Getting Rid Of Weeds in Your Backyard

If there's a weak spot in your landscape, you can trust that weeds will take advantage of it. Weeds are opportunistic, and they have a tendency to take over wherever they can. 

Before you can battle your weed problem, you need to determine what type of weeds are putting up a fight:

• Perennial weeds: Weeds that go dormant at the end of the growing season, growing up from the roots up each year. These weeds can easily spread across your lawn, and they are typically more difficult to get rid of. Perennial weeds commonly found in Northern Colorado include poison ivy, dandelion, thistle, quackgrass, and ragweed. 
• Annual weeds: Weeds that spread throughout your garden by seed. These weeds leave bald patches in your lawn that leave your lawn open to disease or damage from weather or runoff. Annual weeds commonly found in Northern Colorado include chickweed, crabgrass, knotweed, nettle, and spurge.

What Can I Do to Prevent Weeds in My Lawn?

A healthier, stronger lawn will be better able to resist weeds—so the faster you can bring your lawn out of dormancy, the more control over weeds you'll have. There are a few things you can do to help strengthen the foundation of your lawn, so you can get right to the root of the problem (literally!) 

Mow High

In the summertime, it can be tempting to mow low to extend the time between mowings—but this can actually do more harm than good! Mowing at 3 inches or above can help your turf shade out weeds and encourages healthier, thicker turf that can compete against weeds. It's also important to ensure that you're using the right grass species, fertilizing and watering correctly, and doing whatever you can to encourage healthy grass.

Water Deep

Improper watering is often to blame for other problems in your lawn. Over-watering can make it easier for diseases to take hold of your trees and grass, and under-watering can starve your lawn of important nutrients and lead to shallow roots, stunting your grass and making it easier for weeds to move in. 

Fertilize with the Right Nutrients at the Right Time

When grass is able to get the nutrients it needs, when it needs them most, your lawn is better able to fight against weeds. Timing and weather can play a role, as well as your soil balance and the types of grass in your yard.

Throughout spring, summer, and fall, your landscape needs different nutrients to promote healthy growth. A winterizing fertilizer can help promote the overall health of your landscape during cold Greeley winters, protecting your lawn when it's dormant and making it easier to refresh your landscape in spring. 

Need Some Help Building a Healthier Backyard? 

Partnering with a lawn care company that you trust can save you a lot of time and energy battling a weed problem yourself. In fact, most of the time you spend pulling weeds by hand is wasted—because unless you're getting the entire root, your weeds can make a resurgence.  

Trained lawn experts will be able to evaluate the health and usage of your backyard, identifying problems that might be bringing your weed problem back each season. They'll also have the expertise to apply fertilizers and weed control formulas with precision, keeping your lawn in top shape throughout each season.

If you're looking for the best lawn care services around Greeley, CO, the specialists at American Turf & Tree Care can help! Give us a call at 970-660-5510 today to schedule your free lawn evaluation.