About Jim Gibbs Expertise If you have questions or problems involving lawns, pastures,landscapes,soils, gardens,orchards,plants, weeds, or anything
botanical, I would be glad to try to help.
Experience Temperate climate lawns and gardens, plant and weed identification,
chemicals and fertilizers.
Education/Credentials I have a BS in microbiology and more than 2 years experience in commercial horticulture and also 2 years as a Seed Technologist in a
quality control testing lab for AG products. I have also operated a
lawn/landscaping business for more than 6 years.
Question I live in the Seattle area. What should I be doing now or within the next month or so to my lawn to make it lush and green this year? I do have some weeds in the lawn, I do have some moss. There appears to be a couple of different types of grasses growing in it as well since as it grows I see clumps that are higher than others and darker too.
Answer Hi David,
>>"...different types of grasses..?"
Your question is rather too general, but I think you have a specific starting place that has priorities for you:
The average residential lawn will require about two hours per-week of your time and a small investment in tools and chemicals. If you cannot manage that much time for lawn-care, perhaps you can hire a service company. Most will offer a maintenance package to give you an excellent lawn. Get references and a contract and be sure you know what to expect from lawn-care pros.
An unkept or wild lot may have many dozens of species of plants and several types of grassy-weeds and common turf-grasses included in the inventory.
Use herbicides ('Weed-Killer' Chemicals) to eradicate weedy plants from your lot. Spraying for weeds is not very difficult to do yourself and it can save you lots of money to know how.
Your lawn and garden center should have all the chemicals and supplies you need to become weed-free. To be 'weed-free' in lawn-care, generally means your land will have only one preferred type of grassy plant on it which you will give TLC to.
Given the basics of average top-soil, plenty of sun-light, and 1-3 inches of water per week, all the popular TURF-GRASSES are EASY TO GROW. Add a little extra watering and an occasional fertilizing,...they are all VERY EASY TO GROW. However,....you need to know what you are growing for a turf-grass and what are the weeds in the lawn now. Most people consider an 'excellent lawn' to be one that is weed free while a single wanted grass-type is given the attention it needs to be 'Lush and Green'. So,...
You should be able to identify what is your turf-grass type.
Once you can do this, you will at least know what is a weed and what is the wanted grass-type on your lot. There are now more than 20 or so grasses that are used for lawns and each of these has many 'cultivars' or hybrids. Even a turf-grass can be a 'weed' if it is growing where it is not wanted. So, you should decide what type of grass you want to cultivate for a lawn and go from there.
Perhaps a neighbor or friend can tell you what the 'dominant' turf grass is in your lawn now.
You could also find a fine lawn you like and ask what type of grass it is.
The Seattle area falls into HORTICULTURAL PLANT HARDINESS ZONES 8-9. You should only use plants and grasses rated for these zones. These are zones where warm-climate turf-grasses can be grown.
For the warm climate grasses, I recommend that you use BERMUDA GRASS.
If you now have this grass-type in your lawn, you can work to kill everything else.
Bermuda grass is about the hardiest grass-type there is and there are many varieties.
You may want to consider eradicating ALL THE VEGETATION on the lot and starting anew with one of the new high-tech cultivars of Bermuda grass. This means creating a bare-earth lot to seed and sod with one particular cultivar of turf-grass. This will give you an 'up-graded' turf-grass lawn that will make things easier for you over the years. Any lawn that is more than 15 years old can use an up-grade. This process may be rather labor intensive for you and you could hire some landscaper to do the work, it really is not all so difficult to spray a normal sized lot to kill-off the vegetation in a couple of weeks. The vegetation will die and can be raked away and disposed-of. From there, you can work to improve the top-soil, then get your new grass-type selected and planted before the summer heat arrives.
To spray kill all the vegetation on your lot, you can use a chemical like 'ROUND-UP'.
Here are some links with more information and images.
Visit Turf-Seed Inc. for the Seed Selection Wizard's help:
https://www.turf-seed.com/Home/Wizard/
http://www.lawngrass.com/states/
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Go to GOOGLE.COM and enter the
Keywords: "YOUR/LOCALE/NAME Horticulture;" this search engine may direct you to many good lawn/garden websites for your precise geographical area.
