Welcome to May – Here’s What To Do
May is here! And thanks to all the April showers, we have May flowers…and May weeds. Follow Uncle’s tips below to keep your lawn looking excellent this spring.
Time for Spring Color
You’ve survived the cold winter, the windy spring, a couple of ‘naders that passed a little too close for comfort – it’s time to come on down to the Grass Pad and treat yourself to some spring color. You deserve it. It’ll be therapeutic. Every Grass Pad has a full inventory of annuals, perennials, veggies, tropicals, shrubs and trees. Buy a planter ready to go, or build your own using the Thriller, Filler, Spiller method.
Weed Control Headquarters
The nice weather is finally letting you sit outside and enjoy the beautiful lawn, until you see it – a dandelion seed head just staring you in the face! It’s time to get out the weed control and take care it! Don’t forget, weeds happen because there are bare spots in the lawn – the best control for next year is overseeding the lawn this fall.
Weed and Feed
If your lawn is filling up with dandelions, it’s time to throw down Step 2 Weed and Feed. Don’t forget – Weed and Feed goes down on a wet lawn and then dries for 24-28 hours before getting wet again. The product needs to stick to the wet leaves of the plant. Throw it down on a morning with a heavy dew, or after a rain, when there’s no more rain in the forecast for a day or two.
Small-Leafed Weeds
Some weeds have very small leaves, and for best control you need a liquid weed control product. This time of year, SpeedZone offers excellent control of these types of weeds, which commonly include henbit, chickweed and clover. If you have lots of these type of weeds, grab a pump sprayer, some SpeedZone and some Stikit and spray on a non-windy day.
Woody and Viney Weeds
Some weeds are tougher to kill and require extra ammunition. This extra firepower comes from a product called T-Zone, which has the best control for woody and viney weeds, which commonly include wild violet, wild strawberry and groundy ivy. If you have lots of these type of weeds, grab a pump sprayer, some T-Zone and some Stikit and spray on a non-windy day.
How Do I Know Which Weed I Have?
If you’re unsure about which category of weed you have, simply grab a sample of the weed and bring it in to the Green Team. We’ll help you identify it and get you the correct product for control.
Note: All weed control products listed above are safe for turf (grass) when used according to the label, but are not safe for flower beds. If you have weeds in flower beds the best control is to remove them by hand. Ask our staff about products that you can apply to flower beds the help stop these weeds from sprouting in the first place.
Keep an Eye Out!
These common lawn care problems are about to creep up as the warm and wet weather continues, and both are easier to control early in the season. Do a quick weekly scan of your lawn while you’re mowing to see if either of these two problems are popping up in your lawn.
Lawn Fungus
Now that the temps are warming up and there’s plenty of moisture to go around, keep an eye out for fungus developing in the lawn. It usually starts as small brown patches that begin to get larger and spread. It’s a good idea to put down Fungus Fighter when the temps and humidity start to combine to 150 or more consistently. Learn more about Fungus Fighter and how to apply it.
Nutsedge, AKA Nutgrass
Warm temps and moisture bring out all the worst weeds, chief among them Nutsedge, commonly called Nutgrass. This pesky weed is likely to show up in warm, sunny and wet parts of the lawn. Once you see it, it’s time to start treating it with Uncle’s Nutbuster.
Note: Avoid pulling the nutgrass plant by hand. Pulling nutgrass will stress the plant and stimulate even more nutlets to sprout.
