Saturday, April 9, 2011

Weeds - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Author: Andrew Bicknell

When you look at your lawn what do you see? A lush green lawn, or are there alien looking plants that interfere with the aesthetic pleasure you wish to experience with your yard. Weeds, those pesky plants that serve no purpose other then to drive all home owners crazy with their presence. But there are actually weeds that can be beneficial to your yard as well as those nasty varieties that can be down right harmful.


So what is a good weed?


For many home owners clover is considered a weed, but as weeds go it does have some benefits. So before you go crazy spraying it with herbicide or trying to dig it up consider this. Clover is known to add beneficial nutrients to your yard and it actually keeps other more harmful weeds at bay by taking up valuable lawn space. And for the most part it doesn't look bad and has the added benefit of giving your kids the chance to find that lucky four leaf clover.


Bad Weeds


These are those nasty varieties that we all hate seeing in our yards; Dandelions, thistle, and other deep rooted weeds that seem to be impossible to get rid of. And while dandelion might have those pretty yellow flowers and can be eaten in a salad they are an indication of a potentially serious issue with your soil or grass.


These deep rooted weeds need to be dealt with quickly because they use up moisture and nutrients that would be better used by your grass. Once you deal with these types of weeds with either herbicides or by pulling them prevention becomes to name of the game. Get your soil tested and add amendments as needed to ensure a strong healthy lawn. Also be sure to mow your grass high; tall-thick grass shades the soil and prevents weeds from sprouting.


The Ugly


All weeds are ugly in the eyes of those who desire the perfect yard. But what about weeds that aren't technically weeds? There are types of grass that are not at all acceptable to most homeowners. Crab grass is one such variety. It grows in thick clumps that spread quickly if they are not dealt with, giving a lawn an uneven appearance.


The problem with these types of grasses is you can't use herbicides because it will also kill your existing lawn. The best way to deal with this problem is to dig it out, roots and all. If you don't get the roots it can easily grow back. Re-seed those areas and keep an eye out for those problem grasses so that they can be dealt with quickly.

Invasive Plants: Weeds of the Global Garden

As you can see there are a variety of good, bad, and ugly weeds. Deal with them accordingly to keep your lawn looking attractive all year long.


Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/landscaping-articles/weeds-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-4570726.html

About the Author

An important part of keeping your lawn looking good is weed control. To learn how to make an all natural Organic Weed Killer and protect your family and pets from toxic chemicals please Click Here.