Kill Weeds Without Killing Your Good Grass

“Help! The weeds are winning!” You dig them… they grow back. You treat them… but you killed your good grass too. You put down a crabgrass preventer, but you still got dandelions now. You ask, “So… what’s the secret to killing weeds?

You see, dandelions and other weeds like thistles have long taproots that can go down a foot or more. If you don’t get all of the root, it will simply send up a new weed to replace the one you thought you dug up. So digging can be hit or miss.

Dandelions are pretty when they bloom, however they soon spread seeds by puffballs to take over your landscape and vegetable garden.

The commercial comes on TV for Roundup and you think I’ll use that to kill the weeds in my lawn.  Just make sure you buy the right Roundup for the job.  Roundup For Lawns will kill your weeds and not your grass.  Whereas regular Roundup kills all plants after you spray their leaves, including your good grass. This kind of Roundup is great for driveways and other areas where you want to kill everything, just not for spot treating weeds in your lawn. (One of the great things about Roundup is you can plant shrubs, trees, flowers, vegetables, lawns within days after you spray. Just check the label for timing.)
So unless you want to kill the grass that is growing around your weeds, only use Roundup For Lawns in your lawn.

Other folks think you need to put the weed & feed down before the weeds appear… wrong again. Unlike the crabgrass preventer that goes down before you see the crabgrass, most weeds are perennials and can’t be prevented.

So here’s the secret: The weed & feed, like Scotts Turf Builder Weed & Feed goes down AFTER you see the weeds in your lawn. That’s because the weed control in the product enters the weeds through the leaves and is transported to all parts of the plant including the roots. Then within a few days, the weeds will begin to curl up and wither. Gradually over a period of about 3 or 4 weeks, they’ll fade away, roots and all, so they can’t grow back. When you apply the Turf Builder with Plus 2 it is also very important to apply to moist foliage so the particles will stick to the weed leaves to get absorbed. If rain is expected within 24 hours, wait until another day. I find it best to apply early in the morning when the lawn is covered with dew.

Also keep this in mind: getting rid of the weeds is only half the battle. Your lawn will be a stronger competitor with new weeds if you feed your lawn regularly (about 4 times a year) and mow your grass a little bit taller.

One more thing, if you only have a few weeds, you may not need the weed & feed on your entire lawn. You can spot treat weeds in a Ky Bluegrass, Fescue, Perennial Ryegrass, Zoysia, Buffalograss, or Bermudagrass lawn with Ortho Weed-B-Gon MAX plus Crabgrass Killer  (note: may cause temporary discoloration on Bermuda) and then keep your grass healthy with a feeding of Scotts Turf Builder. And before I forget: If you have St. Augustinegrass, (including Floratam), Bermudagrass, Zoysiagrass, Seashore Paspalum, or Buffalograss you can use Scotts Bonus S Weed & Feed instead of Turf Builder Weed & Feed.

If you have questions about the weeds in your lawn, you can call one of our lawn experts or email us. Just click here for our Help Center to see how.