Is there anything as beautiful as Middle Tennessee in midsummer? Everything is green and gorgeous. Our region abounds with lush lawns and landscaping. But unfortunately, summer also means weeds. It’s an ongoing battle at this time of year. No matter how hard we try, they just seem to keep popping up. How can we ditch the weeds and keep our lawns and gardens looking healthy?

How Can I Fight Weeds in My Lawn?

The biggest problems in most southeastern lawns are crabgrass and dandelions. We fight these two lawncare nemeses in different ways.

  • For crabgrass, that ugly, clumpy weed that looks like little crab legs sticking up from your lawn, pre-emergent herbicide treatment is most effective. We want to attack crabgrass in late winter or early spring before the growing season begins. The best technique is usually herbicide granules applied with a spreader to kill crabgrass seedlings before they emerge.
  • Dandelions are pesky perennials. In this case, the best time to get them is right after they flower. So we want to use a post-emergent herbicide. The best approach is generally applying a broad treatment to the lawn and then spot-treating any tenacious survivors that pop up. If you have time on your hands, you can pull dandelions, but to tackle them effectively, you need to get the deep taproots. Digging dandelions requires specialized tools and lots of patience, so a post-emergent herbicide is usually the way to go.

Remember: a healthy lawn helps keep weeds at bay. When your lawn is healthy, it’s in better shape to battle those weeds for nutrients. A few best practices can help you win the battle:

  • Mow regularly and carefully, and don’t cut your grass too short in the heat of summer.
  • Water consistently and thoroughly in the summer.
  • Keep your yard healthy by reseeding and fertilizing in the fall.

How Can I Prevent Weeds in My Garden?

The herbicides we use on the lawn aren’t the best choice for the garden. Delicate flowers and vegetables have different needs than grass. In the garden, you can spot-treat weeds with a glyphosate-based herbicide. However, there are useful ways we can beat weeds in the garden that don’t involve chemicals.

  • Mulching is one of the most effective ways to keep weeds from taking over in the garden. A properly applied layer of organic (wood or a similar plant-based material) or inorganic (stones or gravel) mulch can block weeds from sprouting in landscaped areas and gardens.
  • Landscape fabric applied early in the landscaping process can stop weeds before they sprout by blocking sunlight and nutrients. This is an excellent weed-blocker for mulched landscaping.
  • Strategic irrigation targets your flowers and vegetables while leaving weeds high and dry.
  • In some cases, pulling weeds by hand the old-fashioned way is fastest and most effective.
  • Finally, keep your edges trimmed where the garden meets the lawn. This prevents unwanted seeds from spreading from grass to garden.

Want to Beat the Weeds? Hire a Pro

If weeds are on your hit list, hiring a professional landscaper is the way to go. Here are a few reasons why:

  • Working with an experienced team helps you avoid damaging your lawn. If you over-apply a chemical herbicide, it can have a devastating effect on your entire landscape. Professional herbicides are safe and effective but need to be done right.
  • In the garden, mulching is your number one tool for fighting weeds. A professional team can help you find the right type of mulch and apply it correctly.
  • A professional team can help you design and set up a targeted irrigation system to encourage desirable plants to thrive.
  • Most of us don’t have the time or inclination to spend the summer fighting weeds. Hiring a professional landscaper gives you the gift of time. It allows you to spend precious hours enjoying your yard and garden instead of turning lawn and landscape care into a chore.

Acer Landscape Services has decades of experience fighting weeds in Nashville’s lawns and gardens. We know the struggle is real, and we offer just the right touch for effective weed control without damaging the grass and plants you love. The result is a healthy lawn and landscape, and working with the pros means you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy it.