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| There are easy ways to eliminate weeds such as sow thistle from taking over your yard. |
 pril showers bring May flowers ... and often weeds!
Bluebonnets, Indian blanket and horsemint are in full bloom this month, but in certain corners of my yard I also see sow thistle and a few hedgeparsley trying to take hold. The same conditions that bring to bloom gorgeous wildflowers also encourage weeds. Before you reach for a chemical herbicide to attack unwelcome plants in your yard, consider that there are effective, less-toxic approaches to weed management.
Two types of weeds: annual and perennial
When you're thinking about weeds, it is helpful to divide them into two groups. Annual weeds are those that go from seed to flower to seed in one year without leaving roots in the ground. Sow thistle and hedge parsley are both examples of annual weeds. Perennial weeds sprout from the same roots year after year. Johnson grass, dollar weed, and nut grass are a few of the perennial weeds you may find in your yard.
Annual weeds sprout in bare soil. They produce lots of seeds and grow very quickly.
- With this in mind, the first rule in weed control is to eliminate bare soil. Annual weeds cannot get a foothold where healthy plants (or turf) are growing. In areas that are not completely covered with plants or groundcover, a three-inch-thick layer of mulch is an excellent deterrent to annual weeds.
- The second rule with annual weeds is not to let them set seed. That means that if you don't have time to pull the weeds, at least take a few minutes to pick off the flowering tops to remove the seeds. Also, although it is usually best to leave grass clippings on your lawn where they nourish the soil, if your lawn is full of flowering weeds, bag and remove the clippings the first few times you mow. This will help remove the majority of the weed seeds and prevent annual weeds from returning.
Perennial weeds also spread by seed, and the management techniques mentioned above will help prevent them from gaining more ground in your yard. However, it is also necessary to pull existing perennials weeds to remove the roots and prevent them from resprouting.
The importance of soil
Another critical consideration in preventing weeds in your landscape is careful choice of the soil you bring on site. When building a new home (or bringing soil into your existing yard) be sure to avoid low quality "dirt." This material, although inexpensive, will cost you much aggravation — it often contains some persistent and difficult-to-control weeds, such as Johnson grass and nut grass. Starting your landscape with high-quality, clean soil is your best insurance against weeds.
Efficient irrigation is another way to minimize weed problems. Well-designed drip irrigation systems direct water to the base of desirable plants, leaving the area between plants dry to discourage unwanted weed growth.
Herbicide do's, don'ts
Finally, be mindful if you choose to use herbicides to control weeds. Avoid chemical "weed and feed" products. The best time to fertilize is not necessarily the best time to apply herbicide. Consider spot treatment of weeds rather than broadcast application of herbicide to minimize the amount of chemical you put in your yard. Always follow label instructions exactly and follow safety recommendations. Choosing ready-to-use products will eliminate the potential problem of disposing of excess chemicals mixed from a concentrate. Look for less-toxic herbicides with ingredients such as acetic acid (such as in vinegar), which have been proven effective in killing many shallow-rooted weeds.
Don't forget that the least toxic and most effective way to get rid of weeds is to pull them out by hand. Get yourself a good-looking pair of garden gloves and a weeding tool and enjoy a few minutes a week poking around in your yard!
Elizabeth Drozda-Freeman is the conservation landscape specialist for LCRA. Do you have a comment, question or suggestion for future gardening topics? Contact Elizabeth at (512) 473-3200, Ext.2230, or elizabeth.drozda-freeman@lcra.org.
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