Weed & Feed The popular method of weed & feed is no longer available on the market here in Canada. The sale has been banned in Alberta and most of Canada and several other places around the world. This is due to the large applications of herbicide for only a few weeds in the area. The only potential alternative is a corn gluten based fertilizer. It acts as a preventative measure only, it does not kill existing weeds. Much more of it is required to achieve the same fertilizer results. It is also quite difficult to find and significantly more expensive.
Herbacide Sprays There are a few herbicide sprays available that you can use in your lawn to control weeds like dandelions and thistle. “Killex” is the only spray you can use on the lawn and won’t kill the grass. It is just a spot treatment option as needed. “Killex” also has no residual soil affects; once the product has dried it is no longer there. Safe for kids and pets 2 hours after application. Alternatives include a few iron based sprays, much harder to find but it’s a chemical free option. Although iron takes much longer, up to two weeks, to fully kill off any weeds that are present.
Top Dress and Overseed This is the method of adding a small amount of soil and applying grass seed over the existing lawn. The new grass will help to choke out weeds by using up all the nutrients. A mix of seed that is close to your current lawn is ideal. Anything Grows now carries Scotts Coated Grass Seed, both in Sun/Shade mix and All Purpose mix.
Lawn Tips
· Fertilize your lawn on a more regular basis. Once per month during the growing season is sufficient. Also, should use a fall fertilizer in the fall, this will help aid your lawn as it gets ready for winter. On average you can fertilize about 4 times in one growing season.
· If you are having no success with controlling dandelions in your lawn try adding some form of calcium to your lawn such as lime or bone meal. Dandelions grow long tap roots to reach deep down for nutrients that are not present on the surface. Mainly they are looking for calcium. In nature they will pull the calcium to the surface and when they die they release it back for other plants.
· Try a concrete edging around trees, shrubs and flower beds. As you mow the lawn you can run the mower wheel along the edge and can eliminate the need to using the trimmer.
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