How to Prevent Weeds from Growing

If you don’t know how to prevent weeds from growing, the best solution is to have a healthy lawn. There’s no question about its effectiveness. Apart from applying pre-emergent herbicides, you can use landscape fabric, overseed bare areas, mow high, mulch, and water less often but deeply.

You can’t slack off in your battle to prevent weeds. A combination of good lawn care practices and these weed prevention hacks can tip the scales in your favor.

Ways to fend off weeds in your lawn

If you want to stop weeds from overtaking your turf and sprouting in the first place, you should make your lawn inhospitable to them. However, it must still be suitable for your grass to thrive. So, routine lawn care maintenance is crucial for discouraging weed growth while keeping the grass healthy.

To take weed prevention to the next level, here are the best practices to follow when caring for your lawn:

Overseed empty spaces

Empty spots or thinning areas in your lawn are not just a sore to the eye but an open invitation for weeds. With no competition for nutrients and sunlight in those areas, you’re encouraging weeds to sprout and thrive.

To ensure you don’t give dormant weed seeds a chance to germinate and sprout, overseed thinning spots immediately. The grass will not only soak up all the soil nutrients but eventually create more shade in that spot, making it harder for weeds to grow.

Use landscape fabric

If you don’t want to plant seeds to fill the bare spots because you don’t have time to care for new grass, you may cover them with a landscape fabric instead.

Placing a landscape fabric over the soil can block the sunlight necessary for weed growth. Plus, it also can help prevent soil erosion.

This option is also suitable for areas allocated for planting flowers or vegetables. You can just make holes for the plants, preventing weeds from growing around the new sprouts.

Mow at the tallest recommended height

According to Brad Fresenburg, a turfgrass specialist at the University of Missouri Plant Science and Technology, proper mowing practices like mowing often at the tallest recommended mowing height can help prevent weed germination.

If you mow too short, weeds can quickly germinate and invade your lawn. On the other hand, mowing your lawn at the highest range of the recommended mowing height can effectively block sunlight and prevent weeds from growing.

Here’s a list of the most common grass types and the tallest recommended mowing height for each:

Avoid disturbing the soil

Did you know that every lawn has dormant weed seeds in them? Provide them with enough sunlight, and these seeds can start their germination phase and sprout all over your lawn.

So, when you dig and cultivate your lawn, you’ll disturb the slumber of these dormant seeds. As a result, the seeds on the top inch of your soil can get exposed to light.

If you have no choice but to dig the soil, remember not to leave it in a disturbed state. Cover it immediately with mulch or landscape fabric. It’s like covering the seeds with a blanket so they remain deep asleep.

Water infrequently but deeply

Since most weeds have shallow roots, they thrive when the topmost layer of the soil is saturated with water. So, if you do frequent but shallow watering, you’re creating the ideal environment for weed seeds to germinate and grow.

To avoid this scenario, you’ll want to water your lawn deeply but less often. This way, the moisture will reach the grassroots in the deeper layers of the soil and encourage them to grow stronger and healthier.

Mulch the right way

Apart from retaining soil moisture, mulch is also effective in blocking sunlight and preventing the germination of weed seeds. However, you need to do it the right way to make it more effective.

• Match the mulch with the situation at hand. Not all mulch works well when placed directly on the turf. For instance, sawdust depletes nitrogen in the soil, so it’s best used in pathways instead of lawns. It’s better to use grass clippings for your lawn or compost for your flower bed.
• Mulch can harm plants, too. If you’re adding mulch around a garden plant, don’t apply too close to the plant stem. Otherwise, it can cause rot and disease.
• Mulch when the soil has warmed up. Applying mulch, such as grass clippings and shredded leaves, when the soil is still cool in early spring may cause slow grass growth.

Use pre-emergent herbicide

Sometimes, even with all the mulching and proper watering practices, weeds can still be persistent and make an appearance. If you want to kill these weeds even before they appear, you can apply pre-emergent herbicide to your lawn in the spring.

Since there’s no all-around herbicide, you need to match the product with the type of weed you want to prevent. For example, you can use a broadleaf herbicide to prevent clover or chickweed from invading your lawn. And for crabgrass, which is one of the most common weeds, you’ll need to use an herbicide meant for grassy weeds.

Pro tip: If you’re planning to overseed the area, don’t treat the soil with pre-emergent herbicide because it also can kill the germinating grass seeds.

FAQ about weed control

Is vinegar effective in killing weeds?

Yes, vinegar can be effective in eliminating weeds. However, you must use vinegar containing 5% to 20% acetic acid. For best results, add castile soap to your homemade vinegar weed killer.

Can I kill weeds and help grass grow at the same time?

Yes, you can eliminate weeds while promoting grass growth by applying organic lawn fertilizer. It can help your grass to grow thick and strong which, in turn, can help choke out the weeds in your turf. You also can set up an underground irrigation system like drip irrigation to keep moisture away from weeds while efficiently delivering water to your grass.

Is there a weed killer that can kill weeds but not grass?

Yes. You need to look for a selective herbicide that has minimal risks when applied properly. For example, the formulation of a 2,4-D herbicide is only toxic to broadleaf weeds.

Stop weeds from taking over your lawn

The expert tips listed here can help you minimize and control weeds even before they become visible. At the same time, they also help make your turf strong and healthy. However, it’s a very hands-on activity that most homeowners find challenging and time-consuming. The best and all-encompassing solution for preventing weed growth is to get help from a local pro.

Additionally, you can call a lawn care pro if you need help maintaining your lawn.

Main Image Credit: Khaligo | Adobe Stock Free | License

Melanie Joseph

After discovering her passion for writing through her beauty blog, Melanie left her engineering job in California, became a writer, and never once looked back. When she isn't writing, she loves dipping in the pool, tending to the garden, or doing simple home improvement projects.

Posts by Melanie Joseph