Lawn Smarts: Controlling Weeds

When you spend time caring for your yard and nurturing your chosen plants, watching weeds pop up out of nowhere can be a frustrating experience. How can you stop them from taking over your garden? No matter the type of weed, these little infiltrators are talented at finding opportunities to insert themselves in your soil and will quickly seize any chance to push aside your more desirable plants in order to survive. Go on the offensive by identifying the weed in your yard, then taking steps to remove it (and discourage its return). Got dandelions? Loosen their hold on your soil by first (counterintuitively!) watering them, then using a spade to carefully dig around and remove the entire taproot. To prevent dandelions from taking hold again, refrain from mowing your grass too short, and fill in or re-seed bare patches whenever they appear (before the dandelions have a chance to reclaim your turf). Bindweed got you in a bind? These winding vine plants can quickly take over an area and squeeze out your most precious plants. Prevent its spread by targeting bindweed at its roots! First, cut back the plant by hacking away all the vines. After chopping down to the stem, pour boiling water onto what remains of the bindweed, then douse it with a shot of vinegar or baking soda for a safe, worry-free herbicide. Sick of crabgrass? If you want your crabgrass gone quickly, you can use boiling water to kill it. Just pour the boiling water on your target while carefully avoiding other plants, then dig it up at the root and remove completely. To effectively fight and prevent crabgrass, manage it proactively and take action before it has a chance to grow or spread to other areas of your lawn. Overseed when seasonally appropriate to crowd out pesky crabgrass and keep it from competing with your grass seedlings. Rachio’s smart watering schedules can also aid in the fight against crabgrass by helping you automatically water more deeply. This ensures your grass receives the water it needs while depriving shallow-rooted foes (like newly-established crabgrass) of the chance to thrive.