Question:

Is there a non-chemical weed control for bahiagrass?

Answer:

To my knowledge, there is only one sure fire non chemical control for bahiagrass, and that is to prevent it to begin with. Removal by hand can be done, but getting all roots is almost impossible, and the seeds left over will cause future problems. It might be possible to use solorization to get rid of the problem, but this will kill other surrounding grasses for a time as well. There are some very low dose chemicals that will do the job with minimal environmental impact.

Question:

Is it possible to kill weeds without killing bahiagrass

Answer:

It is possible, but why would you want to? No, I am just joking. I realize that there are types of bahaigrass that grow low, and are used for turf grass in some parts of the country. Most weeds that could be a problem in bahaigrass turf would be broadleaf weeds, and there are many products on the market for killing broadleaf weeds. Most broadleaf weed killers will work without damage to grasses if label directions are followed.

Question:

How can I improve your lawn in winter?

Answer:

One of the best ways to improve your lawn in winter is to get rid of  broadleaf, and grassy weeds that crop up during the lawn grasses dormancy. If your lawn grass is completely dormant, a non selective weed killer can be used to kill any weeds that might be living. If you read this early enough in the fall of the year, or in the early spring, using  pre emergent weed control is a good option.

Lawn care and lawn pest control

In this, like most other activities, balance is the key. Balancing your lawns water and fertilizer needs with your mowing schedule, and balancing the right mowing height between too long and too short, will give your lawn the best look, and the best health. The best defense against insects, disease, fungus, and weeds is a healthy lawn. Like a healthy body, a healthy lawn will ward off attacks by invaders. Proper lawn care will give you a healthy lawn, which will in turn, give you, the best lawn pest control.

The list below gives a few details about  lawn care, as it relates to lawn pest control.

• Scalping your lawn, weakens the scalped area’s turf, and allows weed invaders to take the place of the weakened grass.
• Not mowing the grass at a low enough level, leaves cover for insects and allows some low growing weeds to reproduce seed under the mowing height.
• Thatch hides insects, and should be removed or cultivated, and not allowed to build up. Good mowing practices will stop it from building.
• Waiting too long between mowings, can allow weeds time to reach seed head maturity, and plant themselves in your nice green lawn. Too much growth also provides cover for insects.
• When you have waited too long to mow, change your mowing height, so that you take off less leaf blade, and then mow again in a few days at a lower cutting height. Do this in increments until you reach your desired cutting height.
• You should never remove more than one third of the top at a time. Taking too much off at once will leave your lawn in a weakened condition, inviting more bugs and weeds to take over.
• Avoid mowing weedy outside areas before you mow your lawn. If you have to do this for some reason, stop and thoroughly clean your mower between the two areas.
• Mow away from your landscape beds and toward your lawn. Care should be taken to avoid throwing grass, weed clippings, and seed into them.
• Don’t “over water” your lawn and landscape beds. Many weedy lawn pests, and bug pests enjoy excess water, and may decide to take up residence in the new sea side resort in your landscape. Over watering fuels fungus, and bacteria as well.
• Over fertilization leads to most of the same lawn care problems as over watering.
• Don’t fertilize your lawn too late in the year. If you do, you may be fertilizing winter weeds instead of grass. This will have a bad effect on your lawn pest control efforts in the spring.
• Avoid aerifying late in the fall. Aerifying at that time, will plant the weed seeds that would have otherwise rotted on top of the ground.
• Avoid lawn compaction. Areas with heavy foot traffic, are likely to have poor quality turf, and are subject to invasion by weeds that like compacted areas. If you have compaction, loosen it by aerifying.
• If the problem is human pests, and an area is getting so much traffic because it is convenient to walk in that direction, a good lawn care tactic might be to add a paved foot path through the area, or you could plant or build a traffic barrier to make it less convenient.

Good lawn care is great lawn pest control. See more on lawn care and lawn pest control on our lawn management pages.

Want to save money on fertilizer? Why not take advantage of the free fertilizer available from your own lawn?

That’s right, lawns produce fertilizer. The fertilizer they produce comes from the grass clippings. It is possible to recycle as much as 60 percent of the nitrogen from the clippings by doing nothing more than leaving the clippings on the ground! Of course, if you are going to get the maximum effect, you will need to mow often, leaving short clippings that are easy for soil microbes to digest.

There are other reasons to mow often and leave your clippings on the ground instead of bagging them and sending them to a landfill. Speaking of landfill, that is a good place to start.

Lawn clippings and the environment

Leaving your lawn clippings on the lawn keeps them out of the landfill, which is good for the environment. Most cities, and many states have laws prohibiting the bagging of lawn clippings because of over stuffed landfills.  By leaving the clippings, you are avoiding this problem altogether.

Lawn clippings and organic matter

Organic matter is essential to healthy lawn growth. Lawn clippings are a great, and free source of organic matter.  Clippings add organic matter to the lawn when they are left in place and allowed to degrade naturally.

