Weeding in preparation for the cooler months in South East Queensland

Now that you have fertilised your South East Queensland lawn, there is something else you must attend to in preparation for the cooler months ahead – weeding.

It’s important to deal with any weeds, as soon as they appear and before they get out of control or seed. While it is important all year round, it is vital heading into the cooler weather, as the lower temperatures mean that your lawn may find it harder to out-compete the weeds, as many types of lawn are in essentially a dormant growing phase. This phase can give the weeds an unfair advantage and a chance to take over the lawn.

How do you go about it? Well you do have a few different options depending on how much time and energy you have. Firstly, you can use the ‘Kneeling Armstrong’ method – that’s right, kneeling down and using a strong arm and a sharp knife, remove each weed individually. While this may be the healthiest choice for you lawn – it’s back breaking work and if you have a large lawn, a very time consuming exercise.

The next option is to apply a weed control product (herbicide). There are two main categories – non-selective and selective weed killers. Make sure you choose carefully and always read the manufacturer’s instructions. Some non-selective weed control products are harmful to certain types of lawn, such as buffalo and will kill it along with the weeds. A product such as Sir Walter Weed Control is safe for buffalo turf, as well as others such as Couch and will take care of all common lawn weeds as well as clover, oxalis and those pesky bindii. If you are using a selective weed killer, make sure you identify the types of weeds you are dealing with first, so that you can purchase a product designed particularly for the pest you are eradicating.

Another option that works well and is environmentally and wallet friendly is the use of salt and vinegar. Add 1 cup of common salt to 2 litres of white vinegar and you have an effective and chemical free weed killer. Application of this option is paramount. You will need to simply brush the mixture onto the leaves of the weed. After a few days the weed will be history. This is considered a ‘non-selective weed killer’ – in other words whatever it is applied to, it will kill, so be careful not to get it on your lawn plants.

Regardless of the way you go about it – get onto those weeds as soon as they show themselves. If you need help with any of your lawn problems or issues just contact the team at Daleys Turf.