Spring: Green Grass Along With Green Weeds

Time and again, we at Soils Alive get asked about weeds - Why are weeds so pervasive in the Spring? The answer is threefold:

1. Weeds have very little competition in the Spring when Summer grasses are still dormant and not competing for water or nutrients.

2. Most weeds are annuals, and they put all their energy into one thing - to mature and produce seeds. Most weeds germinate sometime between the months of September and February. When Spring arrives weeds are putting all energy toward growing and putting out seeds before they die. Conversely, most perennial grasses are in it for the long-haul, storing food during the cold weather months so they can make it through the dormant season.

3. The final reason weeds are more pervasive in the Spring is because we notice them more. Typically, grass is still brown or at least coming out of dormancy, while weeds are green and thriving if they exist in a lawn.

Allowed to go unchecked, weeds create too much competition with a lawn's desired grass. For this reason and for the reasons stated above, it is important to control weeds year-round, organically. The best solution, as we often tell customers, is to be on a year-round organic program with Soils Alive.

Next entry: A Guide To Overseeding With Ryegrass

Previous entry: Liquid Compost: A Nutrient-packed Spring Punch