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Here is an article that explains all you need to know about WEEDS in lawns:
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ABOUT WEEDS and HERBICIDES:
IDENTIFY THE WEEDS:
To fight weeds, identify the plant and find an herbicide chemical which will target that weed. Targeted weeds will be listed on the product label. Most chemical companies will also have a web-site with additional information and advice. Many common weeds are genetically related so sometimes the closest relative to a named specie will also kill an un-listed weed that has invaded your property.
Again, Weeds are best attacked with the knowledge of what you are dealing with. Plants generally will have a common 'herbalist's name' and also a technical-scientific name. Searching .org and .edu web-sites with the technical name usually will deliver the best information about the plant (weed or not).
LINKS:
Use these websites with IMAGES to help IDENTIFY common lawn weeds and space invaders:
Note> Once you have a common or scientific name for any plant, you can easily verify your specimen is identified by going to GOOGLE.com and clicking of the 'IMAGES' Tab. This will usually give you many images of the plant so you can make comparisons.
ABOUT HERBICIDE CHEMICALS:
Chemicals that kill plants are variously categorized, and most home-owners will have an arsenal of herbicides to make war with the never-ending invasion of the weeds.
The chemicals are basically categorized according to type of plant they can be used on, and also the type of herbicidal action they deliver. Some chemicals are very general in their use and these are the 'Broad-Spectrum Herbicides.' With just a few weeds in your lawn of a certain type, use a chemical that more specifically targets that weed or its relatives.
Always read and follow the direction with a chemical and also watch the weather reports which can greatly effect herbicide efficiencies in application and function. Usually, herbicide chemicals work best when the weeds are young and actively growing. Spraying during cooler temperatures and on cloudy days is also often more efficient and gives better results.
PRE-EMERGENT HERBICIDES:
Use a PRE-EMERGENT HERBICIDE regularly and as directed with the product and weeds will never have a start. This is THE most efficient method to be weed-free. Pre-emergent chemicals are most often bought combined with a granular fertilizer and sold as "weed-and-feed" or weed-prevention formulas. Sprayable liquid pre-emergent formulas are also on the market but may require pesticide applicator certification to use in your state. Note that you must suspend the use of this type of chemical whenever you re-seed with a wanted grass seed so plan ahead.
List of seven Pre-emergent chemicals by their Brand Names:
Dimension..... Gallery.....Pennant
Pendulum...... Surflan..... Snapshot
Treflan
[Note: a PRE-EMERGENT CHEMICAL is often what is found in commercial "Weed-and-Feed" products. These mixes are PREVENTIVE of weeds, and may not have any effect on the existing weeds you have. Again, this type of chemical works on the seeds...not the plants.]
If you are SEEDING GRASSES: Use a Pre-emergent chemical AFTER your grass seedlings are well establish TO PREVENT FUTURE WEED PROBLEMS.
POST-EMERGENT HERBICIDES:
Otherwise, attack weeds as they appear and while they are young with a POST-EMERGENT chemicals you can spot-spray as needed. Your local garden or farm supply stores should have all the chemicals and equipment you need to battle weeds.
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BROAD LEAF WEEDS:
To control the BROAD LEAF weeds (Dandy-lions, Henbit, Chickweed, clovers etc.) a post-emergent herbicide product that contains a mixture of the following three chemicals is recommended:
01. 2,4-D (often sold and used individually as "Weed-B-Gone" formulations)
This is the most popular chemical for this type of weed and has been in
use for more than half a century with consistent good and safe results.
02. MCPP (Mecoprop)
03. DICAMBA.
Again, the seeds of many annual broad-leaf weeds are prompted to sprout by very precise conditions of cool temperatures and humidity. Some may start with the first cooler days of late summer and begin to disperse their seeds to your lawn, so look for the early-birds and zilch them as you find them to get ahead of next-year's weed crop.
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GRASSY-TYPE WEEDS (Graminae weeds).
