One of my fave ways to combat weeds and enjoy my lawn is to get the grass on track for long term health, and I’m glad Pennington has asked me to share some of my tips for getting healthy lawn growing. And for lawns that could use some Biggest Loser action weed-wise, my weed loss-program starts by going belly-to-belly with weeds by planting seeds early in the season.
For an all-in Bob Harper-style intervention, I rent a core aerator and aerate the entire lawn. I go over it twice (North-South/East-West). While typically a Fall project where we live, a Spring aeration does at least three seed-friendly things: Loosens compacted soil–enemy to new grass–increases the surface area of the lawn by creating plugs and pellets, and exposes the soil. Those plugs and pellets help give new grass seeds lots of nooks to hide in so they can take root much more easily.
For lawns that require fewer hours on the The Biggest Loser treadmill, I do a “spot-aeration.” Instead of a core aerator, I use a pitchfork to perforate the soil. This softens compacted areas kind of like a wallpaper removal tool puts a zillion little slices in wallpaper. I then hit it with a steel-tine rake to further loosen the material. I sometimes add compost or topsoil if necessary to amend really hard soils.
Next I sow my grass seed. On a core-aerated surface, I usually sow the seeds by hand, broadcasting them around as evenly as possible. I pay extra attention to thin and bare areas.
On spot-aerated areas, instead of just sowing the seeds on the dirt, I integrate them with the soil itself by wiping them in with my fingers which gives them a much better chance of staying put when they get the next layer of the weed-weight loss program: water.
Even though I’m using Pennington’s guaranteed-to-grow drought-resistant Smart Seed–which will help keep the grass healthy in the dog days and consume waaay less of a precious resource–water is as crucial for your grass as it is for your body. Along with optimum Spring weather, water kick starts grass seed. And a dense grass-cover makes it harder for weeds to take hold later in the season. I like to water gently, soaking the soil twice a day until the seeds “pop” and are growing vibrantly. I also don’t mow until they’re established. Fast-growing spring grass actually shelters the newly seeded areas.
This is my long-term weed-loss program. And, I’ll add that my weed-loss program won’t crush all the weeds in one pass. But, just like any health program that sticks, it’s about getting a healthy start and hanging in for the long-term. And growing from there.
