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There are so many weed controls now-a-days, but which one is right for you? In this article, we attempt to provide some general tips and recommendations to make this choice an easier one for you. Here we go...

Organic vs Chemical: Organic weed controls continue to evolve and become more effective, so if the desire is to go organic, there are now effective options to kill and prevent weeds while being 100% organic. Liquids such as ones with Iron HEDTA are safe for lawns and are effective against common broadleaf weeds and even harder to kill weeds such as clover and moss. Organic products tend not to be as broad purpose as chemically derived ones. Organics also work best in the hot summer months, especially so with citric acid products such as Burnout from Bonide. Chemical products are still the most effective option for the tough to kill weeds such as thistle, poison ivy, and other well-rooted weeds. An important note: Since chemical weed controls are absorbed into the weed leaf and transferred through the plant, they are the most effective at killing the entire plant, roots and all!

Liquid vs Granular: Both options are very popular. Granular weed controls are made with lawns in mind and typically have fertilizer in them as well, so that you can feed your lawn and kill weeds at the same time. It is worth noting that granular weed controls work best when applied to the lawn that is slightly wet, either from a recent rainfall, or a morning dew. This helps the granules to stick to the weed leaves and to be absorbed quickly. It is best for no rainfall to occur after applying a granular weed control for at least 24 hours (48 hours is even better). Even though they take a bit more time and precision to apply, liquid weed controls are a great way to see quicker and more effective results against the majority of lawn weeds. They are the best for grass-like weeds such as nutgrass and crabgrass. They are also the most effective against small, spreading types such as clover and chickweed. Liquid weed controls are available in small spray bottles (for small applications), concentrates for a better value, as well as hose end bottles for quick application to large areas. Tip: For the best value and quick results, consider using a concentrated liquid weed control and apply it through a general purpose hose end sprayer (available in our lawn and garden department). Once liquids have had a chance to dry on the plant (about an hour), they are rain resistant and pet friendly.

Kill vs Prevent vs 'good-ole fashion' Pulling: With the exception of crabgrass preventers for your lawn, we get much more interest in killing weeds, rather than preventing. Rightfully so though, since preventing weeds entirely is just not realistic. Even when using mulch and weed preventers, weeds will be reduced but never fully prevented. A great option for new landscape areas would be to put down landscape fabric. This is a great way to prevent weeds from growing through the fabric while still allowing rainwater and nutrients to reach the soil. Pulling weeds in and around desirable plants is often the best way to maintain garden beds since you don't risk damaging healthy plants with the overspray from the weed control. A hand weeder is a great tool to assist with removing weeds with delicate or deep roots.

And just a couple other tips worth mentioning :)

1) Keep up with weed control, by applying weed controls consistency and pulling weeds frequently, you will prevent weeds from spreading and overtaken any part of your yard or garden. You may apply liquids as frequent as you like, but granular feeds will often have a limit of 2-3 times per year

2) You may have heard that a healthy lawn is the best defense against weeds. For this reason, be sure to seed bare spots in your lawn and fertilizer regularly (about 4 times per year). Lawns that are starving or filled with bare spots will open the door for weeds to grow and spread to other areas.