In contrast to the 'Broad-Leaf' types of weeds are the 'grassy-types.' These will usually have the long-blade type of leaf and an inconspicuous flower and seed-head. Lawn and Garden Centers will have several chemicals to target this type of weed.
A pair of old standards that will kill many grassy type weeds which are especially useful for crabgrass are chemicals called MSMA or DSMA (Mono-Sodium Meth-Arsenate salt). The di-sodium salt is also sold. These chemicals are salts of arsenic and should not be use near wells or water sources. Most soils will naturally have a certain measure of arsenic around,...but there should be care in increasing this by the use of arsenic salts for grassy weeds.
Applicator Permits may be needed for certain restricted herbicide/pesticide use. For individuals with large areas to maintain and the need to spray for many types of weed and insect pests,.... obtaining an applicator's permit may be worth the few bucks and couple of instructional hours required to take the test;.... for more information about certification check with your local Agricultural Extension Service Office.
Other Chemicals For Grassy type weeds, i.e. non-broad leafed weeds:
These must be applied when the grass weeds are young and no taller than 4 inches:
CRABGRASS and Goosegrass all season control: Pendimethalin, Prodiamine (Barricade), Oxadiazon (Ronstar), Bensulide (Betasan), DCPA (Dacthal), and Benefin (Balan).
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SHOP for HERBICIDES>
You should be able to find any of these safe-common (un-restricted) chemicals or slight patented variations and mixtures at most lawn and garden/farm centers in either a granular (spreadable) or liquid (sprayable) product form. Sprayable forms seem to work best especially when weeds are young. If your local department store or garden center does not stock a chemical you are seeking,...try the farm supply stores, Landscaping and Exterminator Equipment Supply stores.
Again, take time to read the product label to know what to expect. Using pesticides chemicals around your home and family should be done being as well informed as possible. If you don't have time to study product labels while shopping,.... go to the chemical company web-sites for info or check-out the EPA and Consumer Reports Data-base on the Web and at your public library.
WHEN TO SPRAY:
If you are not using pre-emergent and preventive (more expensive chemicals), you need to spot-spray weeds as they appear in the lawn and garden areas.
Start spraying for annual spring weeds in the fall or as soon as any appear on the scene. Just one Dandelion in October can produce many hundreds of new plants that will pop-up until late spring. March to late May is the usual time to find the cool-season weeds, although with a mild winter they can pop up much earlier, go to seed and be more of a problem, so keep an eye out for an invasion and spray accordingly.
DENSE WEEDY AREAS:
Where weeds are dense and form patches, you can use a TOTAL KILL BROAD-SPECTRUM chemical like Monsanto's "ROUND-UP" to kill it fast and efficiently.
With a very thick and dense patch of weeds which has "choked-out" your wanted lawn grass, use a chemical like "ROUND-UP." This will work great and leave a dead
place which you will have to re-seed or sod with turf grass.
DIFFICULT WEEDS:
Some weeds that defy the grassy versus broad-leaf categorization criteria are those with a variety of under-ground root or rhizome structures. These can be tricky to kill with chemicals because the protected sub-terranean parts can survive all the attacks from above. Onion-like weeds can often be killed by spraying them with 2-4-D + MCPP in the fall and again in the spring and when they are most actively growing.
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ABOUT WEEDS and HERBICIDES:
To properly fight weeds, identify the weedy plant and find a chemical which will target that weed precisely.
Use keywords with the search engine GOOGLE.COM to find more information about CENCHRUS and HERBICIDES and WEED CONTROL. Hundreds of Web pages and images can usually be found.
Web-sites with the '.edu' extension are usually the most reliable.
Always read and follow the direction with a chemical and also watch the weather reports which can greatly effect herbicide efficiencies in application and function.
Use a PRE-EMERGENT HERBICIDE regularly and as directed with the product and weeds will never have a start. This is THE most efficient method to be weed-free. Pre-emergent chemicals are most often bought combined with a granular fertilizer and sold as "weed-and-feed" or weed-prevention formulas. Sprayable liquid pre-emergent formulas are also on the market but may require pesticide applicator certification to use in your state. Note that you must suspend the use of this type of chemical whenever you re-seed with a wanted grass seed so plan ahead.
