What is the one thing that is the bane of a gardener’s existence?
…Weeds!
Did you know you can PREVENT weeds? There is one thing you can do to prevent hours of weeding or repeated spraying!
Pre-emergent
While not organic, pre-emergent can prevent weeds before they even germinate. This herbicide which is usually granular but a liquid form is available, needs to be applied BEFORE weeds germinate to create a barrier. This means…NOW! Applying as soon as the days begin to warm will prevent many weeds from germinating. Depending on our weather pattern, this can be anytime from January to March. The majority of weeds in our climate germinate from March to June so maintaining the barrier during these months will take a huge chunk out of the weed population. It will need to be reapplied 2 to 3 months to maintain the barrier (be sure to read the label for directions). Anytime the soil is disturbed, you will need to reapply.
You can also apply the pre-emergent after weeding an area to prevent regrowth.
Be sure not to apply pre-emergent in an area that you plan on direct sowing seeds for the following 2 to 3 months!
There are 2 different products we recommend, depending on where you want to apply the pre-emergent.
- Amaze or Hi Yield Turf & Ornamental Weed & Grass Stopper – use in lawn or flowerbeds. Only contains pre-emergent.
- Jonathan Green Season Long Weed Preventer – use in lawns to feed and prevent weeds.