 | Justin Cawyer is the CEO of American Lawn & Landscape Inc., and has been in the landscape industry for 22 years. Starting out as a mowing service, their business has expanded to include everything from landscaping to fertilizing and weed control. For a complete list of services, you can see their ad in Names and Numbers, visit yardsbyamerican.com, or call 620-249-5700. |
Lawn, Garden & Landscaping
2013-05-29 11:32:22
How bad is to bad?
Q-My backyard has grown more weeds than grass the last few years. At this point there are patches of grass surrounded by an aggressive crab grass and other various weeds. Can a lawn that is 60/40 weed be revived? Or should I just have it re-seeded or sodded?
A-While a lawn that is taken over by weeds can be revived, it would likely be a huge and time consuming undertaking. First, you need to know the factors contributing to the problem in the first place, then how to address each of those problems individually or you will have the same problems whether you reseed or sod.
Many things contribute to patchy lawns and weed growth, so weeds are only part of the problem. You will want to understand those factors before you do anything to the lawn.
The first concern would be your soil conditions. Compacted soil is one of the most common contributors to the problem you are having. Grass does not thrive in compacted soil, but weeds can thrive in almost any condition. It might be necessary to aerate the ground to loosen up the soil. It also might be that your ground could use some soil additive to make it more fertile and conducive to growing a lush lawn.
Preventing weeds is far easier than getting rid of them, as you have seen. They have had you in a battle for some time and it can be very frustrating. At 60% weeds, it would probably be best to take the land down to soil and address the weed problem aggressively. The right combination of weed killer and pre-emergent can get you off to a great start when you are ready to either seed or sod.
Before you invest your time or money, I would call a professional to get their opinion. It could be that you have the wrong grass for your area, shade, ground, drainage, and watering conditions—or any number of other problems. A professional can help you in the right direction and prevent costly mistakes.
