Weed Control
We can tell the health of the soil below a lawn by the weeds that are successful in the competition for space. They are a problem because they are not as effective as grass in achieving the desired results of a lawn. Safety, erosion control, water purification, water infiltration, atmospheric carbon reduction and other environmental benefits that are the result of lawn grasses are reduced by most weeds.
The best defense against weeds is a healthy lawn, because grass can easily out-compete weeds when conditions are maintained in the grasses favor. Nutrient deficiencies, nutrient excesses, soil compaction, acidic soils, excessive shade, wet soils, bioactivity and many other problems can be detected by what plants are successful in infiltrating a lawn.
Below is a list of some of the common names of indicator weeds that can help determine what issues are making your lawn less than perfect. Correct the problem that creates a competitive advantage for the weed and you will have an easier time getting the lawn results you are looking for.
Weeds Associated with Different Soil Problems
Acid soil: sorrel sow thistle, prostrate knotweed, lady's-thumb, wild strawberries,, plantain, rough cinquefoil ,silvery cinquefoil, hawkweeds, knapweeds
Alkaline soil: field peppergrass, goosefoot, gromwell, true chamomile, bladder campionSoil pH maintenance has been harmed by the misnomer that turfgrass grows best in a pH of 7.0. The different grass types require different pH soils for best growth, health, weed control and disease resistance.
Soil PH
Wet or poorly drained soil: horsetail, sedges, lady's-thumb, joe-pye weed, silvery cinquefoil, curly dock, mosses, Pennsylvania smartweed, tall buttercup, creeping buttercup, sheep sorrel, Canada goldenrod, lance-leaved goldenrod, meadow pink, jewelweed, coltsfoot, sweet flag, ground nut, annual bluegrass, common chickweed, crabgrass, goosegrass, ground ivy, mouse-ear chickweed, violets, yellow nutsedge
Dry soil: Virginia pepperweed, rough cinquefoil, potato vine, yarrow, black medic, red
Compacted or heavy soil: wild garlic, dandelion, broadleaf dock, creeping buttercup, plantain, annual bluegrass, common chickweed, goosegrass, knotweed, mouse-ear chickweed, prostrate spurge
Soil with a hardpan or hard crust: horse nettle, pennycress, quack grass, field mustard, morning-glory, pineapple weed
Previously cultivated soil: Lamb's-quarters, plantain (several species), ragweed, purslane, dandelion, chickweed, pigweeds, carpetweed
High fertility soil: chicory, pigweeds, purslane, dandelion, lamb's-quarters, burdock, pokeweed, butter print, Queen Anne's lace, annual bluegrass, bentgrasses, Henbit, yellow woodsorrel, crabgrass, mallow, purslane
Low fertility soil: plantains, red sorrel, white clover
Shaded soil: annual Bluegrass, common chickweed, ground ivy, mouse-ear chickweed, nimblewill, violets
Lawn Weed Identification With Pictures
Soil Composition and the Health of your Lawn
Soil composition plays an important role in lawn quality. Deficiencies can slow or halt turf development. Proper pH can slow weed production and propagation.
Acidity - In acidic soil: phosphorus, calcium, magnesium availability is reduced.
in alkaline: iron, zinc, manganese and copper are not available. To decrease acidic soil pH, add sulfur. To increase alkaline soil pH , add lime.
Boron - Slow growth, pale green tips, bronze tint. Apply an organic soil amendment containing trace elements.
Calcium - Reddish-brown leaves, may curl and die. Apply an organic soil amendment containing trace elements.
Copper - Yellow and stunted leaves, tips die. Apply an organic soil amendment containing trace elements.
Iron - Pale leaves, turning yellow. Reduce phosphorus fertilization
Magnesium - Yellow stripes on leaves, turning red. Apply an organic soil amendment containing trace elements. Adjust soil pH.
Manganese - Yellow spots on leaves, withered at tips. Manganese sulfate
Molybdenum - Yellow and withered leaves. Apply an organic soil amendment containing trace elements.
Nitrogen - Light green or yellow-green leaves, may start dying at tips. Apply an organic fertilizer suited to your turf grass. Centipede, for example can be harmed by too much nitrogen.
Phosphorus - Thin sod, thin curled leaves, dusky blue-green with purple tint in cool weather. Raise pH (reduce acidity)
Potassium - Yellow tips on leaves, may turn brown and die at tips. Apply an organic soil amendment containing Kelp. Adjust pH.
Sulfur - Yellow leaves. Usually an indication of low pH. Add sulfur.
Zinc - Small and yellow leaves. Apply an organic soil amendment containing trace elements.
Microbial activity
Soil microbes are essential to the health of a lawn. They convert nutrients to useable energy plant roots can absorb easily while detoxifying the soil.
Use only organic fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides. Synthetic/chemical products kill soil microbes. Apply a bio-enhanced dethatcher
Visit Our Website
Steve Stout
We can tell the health of the soil below a lawn by the weeds that are successful in the competition for space. They are a problem because they are not as effective as grass in achieving the desired results of a lawn. Safety, erosion control, water purification, water infiltration, atmospheric carbon reduction and other environmental benefits that are the result of lawn grasses are reduced by most weeds.
