Weeds in Warm Season Lawns
In SC we live in a climate that is considered a warm season lawn area. The most popular turf grasses grown in South Carolina are St. Augustine grass, Bermuda grass, Centipede grass and Zoysia grass. The term “warm season” meaning the lawn lies dormant over the winter/colder months and grow in the summer/warmer months. Over the next few weeks we’ll be writing specifically about each of the grasses mentioned above but this week we are focused on the weeds that are most common to warm season lawns. There are many disadvantages to weeds, the most obvious being they change to look of a lawn from the nice, level sea of grass we all strive for. Weeds also will divert nutrients, water and light from the grass – resulting in growth issues and patchy areas. They also grow rapidly and left unattended can take over your lawn.
There are two types of weeds one is Grassy and the other Broadleaf. Grassy weeds have single leafs, an example is crabgrass. Broadleaf weeds have two leaves and often have flowers such as dandelions or clover. Weeds can be annual or perennial – annuals having a life cycle of one season and perennial will grow for 2 or more years. If the weeds are perennials there comes a point where you may need to move to herbicides, it will be important to know which weed you’re trying to control and a professional landscaping company such as Beach Landscaping can do that for you.
If your weeds need herbicides there are 2 different types – Pre-emergence which is applied to the soil and post-emergence, which is applied to the weed itself. Though there are many over the counter herbicides sold, it’s very important to both have the correct product for your specific problem and the correct herbicide. It’s always a good idea to have a professional landscaper apply the herbicide, that way you are assured of the fact that the right mixture and amount are being applied. Please always consult a professional before taking this on as a DYI project.
The different turf grasses have varying issues and each weed needs to be treated at a specific time of year for optimum results. Many of the commonly sold herbicides are a one size fits all answer, so you can be treating your lawn with too much or too little. Beach Landscaping will treat with the right amount each time.
Sources: http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/pests/pdf/hgic2310.pdf
