Weeds… no one likes them but they just seem to always come back. Here in San Marcos and Central Texas it seems like everything grows with minimal effort – including pesky dandelions and other weeds. It’s a sure way to ruin the look of a luscious, green lawn. It seems that once they start popping up they multiply overnight. It’s best to get the drop on weeds by starting to fight them earlier than you might think. For weed control in San Marcos, you’ve got to fight early and often…
We’ve got multiple ways to control weeds BEFORE they destroy your curb appeal!
Pre-Emergent vs Post-Emergent: What?
How do I know if I need a pre-emergent when there aren’t any weeds?
Bingo! Pre-emergents actually kill the seeds that are hidden in the thatch of your lawn. They prevent the seeds from sprouting – note that you shouldn’t do this before seeding your lawn with grass seed as many pre-emergents also prevent grass seed from germinating (sprouting).
The best time to apply a pre-emergent is during the early spring and fall. For now we’re going to focus on spring application, but we’re not going to apply on a specific day, we want to apply a pre-emergent when the soil temperature reaches about 50 degrees Fahrenheit. You can use a simple kitchen thermometer for this! Weeds such as crabgrass germinate at 55 degrees, and so we want to have our herbicide on the ground before it’s too late.
If you see any weeds… it’s time for a post-emergent. It’s important to understand that at this point pre-emergent herbicides will have little to no effect on already sprouted weeds – the ones you can see hide the many already germinated seeds that you can’t see just yet!
Every lawn is different, and so you may only deal with a select variety of weeds or maybe your lawn seems to grow everything but grass. It’s important that you purchase the herbicide for your specific weed problem. There are many plant identification apps you can use to figure out exactly what you’re fighting.
Just to add, manually removing weeds is an option if you don’t mind the work.
What Should I Use, Granules or Liquid?
Granules can be applied using a broadcast spreader or even shaking the contents from a cup. It can be effective as a pre-emergent (make sure to water it in to activate it, according to the direction on the packaging), but is not so ideal as a post-emergent. Post-emergence are more effective if they come into contact with the leaves of the weed, and that is less likely to occur with a granule.
Liquid herbicides work well as both a pre and post-emergent. Most sprayers can be bought pump action ready to be used immediately. Liquid works extremely well as a post-emergent, because it allows you to be more accurate with what you want to get rid of. Be careful with sprayable post-emergents to confirm they won’t hurt your grass or shrubs (or, be extra careful applying them to only hit weeds!)
The Ultimate Weed Control in San Marcos
A healthy lawn does more than any chemical application could do. A thick and luscious lawn outcompetes weed growth and naturally suppresses the germination rate. Weeds are just looking for a place to grow, they are the ultimate opportunist. The less space you give them, the less space they take.
There’s a common saying, “you give a weed an inch and it takes a yard”. There’s no quick solution for weed control, but instead you can apply preventative measures to minimize your workload later in the season.
If you have a busy schedule this can be a lot to look after, which is why we’re here to help. Many of our customers feel uneasy handling herbicide treatments and we understand their concern. Our team consists of highly trained individuals who take the right precautions to protect you and your family as well as ourselves.
Every home owner deserves a lawn to feel proud of – it starts with CLC Landscaping. Call (830) 243-6805 for a weed control quote today!