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Weeds May Point the Way to Poor Soil

Posted on: Wednesday, 7 June 2006, 12:00 CDT

By Kelly Heidbreder, The Blade, Toledo, Ohio

Jun. 7--Hold onto your trowel! Those summer weeds may be getting out of control.

Some weeds identify spots in a yard that need help. A big patch of weeds can be a bull's-eye marking poor soil. The presence of crabgrass, annual bluegrass, Carolina geranium, and plantain may indicate acidic (low pH) soil. These weeds thrive in soil with a pH of 4.8. You might also see jimsonweed and tall morning glory in areas with a low pH. Have the soil tested in the area. The results might show that some lime is needed to kick the pH level up a notch or two.

Dandelion, pigweed, chickweed, and wild mustard appear almost anywhere, but they will look stunted and pale when the soil is too acidic.

The best time to pull those weeds is just after it has rained. If rain is not in the forecast for a few days, spray the garden in the morning and weed in the afternoon or the next morning. The roots will slip out of the soil easier if they are moist. A dry root is reaching for any moisture it can get and the dry soil is holding on tightly. Cultivate and hoe the garden when the soil is dry.

Some broadleaf weeds commonly found in turf are annual bluegrass, plantain, dandelion, and Canadian thistle. Annual bluegrass is easily identified by its pale green blade and feathery seed head. The abundant seed head almost makes the lawn look white. Plantain has a wide leaf and is usually lower than the turf.

These weeds may be hidden by mowing at least 2 1/2 inches high. A broadleaf weed herbicide in late summer and early fall also will help.

Canadian thistle and dandelions are a bit tougher to control. Nothing will ruin playtime for children faster than stepping on a patch of thistle. I get a lot of letters about ground ivy (aka creeping Charlie). You've seen it before. It has little round leaves and lots of runners that spread quickly. Ivy can spread from one part of a lawn to another, so if your neighbor has ground ivy, chances are you will too.

Some people, like my daughter, have protested the fight against dandelions, reminding her mom that dandelions are pretty yellow flowers. But if you just can't see the beauty in those little yellow weeds, hate to step on thistles, or are tired of chasing Charlie, you'll have to spot treat these weeds with a squirt of broadleaf herbicide or dig out their taproots with a trusty trowel. Get on them aggressively in the fall to prevent a yellow lawn in the spring.

How about those little flowers? White and purple patches all around the yard are beautiful to some. They also attract lots of bees and other pollinators. But they can make others see red. Chances are good that you could be searching for four-leaf clover in that patch of white. White clover is a perennial and can be a good ground cover where nothing else will grow. But some people don't want it taking over their yard. Fall is the best time to treat the lawn with a weed-and-feed product labeled for clover.

Wild violet is growing in those patches of purple flowers. If you want to get rid of the violets, you need to treat them in the spring with a broadleaf herbicide formulated to fight violets. If you have a few small spots, just pull them out by hand.

Do your best to get every bit of the root. A new plant will quickly grow on a small piece left behind. Start pulling early in the season. Keep on top of those weeds in the early spring and summer. Those plants will have less of a chance to spread their seeds. If you weed often, it will make your garden's yields higher.

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Blade, Toledo, Ohio

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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Source: The Blade

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