plants that no one asked for can create an eyesore out of your landscaping.

The commercial and residential properties you meticulously cared for can be wrecked when weed seeds spread, unchecked, beyond control. 

Fortunately, you don’t have to let weeds dominate your lawn.

Learning what causes weeds to grow and how to kill weed seeds before they germinate will help you reclaim your greenery and enjoy its beauty once again.

SunCo has plenty of tips for filling your yard with garden plants instead of weeds, so stick around to read them all. 

Know What You’re Up Against

The key to winning any great battle is knowing thy enemy. In the case of weeds, the same is true. This knowledge will set you up for success in your quest for a greener lawn. 

You can generally divide weeds into several categories.

There are sedges, which thrive in moist environments (which is not ideal if you live in a warm region). Besides those, you might also contend with grassy weeds, such as crabgrass, or broadleaf weeds like dandelions. 

Each type of weed has its own growth habits, characteristics, and eradication recommendations.

For example, you can kill weeds like crabgrass with a good chemical spray, but it’s tougher to remove broadleaf weeds from your lawn due to their sturdy taproots. 

Give Your Grass a Defense Mechanism

Continuing with the battle analogy, you have to give your lawn the right weapons if you want it to win against weeds.

In this instance, as you try to prevent weed seeds, those weapons are stability and vitality. 

In other words, you need your lawn to be as healthy and thriving as possible. The denser your turf, the harder it is for weeds to find their way through.

Imagine standing in a large concert crowd. People can’t easily get in because everyone is packed in like sardines. That’s precisely what you want your lawn to be like, as then weeds can’t get through. 

So, how do you strengthen your lawn? Learn what nutrients it requires and regularly fertilize it.

Water the grass, but only infrequently. Waterlogged soil will stand no chance against opportunistic soil organisms like algae and fungi, and the entire soil surface will soon be full of these unsightly, controlling weeds. 

When you water your plants and grasses, do so deeply. If you watch your watering frequency, you can provide enough H2O for your lawn that it’s healthy but not soaking through. 

Watch how often you mow your lawn and at which height you leave your grass. The ideal mowing height is 2.5 to four inches.

At this height, the grass prevents sunlight from fully penetrating the soil, which is its own form of weed control. 

Use Landscape Fabric

Landscaping fabric is a powerful form of defense against weed seeds. This physical barrier can go under mulch or cover your existing garden beds to safeguard other plants from the negative effects of weeds. 

How does the fabric work? Like a tall lawn, landscape fabric limits how much sunlight weeds can receive.

Most types still allow nutrients and water through, so you don’t have to worry about starving the plants underneath. 

Adjust the Soil and pH

Okay, let’s get a bit more technical and talk about soil.

You’re on a mission for a healthier lawn that blocks out weeds, and that means understanding what type of soil your plants need.

This method of weed prevention may not be the most glamorous, but it will benefit your lawn in the short- and long-term.

First, purchase a soil-testing kit to determine the condition of your soil. SunCo also offers testing services if you’d rather have a turn-key approach.

It may lean acidic or basic, but it shouldn’t be excessively so, as grass will have a hard time growing.

If your pH isn’t at a good level, add soil amendments like sulfur or lime to get the pH reading between 6.0 and 7.0, which is slightly acidic to neutral. 

Mulch To Keep Weeds Out

Say goodbye to weeds with mulch.

This is one of our favorite ways to prevent weeds here at SunCo, as you have so many ways to add mulch to your ornamental plants, vegetable gardens, and other areas of your landscaping. 

For instance, you might consider organic mulches that naturally break down, such as wood chips.

You can use ingredients in a compost pile for your mulch. You can even rely on our services here at SunCo if you want a professional-level appearance. 

The rule of thumb is to use two to three inches of mulch to keep your lawn healthy from weeds. Too much mulch won’t be as effective.

Be aware that this form of prevention only stops weeds from growing. It cannot help if your lawn is overrun by existing weeds. 

Create an Early Line of Defense With Pre-Emergent Herbicide

Okay, so let’s talk weed killer, shall we?

Using a pre-emergent herbicide when the soil temperatures reach about 55 degrees Fahrenheit is an excellent way to kill weeds.

The difference between pre- and post-emergent herbicide is that you apply the latter before weeds sprout.

Given the soil temperature required, you’ll apply this form of weed control around the spring, but it depends when the emerging weeds usually sprout. 

Use Post-Emergent Herbicide

Many more property owners have good luck with post-emergent herbicide on Bermuda grass and more weeds that have already shown up in and around your vegetable garden.

Post-emergent herbicide works on any weeds that have already grown and can help you kill all the weeds ruining your garden, even in a severe infestation.

A selective formula will target only specific types of weeds, leaving the rest unharmed. That said, you should always review product instructions to ensure you use the herbicide correctly. 

Remove Weeds Promptly

Once you’ve controlled your weeds, you can switch to maintenance mode. Prevent weeds by being diligent.

You can pull them out if they haven’t yet gotten to seed. However, you must get the plant roots when pulling; if you only remove the head of the weed or its leaves, it will easily regrow. 

Weeding tools come in handy for dislodging weeds, and you can even use a long screwdriver if you’re in a pinch.

Just don’t try manually pulling broadleaf weeds. They don’t die easily, and they tend to propagate too much for the effort to be worth it. 

Conclusion 

You can prevent weeds in many ways.

It always helps to understand what you’re working with, including the plant species and its growth habits and seasons.

Once you have that information, you can determine the best removal method. Perhaps it’s a weed killer, like pre- or post-emergent herbicide, or maybe you can hand-pull the weeds.

However, achieving a clear lawn is not a one-time task.

You must be diligent, keeping your lawn healthy so it has a good defense against weeds, applying landscape fabric as needed, using mulch, and sprinkling your lawn with pre-emergent herbicide early in the spring. 

Get the Best Lawn Care with SunCo

If you find that weed control is dominating too much of your time, you can always count on the team at SunCo.

No weed problem is too big for us. We can diagnose the offending weeds and recommend removal methods.

We also provide lawn maintenance for residential and commercial properties. Contact us now to get started.