Grow a Healthy Lawn by Using Weeds as Lawn Problem Indicators
Weeds in the lawn aren’t just a nuisance – they’re a clue to the long-term solution for growing a beautiful and healthy lawn.
Clover for example was once included in grass seed mixes as a nurse crop. It captures nitrogen from the atmosphere to help feed the lawn. Now many consider it a weed. Proper fertilization is the first step to controlling this weed.
Knotweed is often found along walks and curbs. This weed tolerates compacted salty soils. Improve the drainage and avoid using deicing salts or leach them from the soil in spring.
Shade and compacted poorly drained soils are perfect growing conditions for moss – not grass. Incorporate organic matter into the soil or aerate the lawn to improve the drainage. Or better yet – mulch areas under trees or add a few steppers and call it a moss garden.
A bit more information: And once you correct the growing conditions, further reduce weed problems with proper care. Grow your grass tall. Mowing high encourages deep roots that are more drought tolerant and better able to fend off pests and outcompete the weeds. Proper watering and fertilization will further reduce weed problems. Even one fertilization a year, can greatly improve your lawn’s health and reduce weed problems.