There is nothing more unsightly in a garden than weeds. No matter the time of year, weeds are an active problem that takes consistent effort to control. When they get out of hand, they compete with grass, flowers, and other garden components for essential nutrients and water. Fortunately, seasonal weed control is possible; it just requires specific treatments at different times of year.
Today, we will walk you through how weeds grow in each season, when to apply pre-emergent and post-emergent treatments, and why professional lawn care ensures long-term weed prevention and healthy turf.
Your Guide to Seasonal Weed Control
Spring Applications
As springtime in Eastern Washington approaches, crabgrass, dandelions, clover, and spurge will attempt to take over your lawn. It is during this time of your seasonal weed control schedule that you need to apply a pre-emergent weed control treatment.
Pre-emergent weed control is a specific type of herbicide treatment that targets weed seeds before they have the chance to germinate fully. Essentially, the pre-emergent weed control spray creates a protective barrier in your lawn’s soil to prevent weed growth before it starts.
To ensure you get the full effectiveness of this treatment, you must apply it in early spring, before weeds start to germinate. In doing so, you can prevent weed growth, grow healthier grass, and minimize lawn care tasks.
Summer Applications
While pre-emergent weed treatments can minimize weed growth, it is unlikely that they will stop every single seed from growing. As the weather continues to warm, broadleaf and grassy weeds often manage to sneak through and begin to grow rapidly, as they thrive in warmer weather.
It is during this time of your seasonal weed control schedule that you utilize post-emergent treatments. While pre-emergent weed treatments prevent weed germination, post-emergent treatments address actively growing weeds.
This targeting of existing weeds with post-emergent treatment prevents you from spending hours pulling unwanted weeds while reducing competition for critical resources with your preferred plants and lawn.
Fall Applications
As fall approaches in Eastern Washington, it often creates the perfect weed-growing storm of cooler temperatures and plenty of rainfall. Similar to springtime, applying a pre-emergent weed control lawn spray service in the fall ensures the protective layer is in place before weeds begin to sprout.
When performing a pre-emergent weed control treatment in the fall, you want to do it as the weather starts to cool down but before the temperature drops below 55°F. By taking advantage of this seasonal weed control method, you are not only improving the aesthetics and functionality of your autumn landscaping, but, in particular, this is especially effective at preventing chickweed and other common winter annual weeds.
In addition to applying a pre-emergent weed control treatment, fall is also the time to consider aeration and fertilization services. Both of these can help prepare your property for the chilly winter season so that you can hit the ground running come spring.
Winter Considerations
While winter time is slow for weed activity, it is an important time for planning and maintaining soil health to prevent early spring outbreaks.
First, take action to prevent winter lawn pests. In winter, your lawn can inadvertently become a home for various pests. You may end up a haven for grubs, stink bugs, fleas, ticks, chinch bugs, and more. To prevent this, be consistent in avoiding dense mulch layers, leaf piles, tall grass, and thatch from gathering on your property.
Second, you want to be vigilant in recognizing and preventing winter lawn diseases like snow mold, winter desiccation, and others. All of these can severely impact the health and appearance of your lawn come spring. Should you notice signs of a lawn disease, address it right away with a professional team to ensure it is eradicated quickly and properly.
Lastly, winter is the perfect time to plan for spring. Rather than waiting for spring to begin your planning, when you are competing against everyone else for limited resources, winter is ideal for getting everything ready. Whether you are planning a hardscaping project, a new planting idea, or a simple refresh of your property, lay out your vision with your local professional landscapers and reserve your space on their books.
Why Professional Weed Control Works Best
Weed control is a never-ending battle. Rather than spending your precious free time guessing at chemicals, hauling product, and sweating out in the yard while attempting to DIY different treatments, you can trust in a professional team to take care of it for you.
When you hire professional landscapers to manage your seasonal weed control, you benefit from proper treatment timing, extensive product knowledge, safe application techniques, and consistent monitoring. This long-term weed management solution ensures your lawn and garden receive safe, eco-friendly weed control treatments that maintain the value of your property.
Why Choose Colonial Lawn & Garden
Homeowners in the Tri-Cities and Yakima areas who want to maintain weed-free, healthy lawns through professional seasonal maintenance, we at Colonial Lawn & Garden are here to provide effective, year-round results.
As locals of the area ourselves, we are well-versed in the Tri-Cities and Yakima’s unique ecological conditions. From weed types to soil quality, and from weather patterns to environmental standards, we are experts in the trade.
If you are looking for a hands-off approach to lawn care that includes seasonal weed control, lawn fertilization, and grub control, you can take advantage of our Lawn Care Program. We take care of your lawn throughout the seasons, preventing common issues before they can mature and tackling problems as they arise. At the end of the day, you are left with a beautiful, lush lawn you can enjoy.
Plus, we offer a variety of additional services to make your property management easier. Lawn maintenance, sprinkler management, tree and shrub care, and much more are available to you.
Ready to keep your lawn weed-free all year long? Contact Colonial Lawn & Garden today to schedule your seasonal weed control applications and enjoy a greener, healthier yard.
