Preparation Against Winter Weeds

By: Rachel Elmakiss

Fall is officially here! Temperatures are dropping and soon we’ll be seeing pumpkins, hay bales, mums, and pansies everywhere! But in all of the excitement of fall’s arrival, don’t forget about preparing your lawns and beds for winter weeds. Here are the pre-emergents that we recommend this time of year to keep your gardens and lawns beautiful, bountiful, and weed free!

Weed Prevention for Lawns

1. The Fertilome Lawn Program: Winterizer and Weed Preventer II:
Starting in September, you can start spreading these granules across your lawn. You only need to do one application for the season, but be sure to put it on your lawn by the end of November. This will prevent winter weeds, including Annual Bluegrass, also known as Poa Annua. Apply with a spreader (check your spreader and the bag as to what settings to use) and water thoroughly after you apply it, being wary of storm drains or drainage ditches. Do not apply if a heavy rain is expected as this could wash it all into your local water system.
Winterizer also has a little boost of fertilizer (10-014) which can help strengthen your grass and prepare it for the winter and prevent winter damage, keeping your lawn happy and healthy. This will also help build your lawn’s root system and strengthen them to withstand the winter.
2. Poa Annua: Hi-Yield Crabgrass Control
Poa Annua is one of the toughest winter weeds to control. It is a cool season weed and won’t germinate until the temperature drops and the days get shorter. The Hi-Yield Crabgrass control is a great option to specifically target Poa Annua and can be applied twice between September and the end of November. We recommend that you put it out once on September first and again on October 15th.
This can be combined with the Winterizer for Established Lawns, but it is not recommended to be combined with the Winterizer and Weed Preventer II as this already controls for Poa Annua.

Weed Prevention for Garden Beds:

1. Preen for Flower Beds
Preen is a great way to keep weeds from coming up in your flower beds, but it has to be applied correctly in order to work. Preen acts as a barrier between your bed and future weeds. In order for it to be an effective barrier, your bed has to already be clear of weeds, which can be done by hand. Plant your germinated flowers (flowers that have already been growing; Preen will not work with seeds); when the soil is dry, sprinkle the Preen on the surface of the soil and water it to activate the barrier. If you want to mulch your bed, add your mulch to the top of your dry soil first, and apply the Preen last. Preen should always be the last step.
2. Hi-Yield Herbicide Granules containing Treflan for Vegetable Gardens
These granules can be used in your vegetable garden as well as in your flower beds! With these herbicide granules, you can keep grasses like Annual Bluegrass, Barnyardgrass, Crabgrass, Johnson Grass, and many others out of your veggies. Just add these to the surface of your soil and you should be weed-free for the season!

Hopefully, this helps keep your lawn and beds weed free and strengthened for the winter! And as always, we at Cantrell Gardens are happy to help you answer any questions. Remember to check back once a month for more helpful blogs, and give us a call us today! with any questions or concerns!