Image of a Business Open sign

Mon-Thurs
7:30 AM - 2:30 PM
Winter Hours

930 West 100 South
Salt Lake City, UT 84104

Lawn Man

Call For A Free Bid

801-618-2785

Pay Online

Wouldn’t it be nice to know when your lawn care provider is applying weed and pest control at your property? At Lawngevity we do just that! Additionally, we provide education to help you maintain the nicest lawn on the street.

What Are Considered Weeds?

Depending on who you ask, you’ll get a different list of what constitutes a weed. Essentially, a weed is a plant growing where it’s unwanted. When it comes to lawn care in Utah, some weeds are more noxious or invasive than others, meaning they could be a danger to health and/or grow wildly out of control if left unchecked.

Common Noxious Weeds in Utah

While not a definitive list, here are 10 common, noxious weeds in Utah, according to the Utah Department of Agriculture in 2020.

  • African Mustard
  • Bermudagrass
  • Canada Thistle
  • Common St. Johnswort
  • Giant Reed
  • Medusahead
  • Poison Hemlock
  • Quackgrass
  • Sorghum
  • Yellow Starthistle

Comprehensive lawn care in Utah addresses the prevention and/or eradication of these weeds and more.

Preventing Weeds in Your Lawn

As with a lot of home and lawn care tasks, sometimes prevention is the key to success. So what are some tricks for preventing weeds in your lawn?

Catch One, Catch Them All

If you notice a weed sprouting in your lawn, prevent spreading by catching it before it goes to seed. From dandelions to purslane, pull the weed before it flowers and germinates the areas around it.

Limit Cultivation and Tilling

Your yard may look weed-free, but you can unknowingly stir up dormant weeds when you cultivate or till the soil. Unless it’s necessary, such as when creating new garden beds, try to limit how much you stir up your soil. 

Mulch

Another way to prevent weeds from having a chance is by thoroughly applying mulch. In areas where you don’t have plants growing, and want to keep it that way, spread mulch at least two inches deep over the soil. Even if you have other plants growing, such as a border around your lawn, you can mulch in between them to prevent weeds from sprouting. This also serves as a way to preserve water in dry seasons.

Water Only When and Where Necessary

Speaking of water; avoid encouraging weed growth by only watering the plants you have, rather than an entire bed with unoccupied soil. Drip irrigation or targeted watering can ensure only the plants you want growing will receive water, while dormant weeds won’t. When it comes to your lawn, it’s helpful to water infrequently, but deeply. This not only encourages your grass to grow deeper roots, but it eliminates environments in which weeds thrive:

  • Too wet – Teaches grass to grow shallow roots, allowing bluegrass, crabgrass, and chickweed to germinate more easily.
  • Too dry – Your grass browns, while more hearty Bermuda grass, spotted surge, and quackgrass thrive.

Let it Grow

Let your lawn grow anywhere from ¼ inch to four inches in height (depending on grass variety), and mow at a higher setting to keep it that way. Not only will it offer your a plush spot for bare feet in the summertime, but the grass will do its part to prevent the sun from hitting the soil; this can keep crabgrass and goosegrass seeds from sprouting.

Preventing Weeds in Your Garden

You’ve put in the work to create a beautiful garden, so the last thing you want to see are weeds choking out your fruits and vegetables. 

Raised Garden Beds

If it’s in the budget, consider planting your vegetable garden in raised beds with fresh soil, rather than right in the yard. Doing so can offer a little more control for preventing weeds from popping up in the first place. 

Get Cozy

Help prevent weeds in your garden beds by planting your veggies close together. Rather than planting in rows, look into block spacing so there’s less open space for weeds to flourish. Another option is to tuck plants into a weed barrier so less soil is exposed for the weeds. Landscape fabric can help block weeds, while still allowing necessary nutrients to get to the plants you want to keep.

Bake the Soil

Did you know you can use the sun to help kill weeds enough that they won’t germinate? When prepping your garden area for solarization, try the following:

  • Till the soil
  • Thoroughly wet the soil
  • Cover the soil with clear 2 – 4 mL plastic for up to six weeks
  • Allow the sun to kill the weeds trapped under the plastic

These tips, as well as some of the tips for lawns (selective watering, early detection, and removal, mulching), can help keep you from hand-pulling dozens of weeds every day.

How to Get Rid of Weeds

Inevitably, you will have a few weeds in your yard. How do you get rid of them if you don’t have regular lawn care services such as those offered by Lawngevity?

Weed When Wet

Wet soil makes it easier to dislodge weeds from your yard. This is key because you want to remove all of the roots to prevent certain types of weeds from just growing back. You can use a fork or a garden tool for getting deep into the soil, allowing you to pull the entire plant out of the ground.

Off with Their Heads

For dry weeds, it’s recommended to chop off their heads. This dead-heading prevents seeds from germinating in your lawn or garden.

Spot Treatment

If you have the time, you can spot-treat each individual weed in your yard. Using a trigger-controlled pump or a container that attaches to your hose, you can apply herbicides where you need them most. Be sure to research what is best to protect your family, pets, and plants. Or, get the best lawn care in Utah by calling the experts at Lawngevity.

Our team offers comprehensive yard treatment that is tailored to your needs, or we can provide you with DIY essentials. Whichever program you choose, you can include pest control as well as timed applications of lawn fertilizer, weed control, and shrub/tree treatment. 

The Best Lawn Care Utah Has to Offer