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Home My WebLink AboutClinton News-Record, 1987-04-15, Page 41t4 1i PA 1,2 Why bother controlling weeds in your yard Some people like a natural" environ- ment and say that they enjoy all types of plants growing in their yard. Even these people, however, have some preference for the type of vegetation and they scatter wild flower seeds in their unrnowed "lawn" to add colour and texture. Since a weed is merely a plant growing in the wrong.place one can appreciate the dif- ferent poffit of view. Individual persons or even entire neighbourhoods with neat, orderly lifestyles tend to be intolerant of a neighbour who refuses to mow the lawn and lets his yard go back to nature. Apart from appearance, there are the pro- blems from so-called "noxious" weeds. (These are often listed in the newspapers by municipalities in the spring ). These noxious weeds are common in abandoned gardens or on recently disturbed bare soil as well as lawns. They are considered "noxious" for several reasons. Some, such as Canada Thistle, are very persistent weeds and their seeds readily spread to farm fields and neighbouring pro- perties. The very common Ragweed is a real health hazard to sufferers of Hay Fever and, of course, weeds like Poison Ivy cause serious skin rashes and, painful blistering. Dandelions and plantains are common lawn weeds which are -pot considered nox- ious but they do disturb the uniformity and texture of an otherwise beautiful lawn. When one considers that each dandelion seed -head produces up to 200 seeds and these float around in the air to land on all the neighbours' lawns, one can understand the consternation of a group of neighbours with perfectly weed -free lawns surrounding one lawn which is a yellow- sea of dandelion blossoms. In gardens when weeds grow unchecked, they compete vigorously with the flowers or vegetable crops. When bad enough, the un- sightly mess produces no crop -at all.. Remember, weeds are plants out of place. Good weed control practices keep them in their place and make you a good neighbour! Winning the Dandelions and crabgrass — to control these two lawn weeds, you must take action early, says Weed Specialist Rudy Brown, head -of the horticulture and biology section at Ridgetown College of Agricultural Technology. • Begin your campaign against dandelions and crabgrass in early spring. Crabgrass must be controlled before it germinates; apply a pre -emergence her- bicide such as Dacthal or Betasan in either liquid or granular form. "The granular form is also sold as a fertilizer -herbicide mixture," Brown said. Follow the application rates recommend- ed by the manufacturer. "Target date for crabgrass control is before May 1, and definitely before May 10," Brown said. The herbicide goes to work after a spring rain; the herbicide is absorbed through the roots emerging from germinating seed. And by raising the mowingheight of your lawn mower during the whole season, you can help the grass compete against weeds more effectively, stay greener longer dur- ing periods of drought and generally remain much healthier. - Dandelions require early treatment too; apply 2,4-D before they bloom and re apply in late summer. Spray weeds on a bright, sunny day when temperatures are 15 degrees Celsius or warmer. "And be sure to protect broadleaved shrubs and ornamentals from spray drift by Give your lawn Giving your lawn a close shave is par- ticularly harmful in spring, says Turf Researcher Nancy Pierce of the University of Guelph's horticultural science department. Some lawn care books suggest mowing closer than the recommended mowing height of four centimetres to five cm, as soon as spring growth begins. While this will brighten the lawn (by removing the old discolored leaves and per- mitting the new green blades to show more quickly), it is simply not recommended. "Close mowing forces the young grass plants to put their energy into replacing lost weed battle shielding them with Brown said. Fertilizer mixtures of 2,4-D are also available, allowing you to apply both fer- tilizer and weed killer at the same time. Rainfall should not occur for at least 12 hours after application of 2,4-D. Other common lawn weeds such as creep- ing charlie, shepherd's purse mouse -eared chickweed, plantain, and so on, are controll- ed with mixtures of 2,4-D and mecoprop or dicamba. Again, early treatment is important. Follow the rates of application recom- mended by the manufacturer. Apply to weeds once in early spring and again in late summer or early fall. a piece of cardboard," a perfect cut tissue, instead of into root growth. As a result, its root system will be very shallow all summer long, and you will be forced to water and fertilize your lawn much more frequently," she said. This spring, wait until the grass reaches a height of seven cm to eight cm, before mow- ing for the first time. And after that, apply the one-third rule: cut your lawn when grass blades are one- third taller than the recommended mowing height. For example, if you want to keep your lawn at the recommended five cm, mow it when the grass is eight cm tall, removing one-third of the grass blade. The Easiest Way to Beautify Your Home... is with supplies from Le Trousseau! • Ideal Paints • Wallpaper •Stains & Varnishes • Blinds • Decorating Accessories SHOW SPECIAL o off Kirsch Blinds •Vertical •Mini •Micro -mini 74 HAMILTON ST., GODERICH 5;2 2448 -• Dry ston of Alcan Canada Products Limited Let us help you make your home a thing of beauty with... *New Siding *Eavestroughing *Aluminum Fascia and Soffit *Replacement Windows and Doors ‚al 7 0 J ®tea Let us handle all your building and renovating needs. Call for a free estimate. Pegg Construction Lucknow 528-3720