The best defense against weeds is a healthy lawn, because grass can easily out-compete weeds when conditions are maintained in the grasses favor. Nutrient deficiencies, nutrient excesses, soil compaction, acidic soils, excessive shade, wet soils, bioactivity and many other problems can be detected by what plants are successful in infiltrating a lawn.
Below is a list of some of the common names of indicator weeds that can help determine what issues are making your lawn less than perfect. Correct the problem that creates a competitive advantage for the weed and you will have an easier time getting the lawn results you are looking for.
Weeds Associated with Different Soil Problems
Acid soil: sorrel sow thistle, prostrate knotweed, lady's-thumb, wild strawberries,, plantain, rough cinquefoil ,silvery cinquefoil, hawkweeds, knapweeds
Alkaline soil: field peppergrass, goosefoot, gromwell, true chamomile, bladder campionSoil pH maintenance has been harmed by the misnomer that turfgrass grows best in a pH of 7.0. The different grass types require different pH soils for best growth, health, weed control and disease resistance.
Soil PH
Wet or poorly drained soil: horsetail, sedges, lady's-thumb, joe-pye weed, silvery cinquefoil, curly dock, mosses, Pennsylvania smartweed, tall buttercup, creeping buttercup, sheep sorrel, Canada goldenrod, lance-leaved goldenrod, meadow pink, jewelweed, coltsfoot, sweet flag, ground nut, annual bluegrass, common chickweed, crabgrass, goosegrass, ground ivy, mouse-ear chickweed, violets, yellow nutsedge
Dry soil: Virginia pepperweed, rough cinquefoil, potato vine, yarrow, black medic, red
Compacted or heavy soil: wild garlic, dandelion, broadleaf dock, creeping buttercup, plantain, annual bluegrass, common chickweed, goosegrass, knotweed, mouse-ear chickweed, prostrate spurge
- A healthy sodded lawn absorbs rainfall six times more effectively than a wheat field and four times better than a hay field.
- A sodded lawn will absorb greater amounts of rain than a seeded lawn; even after three years of growth.
Soil with a hardpan or hard crust: horse nettle, pennycress, quack grass, field mustard, morning-glory, pineapple weed
Previously cultivated soil: Lamb's-quarters, plantain (several species), ragweed, purslane, dandelion, chickweed, pigweeds, carpetweed
High fertility soil: chicory, pigweeds, purslane, dandelion, lamb's-quarters, burdock, pokeweed, butter print, Queen Anne's lace, annual bluegrass, bentgrasses, Henbit, yellow woodsorrel, crabgrass, mallow, purslane
Low fertility soil: plantains, red sorrel, white clover
Shaded soil: annual Bluegrass, common chickweed, ground ivy, mouse-ear chickweed, nimblewill, violets
Lawn Weed Identification With Pictures
Soil Composition and the Health of your Lawn
Soil composition plays an important role in lawn quality. Deficiencies can slow or halt turf development. Proper pH can slow weed production and propagation.
Acidity - In acidic soil: phosphorus, calcium, magnesium availability is reduced.
in alkaline: iron, zinc, manganese and copper are not available. To decrease acidic soil pH, add sulfur. To increase alkaline soil pH , add lime.
Boron - Slow growth, pale green tips, bronze tint. Apply an organic soil amendment containing trace elements.
Calcium - Reddish-brown leaves, may curl and die. Apply an organic soil amendment containing trace elements.
Copper - Yellow and stunted leaves, tips die. Apply an organic soil amendment containing trace elements.
Iron - Pale leaves, turning yellow. Reduce phosphorus fertilization
Magnesium - Yellow stripes on leaves, turning red. Apply an organic soil amendment containing trace elements. Adjust soil pH.
Manganese - Yellow spots on leaves, withered at tips. Manganese sulfate
Molybdenum - Yellow and withered leaves. Apply an organic soil amendment containing trace elements.
Nitrogen - Light green or yellow-green leaves, may start dying at tips. Apply an organic fertilizer suited to your turf grass. Centipede, for example can be harmed by too much nitrogen.
Phosphorus - Thin sod, thin curled leaves, dusky blue-green with purple tint in cool weather. Raise pH (reduce acidity)
Potassium - Yellow tips on leaves, may turn brown and die at tips. Apply an organic soil amendment containing Kelp. Adjust pH.
Sulfur - Yellow leaves. Usually an indication of low pH. Add sulfur.
Zinc - Small and yellow leaves. Apply an organic soil amendment containing trace elements.
Microbial activity
Soil microbes are essential to the health of a lawn. They convert nutrients to useable energy plant roots can absorb easily while detoxifying the soil.
Use only organic fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides. Synthetic/chemical products kill soil microbes. Apply a bio-enhanced dethatcher
Visit Our Website
Steve Stout