The weeds that appear in hot weather are some of the toughest to control. They show up when the lawn is under stress from heat and dryness. These summer weeds have some very good defenses that are hard to crack.
TINY LEAVES WITH VERY THICK SKINS – Summer weeds usually have very small leaves with a thick, waxy coating. These features help the weeds survive during hot, dry weather by conserving water in the plant. But the same things that help the weeds thrive while your lawn is wilting make them a harder target to hit with weed control materials. When the weather gets very hot, these weeds dose the “pores” on their leaves almost completely making good weed control difficult, if not impossible.
TIMING IS THE KEY – To get control of difficult summer weeds, it’s important that the weeds are actively growing so they can absorb the weed control application. A treatment in late spring or early summer may eliminate many weeds before they become a nuisance. Waiting until the weather cools in the fall is also a good alternative.
If weed control must be applied during the heat of summer, make sure the lawn has been heavily watered for several days before the treatment to “wake up” the weeds and get them actively growing.
© 1991 Focal Point Communications
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