Maintaining a Weed Free Lawn

Once you’re into year 2 of your lawn care programme you should have eliminated 98% of the lawn weeds. This may happen in year 1 if you started with a fairly weed free lawn. A small seed bank may remain but other than that most weed occurrences are due to seeds landing in your lawn.

Take care of incidental weeds with regular ‘spot treatments’ of weed killer or by hand weeding. Keeping on top of the weeds is the key as one seeding weed will suddenly escalate the problem. I like to carry a ready to use spot sprayer whenever I mow the lawn. A quick zap as it passes beneath me is all it takes.

Over time, with some adverse weather, perhaps a lot of lawn activity and a little neglect due to holidays or work you will start to find a build-up of weeds again. If this is more than is sensible to take care of with the spot weeder then out with the watering can or knapsack sprayer and do a ‘full lawn treatment’.

I do a full weed killer spray on my lawn about every three to four years. However, though I may be adding a fair bit of weed killer it is only once every three years. Imagine the amount of weed killer chemicals you would have put in with a ‘weed and feed’ product once, twice or even three times every year! And I bet you now have far fewer weeds, a healthier lawn and a safer environment!

Spot treating lawn weeds

There is nothing tricky about this though you should observe the same safety procedures as for concentrate. Read the label and use pesticides safely.

Spray at the distance and for the length of time suggested
DO NOT give an extra squirt for luck – you’ll kill the grass
If the weeds don’t die squirt them again 4 weeks later
You can spot treat as often as you like but avoid spraying sickly looking weeds. They are already on the way out from a previous treatment so you don’t want to add more weedkiller to the grass or soil
If spraying during mowing be accurate to minimise spray hitting the grass. Grass is delicate after mowing. Otherwise spray 2 to 3 days after mowing
Rotate your spot weed killers or buy a different one to replace your used one. This way you’ll have a better range of active ingredients and improved your weed control

Lawn weed killers such as Resolva or Weedol (previously known as Verdone) are selective and only kill weeds at the proper dosage. Over dose by squirting too much and you’ll damage or even kill the grass. Therefore, squirt according to the instructions; if you didn’t squirt enough you’ll know in a couple of weeks and then adjust your dosage for future squirting.