Is your lawn in the Bloomfield Hills, MI, area becoming overgrown with weeds? You may be wondering if lawn fertilization will resolve this issue, and the answer isn’t as straightforward as you may think. Here is what you need to know about preventing weeds on your lawn.
Related: Why Fertilization is Essential to Landscape Maintenance in Superior Township & West Bloomfield, MI
Fertilization Basics
It’s helpful to understand the benefits of fertilization so you can understand why fertilization does help prevent unwanted weeds but isn’t a cure-all or the most effective method of doing so. Grass requires essential nutrients to grow and thrive, the top three being nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. When your lawn has all of the nutrients it needs, it will be strong and healthy, and more capable of fighting off weeds, disease, and insect infestations. However, it’s best to use fertilization in combination with other weed control methods to ensure the most effective results—you won’t want to have weeds soaking up the nutrients from your fertilizer applications.
Pre-Emergent Weed Control
In the early spring, many lawn care providers apply fertilization that is mixed with a pre-emergent weed control that prevents weeds from growing in the first place. This application generally targets crabgrass and other broadleaf weeds with the use of herbicides. While pre-emergent weed control is effective, it does not mean you will not have weeds on your lawn at all throughout the growing season.
Post-Emergent Weed Control
Post-emergent weed control is applied after weeds have begun to grow. Oftentimes, this is a more targeted approach rather than a full lawn application because these herbicides can kill other plants in your landscape if applied incorrectly. Post-emergent weed killer is generally applied in late spring and throughout the growing season whenever weeds appear. It is most effective when applied on small weeds that are actively growing because they will readily absorb the weed killer.
A Comprehensive Lawn Care Plan
Lawn care professionals tend to recommend undertaking a comprehensive lawn care plan. While fertilization alone will not eliminate weeds from your lawn, it still does wonders for the health of your lawn and makes it much stronger.
A comprehensive lawn care plan generally includes several applications of fertilizer and weed control. An early spring application is usually followed by an application in late spring and several during the summer. In the fall, another application helps prepare the grass for dormancy in the winter months ahead and helps ensure a strong start in the coming spring.
Additional Lawn Care Services
In addition to fertilization and weed control, it’s important that your lawn is properly maintained. This includes regular mowing, occasional aeration, and seasonal cleanups. When you hire professionals to care for your lawn mowing needs, they ensure that the grass is mowed at the correct height to ensure optimal health.
Professional lawn care crews can aerate your lawn to ensure that the root system can access the oxygen and nutrients it needs to thrive. During seasonal cleanups in the spring and fall, debris is removed from your lawn so that it looks just as beautiful as it is healthy. Combining these lawn care services will ensure your lawn maintains a healthy appearance and has minimal weed growth.