Weed Control in Fescue

As much as we hate weeds, Mother Nature LOVES them! Whether you have chosen us as your lawn care provider, or if you are doing it yourself, weeds are an ongoing battle. It should be noted, that there are certain points throughout the year when it is not recommended to apply weed control.

Our Charlotte manager, Dave Scher, has put together some helpful, and reassuring information for our Fescue customers having issue with weeds in the late summer/early fall. If you have a Fescue lawn, and you are wondering why you should not be killing weeds right now, continue reading to find out!During the fall, applying weed control around the time you are planning to aerate and overseed can be detrimental. You cannot kill weeds at the same time as you are growing new grass. If only it were that easy! The tender seedlings would be damaged and/or killed by any weed control products. You must wait for the seedlings to harden off before you can begin controlling the weeds. There are several factors that go into determining when it is finally safe to start killing weeds again. Depending on the weather, when your aeration and seeding is done, and how well the lawn was watered after the seed was applied, you may be able to start with spot weed controls sometime in December or January.

However, this is not the case for everyone. No two lawns are the same!

How much weed pressure you see will depend on many factors including the length of time the lawn has been under care and how full and thick it was at the time of seeding. We know you hate the weeds, so do we! And we promise that as soon as it is safe to treat them, we will do so.Virtually all the weeds you are experiencing this time of year will begin to die on their own as temperatures continue to drop. Mowing the weeds down very low prior to the aeration and seeing will put you in a better position!The most important part of any weed control program is ALWAYS a full, thick, and healthy lawn. If weeds have nowhere to get the sunlight they need, they cannot grow. Weeds are naturally smothered out by healthy turf. Aeration and seeding is one of the most important parts of your lawn care and weed control. Core aeration brings up soil from down in the lawn to allow for an oxygen exchange. These top soil plugs contain, among other things, WEED SEEDS. These newly exposed weed seeds will do what they do best; they grow into weeds.Not sure if you want to aerate and overseed? You should know that it is HIGHLY recommended for Fescue lawns. There are so many benefits to aeration and overseeding.

• Better turf grass rooting

• Better seed germination

• Helps increase thatch breakdown

• Improves air exchange between soil/atmosphere

• Improves fertilizer uptake and use

• Improve lawn’s drought tolerance and overall health

• Improves water uptake

• Reduces soil compaction

• Reduces water runoff

Whether you want us to do it, or you prefer doing it yourself, aeration and overseeding should be done ANNUALLY. There are several factors that go into maintaining a beautiful lawn. Aeration and overseeding can save you a lot of headache in the long run.We hope this helps! Please let us know if you have any other questions or concerns.