List of seven Pre-emergent chemicals by their Brand Names:
Dimension..... Gallery.....Pennant
Pendulum...... Surflan..... Snapshot
Treflan
[Note: a PRE-EMERGENT CHEMICAL is often what is found in commercial "Weed-and-Feed" products. These mixes are PREVENTIVE of weeds, and may not have any effect on the existing weeds you have. Again, this type of chemical works on the seeds...not the plants.]
If you are SEEDING GRASSES: Use a Pre-emergent chemical AFTER your grass seedlings are well establish TO PREVENT FUTURE WEED PROBLEMS.
Otherwise, attack weeds as they appear and while they are young with an arsenal of POST-EMERGENT chemicals you can spot-spray as needed. Your local garden or farm supply stores should have all the chemicals and equipment you need to battle weeds.
For Grassy type weeds, i.e. non-broad leafed weeds:
These must be applied when the grass weeds are young and no taller than 4 inches:
CRABGRASS and Goosegrass all season control: Pendimethalin, Prodiamine (Barricade), Oxadiazon (Ronstar), Bensulide (Betasan), DCPA (Dacthal), and Benefin (Balan).
To control the BROAD LEAF weeds (Dandy-lions, Henbit, Chickweed, clovers etc.) a post-emergent herbicide product that contains a mixture of the following three chemicals is recommended:
2,4-D (often sold and used individually as "Weed-B-Gone" formulations)
MCPP (Mecoprop)
Dicamba.
A chemical that will kill grassy type weeds and one that is especially useful for crabgrass in a chemical called MSMA (Mono-Sodium Meth-Arsenate salt). This has a salt of arsenic in it and should not be use near wells or water sources.
You should be able to find these chemicals or slight patented variations and mixtures of these at most lawn and garden/farm centers in either a granular (spreadable) or liquid (sprayable) product form. Sprayable forms seem to work best especially when weeds are young. March to late May is the usual time to find these weeds, although with a mild winter they can pop up much earlier, go to seed and be more of a problem, so keep an eye out for an invasion and spray accordingly.
Where weeds are dense and form patches, you can use a TOTAL KILL BROAD-SPECTRUM chemical like Monsanto's "ROUND-UP" (Glyphosphate) to kill it fast and efficiently.
With a very thick and dense patch of weeds which has "choked-out" your wanted lawn grass, use a chemical like "ROUND-UP." This will work great and leave a dead
place which you will have to re-seed or sod with turf grass.
Some weeds that defy the grassy versus broad-leaf categorization criteria are those with a variety of under-ground root or rhizome structures. These can be tricky to kill with chemicals because the protected sub-terranean parts can survive all the attacks from above. Onion-like weeds can often be killed by spraying them with 2-4-D + MCPP in the fall and again in the spring and when they are most actively growing.
Adjunct surfactant chemicals sold at garden centers to help make liquid chemicals and herbicides "adhere or stick" to plant leaves better can make the pesticide and other chemicals more efficient.
Again, ...Use all pesticides with care and caution; read, study and learn so you will be a more knowledgeable gardener and greens-keeper.
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Maintaining a dense, lush stand of healthy turf grass is one major weed prevention strategy.
Moss will usually not be a problem once conditions favor grasses.
Weed seeds sprout to produce very tiny seedlings. Among the dense coverage of a healthy lawn these often cannot compete with the turf grass plants for light and food and so the weeds never mature to be a problem.
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A weedy plant which is allowed to produce flowers and hundreds or thousands of seeds will be the mother of hundreds of NEXT YEAR's WEEDS in your lawn!
Keep any weed from producing and dispersing its seeds and you will be doing much to reduce its populations on your property.
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Once you have your grass-type well defined OR generally well established through up-grading grass-type and renovation,... and all the weeds under control,.... you can write back to me with more specific questions about how to green it all up,... how to water it,..how to improve the soil,... and so on.
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With a good fertile-loamy well draining top-soil, best quality hybrid grass type(s), 1-3 inches of water per week, plenty of sun-light, an healthy root-zone ecosystem...almost anyone can have an excellent lawn with a minimum maintenance effort.
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