Common Mistakes Regarding Weed Control
Maintenance of a lawn or a garden can take up a bit of your time. For instance, weeds can be a real nuisance as they compete with your plants and grass for nutrients, water, and space. Therefore, you must implement effective weed control measures to ensure that your property remains in pristine condition. However, before you select the most suitable weed control technique for lawn or garden, you should know what to avoid. This article highlights common mistakes that homeowners make regarding weed control.
Confusing Weeds With Plants
Weed identification is critical before implementing a control program on your lawn. An inexperienced homeowner might think that weed identification is a simple, straightforward process, but it is not. The reason is that some weeds are obvious while others look like legitimate flowers you would like to keep. In this regard, it is vital to differentiate between legitimate plants and flowers from weeds before implementing weed control measures. You can do it by consulting botany books in a local library or a nursery. Similarly, plant identification applications can help you identify weeds with the touch of a button. You can confidently proceed with control measures once you determine the weeds in your lawn.
Spraying in Windy Conditions
One of the most common mistakes property owners make when controlling weeds is ignoring prevailing environmental conditions. Thus, you should not start spraying just because you cannot stand the sight of overgrown weeds on your driveway. The reason is that spraying herbicides in windy conditions leads to drift, a phenomenon that carries chemicals to areas of your lawn that don't need attention. For instance, wind can redirect potent herbicides to your vegetable garden on a windy day, killing healthy plants. Most importantly, you must read a herbicide's label for the best conditions to spray the product. You can also consult agricultural experts in your area.
Leaving the Root Behind
When you are mowing your lawn and see weeds sprouting along the edges, you can pull them out manually. Although the process can be a bit tedious, it is arguably one of the greenest control options available to homeowners. However, pulling weeds is only effective if you yank every part of the plant from the soil. If you leave the roots in the soil, the chances are high that the weeds will grow back. Therefore, ensure that you push your weeder deep into the soil to remove an entire weed plant.
Contact a weed control professional to get help eliminating weeds in your yard.