The Rise of the Dandelions
Guelph and the surrounding areas are a sea of yellow right now as dandelions take over the grass. Now is the time to think about giving your lawn a facelift by treating the weeds, top dressing and overseeding to fill in bare spots and inspecting for unwanted pests.
FIESTA WEED SPRAY
Fiesta weed control is a selective, post-emergent, broadleaf weed killer that eliminates a variety of weeds in your lawn. While Fiesta is a form of pesticide, it is legal and approved by the province to help control, prevent and destroy broadleaf weeds such as moss, dandelions, plantain, chickweed, thistles amongst others. It is a selective herbicide which means it only kills the weeds, and doesn’t kill the surrounding grass where it is sprayed. It is also a contact herbicide which doesn’t travel into the plant so the liquid application spray needs to cover the entire plant to kill it.
Grass cutting won’t keep the dandelions in check. Since weeds grow faster than grass, it means they stand taller in the lawn making it look neglected or unkempt between lawn mowing. With a rubbery stem, the dandelion has the defensive ability to bend under the lawn mower blades and avoid being cut. They stand back up afterwards and really draw attention to themselves when the grass cutting is finished.
PEST MANAGEMENT
As sun and warm temperatures arrive, so do other pests, such as white grubs, chinch bugs, caterpillars, moths and other types of beetles. These types of bugs can cause great damage to your grass or trees if left untreated, causing brown spots, dead patches and killing the roots of grass. While difficult to treat, there are products available that can help control these lawn and tree pests. Timing of the treatment is key to increasing the effectiveness of the application. Be watchful if you see these insects and call a licensed company to treat as soon as they are noticed on your property – this is the best way to ensure the least amount of damage is done to your landscaping.
BARE SPOTS IN YOUR LAWN
Late spring and fall are great times to top dress and seed your lawn to fix bare spots and any damage from the winter. With cooler temperatures and the ground being moist, the new growth is better able to establish itself.
A BEAUTIFUL LAWN DOESN’T HAPPEN BY ITSELF
There are many options to help green up your lawn and improve the curb appeal of your property but a beautiful lawn doesn’t happen by itself these days. Make sure you have a licensed, properly trained technician to help you so you can win the war on weeds and pests this summer.
