Tale as Old as Time: Fertilizer and the Weeds

Just like everything else involved in landscaping and lawn care, there are massive benefits to the process of fertilizer application and weed control. These two lawn care projects can go hand-in-hand, but they walk a fragile line between helping your lawn and possibly hurting it more. However, when used properly, they can help make your landscape beautiful! 

Benefits of fertilizer and weed control

It’s no secret that fertilizers are meant to help your lawn grow and thrive – but not all homeowners fully understand why that is. They’re beneficial for your lawn because they provide all your greenery with the nutrients they need to be strong and healthy. These nutrients keep the greenery from becoming weak and unable to fight off pests and disease. 

When your lawn has the proper weed control done, it won’t take long to notice a big difference in how thick, green, and healthy it is. Weeds are an unattractive nuisance that can quickly become a major eyesore for your landscape – but that’s not where the problems stop. Those weeds sap the nutrients your wanted plants need, causing them to succumb to a large variety of issues. 

Fertilizing your lawn should encourage a fantastic amount of growth while supplying your landscape with any nutrients in the soil it may lack. Likewise, weed control treatments help rid your landscape of existing weeds while helping prevent the growth or spread of them in the future. The mix of the two will keep your lawn healthy, soft, and looking fantastic every day! 

How to properly fertilize your lawn and control your weeds

Any time you’re having fertilizing treatments done to your lawn, it’s a good idea to make sure to water it first, up to a few days, to make sure the soil is soft and ready. Then, when the fertilizing has begun, it’s similar to mowing – going in straight lines that overlap so no part of your lawn gets missed. 

Choosing a spreader that works well for your lawn is essential to apply it around the edges first. This technique makes sure you don’t miss the edges while your whole lawn gets treated. When you switch over to the process of weed control, water only the plants you want and try not to give them room to grow by making the gaps between plants much smaller. 

When weed control is being done to your lawn, avoid disturbing deep into the soil, as you don’t want to kick existing seeds up. Instead, help suffocate any potential weeds with the help of mulch around your landscape beds! When pulling weeds by hand, it’s best to do it when the soil is damp, and you can dedicate enough time to the core “hotspots” around the lawn. 

There’s not very much wiggle room in regards to these types of lawn care treatments – too much, too little, or not done right can do a number on your landscape. It’s helpful when done near each other, but there needs to be a gap in between so they don’t negate what the other is trying to accomplish. 

Do’s and don’ts of fertilizer and weed control

There are many ways you can harm your lawn more than help if they’re not done correctly. On the opposite side, you can have a lawn to be envious of when done right! One of the first major do’s of fertilizers is fertilizing plants in the shade less than the ones in direct sunlight. 

Another big one is to opt for a slow-release fertilizer meant for your grass type – this could help avoid serious lawn issues such as thatch or even burning! Do’s when it comes to weed control are pretty straightforward as well. Timing is everything with weed control – it’s always much better to remove weeds by hand when the soil is soft and damp. 

If you’re using herbicides, always follow the directions to avoid causing problems. Secondly, choosing herbicides suitable for your lawn is essential! Some will kill everything they come into contact with, while some are safe for your grass. 

A more serious thing to remember when applying fertilizer is not to spread it on hard surfaces; if it lands on there, always sweep or blow it off back into the lawn. It can get into streets or gutters if you don’t, becoming a hazard for public waterways. Also, never mix your fertilizers with a bug or weed killers! The mixture often does little for pest control and spreads weed killer everywhere, even where there aren’t any weeds. 

As far as weed control, removing the roots can often be the only way to rid your lawn of target problems entirely. Leaving the root can make the weed grow back even quicker and encourage the growth of new plants. Additionally, your lawn is full of weed seeds –  but sunlight only penetrates the first few inches of soil. So if you keep them out of the light, they’re less likely to start growing. 

Why hiring a professional is important

It can seem a lot easier to head out to your local store and get to work treating your landscape yourself. However, what may seem easier now can become a lot harder on you later on down the line. Buying the wrong treatments for your lawn is one of the most common mistakes folks make, and it can be the most deadly for the greenery growing there! 

You can avoid more money out of your wallet and potential headaches by releasing that responsibility to the professionals who do this for a living. They are trained in this field, have the skills to do the jobs right, and equipment to get it done the way it should. The hard-working people at Fair Lawn Service, LLC are ready to take on the task of keeping your lawn fertilized, weed-free, and ready to be admired!