The South faces a unique challenge (compared to other parts of the country) with weed control in that the warm climate makes weeds effectively never-ending. With mild winters and relatively warm weather year-round, southern lawn weeds are aggressive. They also tend to grow and germinate throughout multiple seasons.
In this article, we’ll cover everything you ought to know about lawn care weed control here in Upstate SC. We know that weeds are a major frustration for a lot of homeowners and we want to help!
By having a better understanding of what you’re dealing with, you’ll feel confident about being on your way to a healthier lawn.
Jump To:
Understanding Weed Control in Upstate SC Lawns
When to Apply Pre-Emergent in Upstate SC Lawns
Why DIY Weed Control Often Fails
Prevent Lawn Weeds with a Healthy Turf
FAQs About Weed Control
Choosing Lawn Care Services in Greenville and Upstate SC
Understanding Weed Control in Upstate SC Lawns
The Upstate SC region can face some unique challenges when it comes to weed control. There are several factors that make controlling weeds a bit more difficult here (as compared to certain other parts of the country).
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Weeds grow nearly year-round: Unlike in the North, where winter tends to slow or even halt weed growth, our mild winters mean that weeds grow nearly all year long. Mild temperatures allow weeds to keep germinating and growing in multiple different seasons and we never really get a “break” from these nuisances.
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Challenges in lawn weed prevention: One of the best weed control strategies is to use pre-emergents, which prevent germination from occurring for certain grassy weeds. But timing pre-emergents can be particularly challenging here in Upstate SC, since our soils stay relatively warm (and often warm up even more early in the season). This can cause germination to occur early. That’s why it’s important to work with a lawn care provider that is staying on top of this.
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Warm-season grass dormancy: Since Upstate SC sits right in the middle of the “Turfgrass Transition Zone”, we have both warm-season and cool-season grasses here. One thing that makes warm-season grass unique (and challenging) is that it goes dormant and turns brown during cooler months. But dormant turf does provide less competition for southern lawn weeds and can make them suddenly more noticeable.
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Heat and drought stress: Our climate is also prone to heat and drought conditions, which can weaken the lawn and make it more likely that weeds will spread.
There’s no question that our region has some unique challenges but they can also be overcome with a diligent weed control plan that takes all of these factors into account.
Controlling weeds starts with identifying what you’re dealing with. This will depend on the time of the year.
When it's a bit cooler out and soil temperatures are down, you can expect to see weeds like Poa, Henbit, Chickweed, and Clover. For warm-season weeds you'll see Sedge, Spurge, Virginia Buttonweed, Lespedeza, and various other grassy weeds.
That's not to say that you'll only see those weeds during specific time frames, but those are what we deal with most often given the weather and temperature on average.
When to Apply Pre-Emergent in Upstate SC Lawns
As we mentioned, lawn weed prevention can be challenging here in The Upstate, since weeds often germinate early. Staying ahead of weeds takes a diligent approach.
Here at Precision, we apply pre-emergents in late winter/early spring to get a leg up on weeds that are ramping up to germinate in the summer and again in the fall to prepare for upcoming cool-season weeds.
As for the turf type, there isn't much variation in timing across different turf types since we target seeds before germination.
The key is to be paying attention to soil temperatures to ensure that these products are applied prior to germination occurring.
Here are a few of our DO’s and DON’Ts when it comes to weed control applications:
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DO irrigate approximately 24-48 hours post-application of herbicide
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DON'T apply pre-emergents if you plan on seeding or planting
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DO pay attention to the mix/spread rate of the products you're using
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DON'T overdo it. Too much pre-emergent can act as a post-emergent. Too much post-emergent can act as a non-selective herbicide.
At the end of the day, many homeowners would prefer to have a lawn care professional handle their weed treatment for lawns to ensure that it’s handled properly and that they get the most effective results.
Why DIY Weed Control Often Fails
As we’ve mentioned, controlling lawn weeds can be pretty challenging here in The Upstate. For that reason, many homeowners struggle when they try to tackle it all on their own.
