When is the best time to control weeds in your lawn? 

The answer may surprise you, but it’s actually fall. Late season applications of herbicides strike weeds when they are most vulnerable. This makes it easier to kill weeds this time of year than any other.

One catch - they won’t die off overnight. Unlike spring applications, when you sometimes see curling of leaves within hours, the process happens more gradually in the fall. Depending on the type of weed and the soil conditions, you may not see any visible signs of death until much later on. Rest assured. These weeds are dying from the inside out and they will not survive the winter.

Some very hard to kill weeds like ground ivy, or Creeping Charlie, for example, are much easier to control in the fall. After spraying you won’t see much change in the leaves other than some discoloration, but by the time the snow melts in the spring the weeds will be gone, or at least a big percentage of them.

Here are some pointers for tackling your weed control project this year:

October is the Month 

The best time to apply weed control is anytime in October. Two applications are best, applied 2 weeks apart. This is when the weeds are in full food storage mode which is needed for winter survival. The weed control will disrupt this process.

Liquid or Granules

Granule applications may be suitable for common weeds, but the hardest to kill weeds should be treated with a liquid herbicide. Our go-to product for the hardest to kill weeds is Super Brush & Weed Killer.

Turbo Time

Turbo is a professional grade "Spreader-Sticker" that you mix with liquid weed killers to supercharge their performance. This product should be mixed with our Super Brush and Weed Killer prior to applying.

Seeding

If you’ve done some fall seeding in your lawn, you’ll need to avoid these areas or to only spot-treat larger weeds, being carefulnot to spray seeded areas around the weed. Weed killers will also kill seeds and young seedlings.

Fertilize 

The best way to control weeds in your lawn is to maintain a healthy thick lawn. Fertilizing,especially in the fall,is very important and will help do this. Apply Earl May Fall Lawn Food anytime in October and November with the best time being about the time of your last mowing.

Nothing in life is 100%, and the same can be said for trying to kill weeds. Next spring you may have a few renegade weeds left, but it will be a lot less and you can easily "finish them off" when they are starting to grow. You’ll be able to start off the year with a beautiful weed-free lawn!