Keep Your Yard Weed Free With These 4 Tips
Part of the reason many South Aussies choose to install Artificial Lawn is so they don’t have to worry about weeds. Unfortunately, even though our Artificial Lawn is installed correctly, weeds are a part of every garden, so they may still become an issue. If you’re looking for how to overall clean your artificial turf, check out our other blog here.
Adelaide has a variety of common weeds, some of which can be toxic to people and pets. Other kinds of weeds can trigger allergic reactions that can leave you sniffling all year round. Worst of all though, it can make your home look under-maintained. Weeds thrive in almost any condition, even in the harsh South Australian climates. Have no fear though! Dealing with weeds is pretty simple to do, so here are 4 tips to get rid of those pesky weeds;
Tip 1 – Pour Boiling Water
The easiest solution is to water the weeds with boiling water. It’s simple but can be quite effective, and all you need to do is boil the kettle! We recommend using a kettle, rather than a bucket or container to pour boiling water directly over any weeds on the Artificial Lawn to kill them without damaging or discolouring the grass. When the weeds sag and die after a few hours, pull them out by hand, then throw them away in the organic bin. Some weeds with deeper roots may require multiple treatments to kill them off completely, but for the most part, it’s one of the most effective ways to get rid of them. We also highly recommend that you wear enclosed shoes and clothing while doing any of this, as the boiling water may splash back.
Tip 2 – Spray Vinegar
Spray weeds with vinegar for a nontoxic herbicide. As we know, vinegar can be used in food for extra flavour, but it can also be used as an everyday household cleaner. We highly recommend using white vinegar as it will be most effective, but if you have apple cider vinegar on hand you can use that too. Simply fill a spray bottle with white vinegar (or whichever one you have on hand) then spray all weeds on the turf to kill the weeds without using harsh chemicals. If some weeds don’t die after the first treatment, we recommend spraying them again a few days later. Is there anything vinegar can’t do?
Tip 3 – Simple Scoops Of Table Salt
Sprinkling the weeds with table salt will kill and prevent future growth. Simply scoop some regular table salt, and sprinkle it directly on the weeds in your lawn to dehydrate them. Of course, you’ll have to be a bit more careful when using this method, as salt can damage your surrounding garden and area. We highly recommend using your hands for this so you can avoid accidentally damaging surrounding areas.
Tip 4 – Weedkiller
Weedkiller is the first solution for speed and ease, and there are many options from herbicide sprays to granules or liquids. The easier the product is for you, the better its chances of success in keeping your turf weed-free. You can use selective Weedkiller in the garden where you want to keep existing plants, just in case. While we do recommend selective weedkiller, you can also use non-selective weedkiller when it doesn’t matter what you kill in the garden. However, this tends to cause more damage to other types of vegetation, as well as the artificial turf itself. One thing all good weedkillers should have is a long-term residual effect so that weeds continue to be suppressed long after you spray.
What We Do and Don’t Recommend
The best treatment for weeds is prevention altogether, and here are some quick things you can do now and then to stop them from growing：
- We recommend regularly brushing your artificial turf with a stiff brush. This quick and easy task will keep your perfect lawn looking pristine.
- For a neat and weed-free lawn, we recommend overhanging trees or hedges should be maintained regularly, if you have them. Trimming branches can prevent leaves from piling up on your grass.
- We recommend keeping the lawn dry where possible. Even artificial grass needs proper drainage, or it could end up flooding (and we don’t want that!). A flooded lawn will be a great place for weeds and other creatures to make their home.
- As weed roots cannot be seen, never pull up weeds by hand. This will disrupt the base and artificial turf itself, we do not recommend this.
So there you have it, 4 Tips to Keep Your Yard Weed Free. To book your free on-site measurement and assessment, click here to make an online enquiry, or call us directly on 1300 813 813
For how to clean your artificial turf, check out our other blog here
