Weed Control Begins With Proper Management
Proper management practices that encourage a dense, thriving turf are the best
method of weed control. Healthy turf shades the soil so sunlight can't reach weed
seeds ready to germinate. A thick turf also minimizes the physical space available
for weeds to become established. There are several management practices that will
promote a healthy, dense grass.
- Proper Turfgrass Selection Proper
management begins with selection of the best turf species or variety for a
particular area. For example, heavily shaded areas will support only a few
turfgrass species. This results in thin, weak turf that is very susceptible
to weed invasion. Good grass choices for shady conditions would be certain
cultivars of St. Augustinegrass, zoysiagrass, and to a lesser degree, centipedegrass.
- Proper Cultural Practices Proper fertilization,
watering, mowing, and control of other pests are required to produce a dense
turf that will prevent weed infestation. If turf is over-or under-watered,
over-or under-fertilized, or mowed too low or too infrequently, the turf is
weakened and cannot compete with weeds. Damaged areas resulting from using
unsharpened mowers increase time needed for turf recovery, allowing for weed
invasion. It is very important to understand that weeds don't create a void,
they fill a void.
- Sanitation It is extremely important to prevent
the introduction of weeds into lawn areas. A good practice is to wash off
mowers and trimmers used in weed-infested areas before mowing or trimming
in weed-free areas. Similarly, rototillers should be thoroughly cleaned prior
to and after using to minimize dispersal of weed seeds found in the soil.
Yard clippings that contain weeds should be properly disposed of or composted
to reduce the possibility of unwanted contamination.