The following article was submitted by Chris Hicks, Smith County Extension Agent:
As spring has finally arrived after a long wet winter, many are glad for the chance to get outside, enjoy the sunshine, and start working in the lawn. While personally I get tired of mowing pretty quickly, I actually enjoy it for the first few weeks of spring.
One thing I don’t enjoy are the weeds that creep into the yard. Plants like purple deadnettle, wild violets, and henbit are pretty to some, but their beauty is in the eye of the beholder and I behold them as weeds. If you feel the same about weeds in your yard, here are some tips for controlling them:
- Maintain a healthy stand of grass. Have you ever noticed the grass above your septic field lines is green and healthy when other grass is brown and dead? Those areas are getting water and nutrients that other areas are not. They also generally have fewer weeds. The best defense against weeds in the yard is a healthy stand of grass. To maintain a healthy stand of grass in Tennessee requires adjusting your mowing height according to your turf species, fertilizing according to soil tests, and irrigating during dry spells. If you’re not willing to do that I don’t necessarily blame you because it requires time, money, and extra work, but don’t be surprised when neglecting these details leads to weeds being an ongoing issue.
- Identify the weed problem. If you have weeds and want to know what they are, we can identify them free of charge at the UT Extension office. Fresh samples are usually easily identified, samples that have been on the dash of the truck for two weeks are more challenging.
- Adjust mowing practices. Annual weeds are generally well controlled by mowing the plants before they set seed so mow early and often. Raising your mowing heights will also allow grass to develop a healthy root system and out-compete many weeds. You might also try mowing in different patterns to avoid soil compaction which can alleviate problems from weeds like goosegrass and spurge.
- Use herbicides according to the label. There are hundreds of different products labeled for weed control in lawns. When selecting one of these products, read the label and make sure it is safe to spray on the turfgrass species you have, and that it will kill the weeds you need it to. Be mindful of wind conditions, make sure you wear clothing that will protect you from chemical splashing, and follow label instructions as to sprayer cleanup and jug disposal.
If you need help with herbicide selection, we have recommendations based on years of data we can provide free of charge at the UT Extension office at 125 Gordonsville Hwy. in Carthage. You will also find several good publications as well as a weed ID tool at our website smith.tennessee.edu.
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