You water. You seed. You fertilize. You mow. But yet, pesky weeds still pop up in your yard. Sometimes, no matter how much TLC you give your lawn, weed growth can be inevitable and hard to prevent.
Here are some of the top reasons why weeds may appear in your yard and what you can do to stop them.
Transfer
The transfer of weed seeds onto your lawn can make their sprouting inevitable and the ways they can spread vary. Weed seeds can be transferred onto your lawn by your pets or other animals that walk across your yard. Buds stuck to clothing or shoes can also be transferred onto your grass. Most commonly, weeds like dandelions are blown into your yard by the wind and can germinate once they reach the soil. While total weed transfer is unavoidable, you can help prevent a huge influx of weeds by minimizing lawn foot traffic.
Soil
Your soil's condition can be a large factor in weed growth, since weeds thrive in poorly irrigated landscapes. Be sure to use proper watering techniques to keep your soil from becoming soggy or waterlogged. Weeds will also germinate rapidly in undernourished or compacted soil. Using a fertilizer that has a high nitrogen count will not only benefit your growing plants and grass, but will also help deter weeds such as crabgrass.
Mowing Practices
As you prepare to mow your lawn, be aware that cutting your grass shorter than 2 ½ inches can encourage weeds to grow. Be sure you mow your grass often to maintain this taller height without getting too high. Frequent cutting can also help encourage the grass to outgrow any weeds that may try to germinate. The shade from taller grass keeps the soil cool and prevents weeds from receiving sunlight necessary to grow.
