Lawn Care Archive

How to Get Rid of Weeds in Grass and Protect Your Lawn

Some people don’t worry about how to get rid of weeds in grass because they know every part of a dandelion can be eaten. You can eat the blossoms, stalk, and roots. Cooked or raw. In salads or soups.

But dandelions can also wreak havoc on your lawn, stealing moisture and nutrients from your vibrant green grass. So, let’s take a look at how to get rid of weeds in grass.

Cutting Out Weeds in Lawn - Central Services of Waukesha

Strategy 1: Crowding Them Out

Although weeds may have their creative uses, such as edibility, they are usually unwanted visitors to our lawns.

One reliable way of how to get rid of weeds in grass is to crowd them out. Support your grass in growing strong and lush, leaving no room for weeds to squeeze in.

Weeds are always looking for opportunities to take root in the most fertile of soil. When your grass is healthy and thriving in the sun, weeds are less likely to push their way in.

Fertilize Just the Right Amount

Under fertilizing leaves grass thin and weaker. This leaves more opportunity for weeds to take root. And over fertilizing can nurture weeds you don’t to encourage in your lawn. Many weeds crave excessive amounts of fertilizer.

Be sure to read the application recommendations and use fertilizer with slow release nitrogen for your soil. This allows for steady nutrients available to your grass.

Strategy 2: Watering Your Grass Sporadically and Deeply

Americans are known for cherishing their lawns. And one of the best ways to keep your lawn healthy is by watering it in just the right way. Your lawn care regimen should include watering about one inch per week in infrequent and soaking strides.

Shallow and frequent watering inspires the growth of certain weeds.

Strategy 3: Mowing Higher

Allowing your grass to grow higher keeps the sun from reaching the ground and drying out the topsoil. It also strengthens the turf by supporting your grass in producing adequate nutrients.

A good height for your grass is typically between 3 and 4 inches tall. But you may want to ask someone who knows about your specific type of grass.

Strategy 4: Resorting to Herbicides

Herbicides are the most commonly used pesticide in homes and garden, with more than 90 million pounds used on lawns each year.

As a good rule of thumb, it’s best to leave the option of herbicides as a last resort. But sometimes nothing else seems to keep the weed population down enough. If your grass is overrun with weeds after you’ve tried the less invasive approaches, you can try the chemicals. Just try to use as little as necessary to still get the job done.

Follow the guidelines and make sure the herbicide you choose is appropriate for your specific lawn.

How to Get Rid of Weeds in Grass

You want your lawn looking lush, vibrant, soft and supportive for your bare feet. And, for that, you need to employ these strategies to keep your weed population down.

If you’re looking to spruce up your Milwaukee lawn for the upcoming season, check us out at Central Services.

Top 5 Tips for Lawn Care in Fall

Proper lawn care in fall will give you a healthy yard, increased value of your home, and a healthier body.

We get it: The summer is over, the kids are in school, and football graces television sets around the country four days a week. A glorious season, indeed. However, this is no excuse to ignore your lawn. In fact, your yard needs some special attention this time of year. Ignoring your lawn in autumn will result in extra work in the spring.

Fall Lawn Care & Raking - Central Services serving Milwaukee, WI

Here are five tips to handle your lawn care in fall.

1. Mow Lower

You want your grass to produce more nutrients in the summer. In autumn, however, drop it back down to 2 inches. This is the standard deck height for most mowers.

Don’t mow too short. A lawn cut too short in the fall will be a breeding ground for weeds.

If you don’t mow low enough, your yard will be ruined by leaves, winter snow, and be a safe haven for field mice.

2. Rake on the Reg

Some people love the appearance of fall. And yes, the leaves turning colors is pretty and will have an artistic look scattered around on your grass. However, allowing leaves to pile up on your yard is a bad idea.

Raking leaves is lawn care in fall 101. As they become wet and stick together, they form a mat-like surface that suffocates your grass. This will result in springtime patches, making your yard an eyesore.

3. Yoink Those Weeds

Many weed varieties go to seed in the fall. If you want to avoid a lawn in spring that’s full of weeds, get them in autumn.

If you’re averse to using chemical herbicides, a simple vinegar and water solution will do the trick. Just do your best to keep it on the weeds and not your grass.

4. Aerate the Soil

This isn’t an annual thing. Aeration is a part of proper lawn care in fall, but you really only need to do it every couple of years.

Essentially, this is just poking holes in your lawn. You can do it by hand with a border fork or rent a machine. The purpose is to loosen up your grass and create channels for water, oxygen, and fertilizer to ensure your lawn grows healthy and strong in spring.

5. Fertilization for Lawn Care in Fall

You shouldn’t care about the growth of your yard right now. For lawn care in fall, you want to worry about what’s going on beneath the surface.

Your lawn should be properly aerated. Now’s the time to capitalize on the previous labor. Fertilizing your lawn in the fall will allow your roots to grow quickly and be healthy. This is when you want to lay seeds in bald or thin spots. You’ll want to rake the soil so your seed and fertilizer can work quickly and effectively.

These are the secrets to building an amazing lawn. What you do in the off-season matters just as much as what you do in the spring and summer.

If you would like to find out more about our Milwaukee lawn care services, have questions, or would like to utilize our services, contact us today.