It’s not that you couldn’t go out and get some store-bought weed control products and apply them yourself. It’s just that it can get complicated and is often more work than people really want to do. A professional is going to bring experience and knowledge to the table that can make the results more effective - and take the hassle off your plate.
Weed control is more complex than just dumping a bag of weed and feed. We have many different weeds growing here, so you’ll need to make sure you purchase the right products. Certain weeds require specialty controls.
Store-bought products are also not usually as effective as what a pro is going to use.
Plus, many homeowners don’t really want to spend all weekend working on their lawns when they could simply be enjoying their free time.
For all of these reasons, many homeowners do end up turning to a pro for weed control in Upstate SC lawns. Even with the best intentions, homeowners sometimes struggle to keep up with the aggressive weeds growing in their lawn. Rather than have to deal with any of that, they can hand it all over to a lawn care pro who knows exactly what their lawn needs.
Prevent Lawn Weeds with a Healthy Turf
One thing that often gets overlooked when it comes to weed control is how important it is to maintain a thick and healthy lawn. When your lawn is thick and thriving, it’s going to start to naturally choke out weeds on its own.
Weeds are opportunistic growers and always looking to creep into bare spots or thin areas. But when your turf is thick, it can be tough for weeds to compete.
Keeping up with things like fertilization and watering can go a really long way in maintaining a healthy turf that starts to naturally resist weeds on its own. While this isn’t going to be a replacement for weed control products (unfortunately, our weeds are really aggressive here!), it will make a big difference in your overall success.
FAQs About Weed Control
How long does it take to see improvement in a weedy lawn?
A good generalized timeline for this would be 6-12 months until you start seeing the best results. When it comes to weed control, patience is important. For clients that are on a set schedule, we set the expectation that clearing weeds can take a while. Here's an analogy that makes good sense to many homeowners:
Imagine it's a cold winter day and your windshield is covered with frost. When you turn on the defrost, the first thing that happens is you lose even more visibility out of your windshield. After your car has warmed up and in due time, the frost starts to disappear. The same applies to lawn care when a program includes herbicides in tandem with fertilizer. It's going to get worse before it gets better.
If we apply fertilizer, everything with roots will utilize that nutrition. That's both good and bad. The bad, of course, is that weeds are going to grow. The good thing is that bigger weeds are much easier to treat. Over time, you'll gradually see decreased weed density.
What does Precision’s program include for weed control?
Over the course of a full year, you'll receive 7 applications that include herbicides. This includes both pre-emergent herbicides as well as post-emergent herbicides.
Typically, our treatments utilize specialized herbicides labeled as "selective.” What this means is that the chemicals that are being applied were formulated to target what you don't want in your lawn while otherwise leaving your turf unscathed.
Upon request, we will conduct non-selective herbicide applications to wipe out any vegetation, but this is not part of our normal program and should only be done situationally and with extreme care.
What are the most common weeds in Upstate SC?
This will depend on the time of year. When it's a bit cooler out and soil temperatures are down, you can expect to see Poa, Henbit, Chickweed, and/or Clover. For warm-season weeds you'll see Sedge, Spurge, Virginia Buttonweed, Lespedeza, and various other grassy weeds. That's not to say that you'll only see those weeds during specific time frames, but those are what we deal with most often given the weather and temperature on average.
Choosing Lawn Care Services in Greenville and Upstate SC
Weeds can be tough to control here in The Upstate. If you care about getting the best results, we recommend investing in professional lawn care with weed control. You’ll get professional-grade products applied by an expert.
Keep in mind that when you invest in hiring a pro, you’re getting more than just weed treatment for lawns. Great lawn care also includes professional fertilization and helps turf stand up to pests, diseases, and any other threats it may face.
We know that you want your property to look its best and you also want to feel great about the company you hired. At Precision Landscape, we focus on being reliable, responsible, and doing things the right way so that you’re not only happy with the service you’re getting but your lawn exceeds your expectations and becomes the foundation for family memories.
Ready to get started? Get an instant quote for your lawn care in less than 60 seconds. We can help you maintain a thriving lawn that you’re proud to show off.
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