A pre-emergent herbicide treatment for your lawn is critical during these last few weeks of winter. Warmer weather plays a key role in weed development, so it’s very important to treat your lawn at just the right time.
The Kansas City area has experienced a very mild winter season with minimal amounts of rain, so the ground temperature has remained slightly warmer than normal. We’re pretty certain that many lawns in the area will have some early season weed issues – except those that treat for weeds early, of course!
To clarify, pre-emergent treatments don’t kill existing weeds that are already present, they prevent them from growing in the first place – they are a completely safe way to create a thin herbicidal layer that stops weeds from germinating. That’s why the timing of the application is so important.
The Benefits of Weed Prevention:
There are many benefits to weed prevention. Lawn and garden weed control prevents grass roots from becoming too crowded, increases turf establishment rates, and decreases new grow-in time. A pre-emergent treatment, along with a proper fertilization program including broadleaf weed control will ultimately create the healthy, attractive, stress-resistant lawn you’re looking for.
Weed Control in Gardens:
Mulch plays an equally important role in the war against weeds. Not only does it add curb appeal by making flowerbeds look uniform and attractive, it also stabilizes temperatures for root development, and helps retain moisture. A good mulch layer can prevent weed seeds in the soil from receiving the light that they need to begin germinating in the first place. Additionally, a pre-emergent application to the beds can in March and May will greatly reduce the number of weeds present in beds.
There is no way to completely prevent all weeds from establishing themselves in your yard. The wind can blow seeds from a neighbors lawn, birds can deposit them, etc. However, a pre-emergent herbicide application, good timing, and a solid layer of quality mulch in landscaped beds can go a long way towards creating a beautiful yard through the spring and summer seasons.