Are you wondering how to control the weeds growing in your yard and around your home? When it comes to weeds there are so many different types that love to make a home in your lawn. Fortunately for us, there are simple and effective weed control methods to remove weeds from your lawn and prevent them from coming back.

What are the most common weeds found in turf?

The most common weeds are broadleaf weeds such as clover, creeping oxalis and bindii, just to name a few. These weeds spread very easily and can be spread by foot traffic, through the mower or even be blown in from your neighbour’s yard.

Control lawn weeds

If the weeds are only a small problem and there aren’t too many, pulling them out by hand will be the easiest way to remove them, keep in mind to remove the root system when pulling out the weed.

If there is a large area then you will need to use a selective herbicide such as our All-Purpose Weed Control. When applying these be sure to follow the recommended application on the label and check that it is suitable for your lawn type.

Chemicals used for weed control

While it’s great to know that we can easily treat weeds, the most effective way to keep weeds at bay is actually to maintain a healthy lawn. This means regular mowing, watering and fertilising, which will help to create a natural weed mat and prevent the weeds from being able to penetrate your lawn.

You may also consider incorporating pre-emergent products like Oxafert into your lawn care calendar, which will help to kill annual weeds before they even appear. Please note Oxafert will not deal with any existing weeds.

Control broadleaf weeds

For the following types of weeds, a broadleaf herbicide will not be effective in removing them:

• Nutgrass
• Mullimbimby Couch
• Summer Grass
• Winter Grass

To control weeds you will need to remove by hand and apply select herbicides if available such as Sedgehammer for Nutgrass or use a non-selective herbicide such as glyphosate for any of those weeds.

Ensure that you follow the recommended application rates and only apply to affected areas, as a non-selective herbicide will damage your lawn if it comes into contact. We have found that applying glyphosate-based products through a weed brush (which can be purchased at Bunnings), minimizes damage to the existing lawn.

Can I Use Weed & Feed to Treat My Lawn?

Weed n Feed products normally contain a combination of a broadleaf herbicide and a fertiliser. They come in a bottle that attaches to your hose and then you spray the contents onto your lawn. In theory, this sounds great and you

might even be thinking that this product is genius, but in reality, the results can be less than anticipated as both the fertiliser and herbicide can be lower rates and more frequent applications are needed to get the desired result.

Herbicide Component

• The active component in Weed n Feed is Dicamba. The rate of Dicamba present in Weed n Feed bottles is pretty low and actually isn’t very effective on most broadleaf weeds which you will usually need 2 or 3 applications to get a result. This is also
  generally why it is so cheap to buy.
• Dicamba also cannot be used on soft-leaf buffalo lawns such as Sir Walter DNA Certified, as this causes the lawn to turn yellow and sometimes die. Considering the fact that there are so many homes in Australia with soft-leaf buffalo lawns, this greatly limits the products use in the domestic market

Fertiliser Component

• Weed n Feed adds very little nutrient value to the grass. The fertiliser component mainly contains Nitrogen and Iron, meaning your lawn will probably immediately look great and it will give the plant a short boost of green colour. However, Weed n Feed usually contains zero Phosphorus and Potassium, so the benefits are for the root strength and development of the plant. Essentially, it is hardly a fertiliser at all.

So, What Does this all Mean?

Weed n Feed is not the best solution when undertaking fertilising and weed control on your lawn. We suggest using the appropriate herbicide for your specific weed as outlined above.

Make sure you use a broadleaf herbicide that is safe to use on your turf variety before application and that it is effective against the types of weeds you are spraying for.

This can then be followed up when the existing weeds are showing signs of decline, generally, 1-2 weeks post herbicide treatment with our Lawn Solutions fertiliser, which will get the best results for the overall health of your lawn for longer periods of time.

Now you know how to combat some common weeds and how to select the right product. However, if you have tried the above and are still having weed problems, or would just like some general advice on your lawn care, please contact us.

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