Lawn clippings and thatch

Mowing often, and leaving short clippings will also prevent the accumulation of thatch. That is the layer of dead grass at the base of the plant. Short lawn clippings will degrade more quickly, and even help to break down the thatch built up from leaving long grass clippings.

Reasons why people bag

Thatch problems.

Thatch problems are caused by leaving lawn clippings that are too massive to break down through microbial activity. If this is the case, the lawn should be mowed more often, or fertilization, and irrigation should be lowered. If the lawn is growing so rapidly that it can’t be mowed often enough, there is usually a problem with excessive fertility, and, or, too much water. In such cases, the answer is not to bag the clippings. The answer is to moderate the activity that is causing the problem.

It is habit.

It is habit learned from someone in the past, who needed to bag, or thought they needed to bag. The world is full of stories about people who continue to do things when the need is long past, or a better solution is available.

See also: Grass Clippings UC Davis

Of all the home maintenance operations, lawn care takes the lions share of resources. The average home owner spends more on lawn care than any other aspect of managing property.

Add up the cost of weekly mowing, fertilization, irrigation, and pest control, and a half acre lawn can cost as much or more to maintain is a mortgage payment.

Traditional lawns have a big carbon footprint

If you pride yourself on being green, and having a green lawn, there may be a few contradictions at work. There can be issues with fertility runoff, chemical usage, water usage, and excessive fuel use for equipment, and the manufacture of the products used to keep a lawn green. Even the “organic” pest control products available from manufacturers have a large carbon footprint, because they have to be gathered, processed, stored, packaged, shipped, and so do the packaging and labeling products used.

Lawn alternatives

There are ways to avoid this conundrum, save money, and have a beautiful landscape without sacrificing the environment, or your time and money. It can even be done without starting a massive landscape project, gradually, over a long period of time, and won’t look awkward and strange while it is being done. What we are talking about is a native habitat, or backyard habitat. Native habitats are an excellent and inexpensive way to modify your lawn, and save money in the long run.

How to start a native habitat

Start by adding a few native trees and shrubs around the parameter of your property. I say “native” because native plants will withstand the rigors of their native environment better than the exotic species more commonly used in landscaping projects. Native plants are already acclimated to your region, are naturally resistant to the pests in your area, and have evolved to adjust to your soil type. As a side benefit, native plants will attract native wildlife, particularly birds, which will then lower your pest population.

Find ground covers native to your area, and add them where appropriate to help prevent erosion. You can also add some landscape stone paths if you like.

Continue to add trees, shrubs, and ground covers including native grasses until you have no lawn, or very little lawn left to mow.

Native habitats:

• Are less costly
• Are less time consuming
• Use less pesticides
• Use less fertilizer
• Require less maintenance
• Provide built in pest control
• Have a smaller carbon footprint
• Are wildlife friendly

Winter dormancy is important for your lawn and it’s health, but it can also present some problems. One problem for avid lawn aficionados is the lack of activity, but take heart, there is still a lot that can be done during the brown months of winter to prepare for the coming spring. Here are a few ideas for your consideration.

To help your lawn through the winter months, there are several things you can do.

1. You can increase your lawns cold hardiness by adding a little extra potassium, the third number on the fertilizer bag. Remember, your lawn grasses roots will continue to grow and store nutrients even when the tops are dormant.
2. If you have dry winters in your area, check the moisture level of your lawn from time to time. Roots will still need some water. It is not good to allow the roots to freeze in a dry condition.
3. Mow your lawn as you normally would. Scalping your lawn for winter will only lead to erosion, or bare spots, where weeds will find a new home. Scalping always leaves the lawn in bad condition.
4. If you have a lot of leaves, either rake them or mulch them. Raked leaves can be recycled in your compost bin. Mulching them over your lawn, will add nutrients and organic matter to your lawn.
5. If you have winter and early spring lawn weeds, start planning now to get rid of them. When the lawn is dormant, it may be possible to remove the weeds manually, or chemically without doing any damage to your lawn. If you have complete dormancy, (no part of the grass has any green) you can apply a non selective herbicide such as a glyphosate product to any weeds or weedy grasses which spring up during that time. Be certain that you follow the label directions. It is possible to “salt out” an area with almost any product, natural or chemical, so do this cautiously with no more than the proper concentration of products.
6. If you plan to use a pre emergent herbicide, it would be good to have it on hand when the time comes to apply it in your area. Once again, follow those label directions for procedure, concentration, and proper time of application.
7. Make sure that your irrigation system is protected from freezing, before you find out about it the hard way.
8. This will also be a good time to start thinking about your lawn equipment. It will need to be winterized before you put it away. This is a good time for such things as; oil changes, filter changes, new spark plugs, repairs, upgrades, to sharpen or buy more blades. If you can, sharpen several to have handy when spring comes. Be sure to balance the blades after sharpening, so they won’t vibrate, and affect your mowers longevity.