spring into weeds and blooms
It’s astounding the difference a day or two makes at this time of year. It’s like having a teenage kid who has a growth spurt: they are crashing and bashing about.
I had given up in despair but this is the difference a couple of days has made:
Flood and mess to:
masses of bulbs, in the background there’s a Corylopis pauciflora that’s going to bloom its head off like crazy this year.
It’s still muddy but I don’t care. With all the moisture some of the moisture is being returned to the water table. It’s was dead dry back there last year.
It’s a good time winkle out all those weeds and also and excellent time to learn how to identify them. The following is a quote from Scott’s:
There are two main types of weeds: broadleaf and grassy. Or, you may hear them referred to as monocots (broadleaf) and dicots (grassy). An example of a broadleaf weed would be a dandelion and an example of a grassy weed would be crabgrass. Each type has certain control methods that should be followed to keep them out of an established lawn.
BROADLEAF WEEDS
Basically, any plant growing in the lawn that does not resemble grass is a broadleaf weed. Examples of broadleaf weeds are dandelions and thistle.
A few weeds can be pulled up by hand, but many will grow right back because of their deep tap root. It may appear that the entire weed was pulled out, but the tap root simply breaks and what is left in the soil will just sprout new weed growth above the soil.
The best defense against weeds is a thick lawn that is properly cared for and never scalped by mowing. A thick lawn will choke out weeds and never allow them a place to establish in the lawn. This can be established by mowing your lawn high and giving it proper feedings so that it grows thick and fills in bare spots.
GRASSY WEEDS
Grassy weeds are tough, aggressive plants that thrive on stressed areas of your yard. Dried out lawns, thin patches, sun-scorched areas are inviting spots for grassy weeds. Grassy weeds are often invasive species and spread thousands of seed during their lifespan. The common ones you’ll see in lawns are crabgrass, goosegrass, and dallisgrass.
Scotts EcoSense® Weed B Gon® gets right inside the cell structure of weeds, which causes them to dry up, turn black, shrivel and die, without harming the rest of your lawn.
End of quote: I’ve never tried any weed killer because all my gardening is organic. But if you are panicked, try it in a small dose to see if it works for you and doesn’t leave an unsightly hole.
Right now I’m just grateful that the gardening season has started again. And I’ll be back in the Globe and Mail again this year. And we have some wonderful old client and great new clients who want us to work on their gardens. Yeaaa for spring.