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Enjoying a green, healthy and beautiful lawn during the spring / summer seems difficult when weeds or invasive plants appear,
The good news is keeping a lawn in perfect condition without complexity is possible. If you take the necessary care and follow some simple but effective steps constantly, you will be able to control these undesirable guests.
Learn to recognize weeds
- Weeds
- Monocots or grasses. Narrow-leaved, they come in a certain variety and due to their thin leaves, they are often confused with grass, their removal being complicated.
- Dicotyledonous or broad-leaved. They are easier to identify and can be removed manually or with suitable tools.
Rise of weeds
After the cold and damp of winter, lawns may appear unkempt and yellowish. Nevertheless, as spring arrives, the temperature rises and it is time to green again. Unfortunately, the weeds also begin to germinate, because their seeds had been scattered during the previous season, carried by the wind or various birds.
The month of May is the period of greatest regrowth of these harmful plants and requires paying close attention to their appearance. In order to control its increase, you have to carry out specific tasks during the spring. And it is in this flowery season that the lawn should be nurtured, fertilized and manured, but not the weeds.
From May to August is the ideal time to control them, since they are in the growth phase. While at the end of summer it is a perfect period to eliminate them, since their germination is reduced and their development is limited.
Control methods in spring / summer
There are some control methods that can be easily performed during these seasons. These are:
Manual or mechanical method
If you want to control weeds in an ecological way, this method is ideal. It consists of throwing them one by one, with the use of protective gloves. It is effective when the lawn is small or there are few invasive plants, since uprooting them weakens them.
This method can be tireless when the lawn is very large or there is a very large growth of harmful grasses. In those cases you can opt for the mechanical method with suitable tools, such as the hoe.
Using herbicides for lawns
There are several types of herbicides. According to their functions and characteristics, they can be:
- Pre-emergent. Its function is preventive, avoiding the regrowth of harmful plants.
- Post-emergent. Its function is curative, controlling the growth of undesirable herbs once they have emerged.
- Selectives. These ones only kill the plants that you want to eliminate, respecting those that you want to keep.
- Totals. They kill all kinds of plants.
The right time to apply herbicides is from April to late September, or early October. It is not advisable to use them at the beginning of spring, being ideal in May, since the weeds are at their greatest regrowth.
The effective use of herbicides deserves to consider the safety measures and instructions of the manufacturer, in order to take care of the ecology and avoid damage to the skin. It is recommended to wear suitable clothing, gloves, goggles and face masks. Herbicides are usually mixed with water and sprayed.
Additional tips
Other tasks that help to strengthen the lawn during the spring / summer and allow the control of harmful grasses, are the following:
- Mow the lawn once a week in summer, avoiding that it is too low or too high.
- Use a good irrigation system and adequate compost. This strengthens the lawn and prevents it from suffering from nutrient deprivation. The best irrigation hours during the summer are the first and last hours of the day, in order for the land to maintain adequate humidity.
In short, the control of invasive plants in spring / summer is possible if good planning of activities is taken into account. This will prevent the spread of these unpleasant hosts. Following the directions of a lawn expert will maintain its inviting beauty and charm.
References
https://www.verdeesvida.es/tecnicas-y-cuñados_4/cesped:-terapia-de-choque-de-primavera_491https://www.planetahuerto.es/revista/como-cuidar-tu-cesped_00309https://www.unavarra.es/herbario/htm/concept.htm