Weed control in winter for lawn
Winter weed control is no different than any other time of the year when it comes to killing or controlling weeds. Although, you are limited in that you cannot use an herbicide unless the temperature isn’t too cold for it to be effective.
Although, you are limited in that you cannot use an herbicide unless the temperature isn’t too cold for it to be effective. There are two components when trying to figure what kind of winter weed control method is best for you and your lawn: cost-effectiveness and how much effort do I want to put into this?
Winter weed control can also be done by hand through plucking them out of the ground before the weeds have a chance to go to seed. This will have little impact in actually controlling weeds in winter but it does give you a sense of satisfaction when pulling out those persistent winter weeds in your lawn.
The most cost effective method of weed control is mulching with salt hay, straw, chipped bark or cardboard.
The least costly winter weed control is to use a plastic cover over the grass blade to help block out light that could get through to the soil below. These are cheap- around $1.50 for 6′ wide rolls and will save you on your water bill in the spring by preventing evaporation too! However, this isn’t very effective at controlling weeds because it does not kill them so they may start growing again in the spring. This step will help prevent weeds from germinating however.
Weed control in winter for lawn
Not many people have success with using organic herbicides such as corn gluten meal but if you do want to put some effort into trying to use an organic herbicide, you will need to read up on when they work best and what you need to do for them to be effective.
In regards to using a pre-emergent in winter that will kill weeds before they germinate, this is still going to require some effort on your part whether it’s getting out in the cold or remembering which product you used last year so you don’t over seed.
There are two different types of pre-emergents: contact and residual. Contact pre-emergents have been known to lose their potency with dropping temperatures so if possible, apply the herbicide when the temperature is above 35° F . Residual pre-emergent products can also work well in the winter and will last throughout the season so you don’t have to worry about reapplication.
Tips for Controlling Weeds During Winter
Here are a few tips to control weeds during winter:
- Do not use weed control fabric if temperatures go below 20 F as this kills off even the good bacteria in your soil. Just cover these areas will plastic sheeting instead!
- If you want to kill those stubborn weeds that resist everything, then tell everyone in your house or apartment complex to stomp on them using their shoes whenever they step outside. This would be a fun activity for kids since they can have a little snowball fight with each other at the same time!
- To kill weeds without causing any damage to surrounding grass or plants, put a plastic bag over them and cut a hole for the stem. Then pour boiling water through it so that it enters their roots and kills them instantly!
- When using weed killer, always shake the bottle before spraying since this way, you can avoid wastage which otherwise comes from settled ingredients at the bottom of your container.
