Monthly Archives: September 2014
Weed with little white flowers, maybe Chickweed, Chickenwort, Crachens,or Winterweed? Common Minnesota Weeds!
Common Chickweed (Steilaria media)
Also known as: Mouse-ear Chickweed, Chickenwort, Crachens, and Winterweed.
♣ Common Chickweed is an annual that germinates in the fall.
♣ Common Chickweed grows in moist shady areas and spreads by both creeping stems and seeds.
Cultural Practices
♣ Increasing sun light to the soil/turf and improving drainage by aerating will reduce Common Chickweed issues.
♣ Healthy turf accompanied by a precise fertilization and weed program will help outcompete and prevent the spread of Common Chickweed.
Fun Facts
♣ Common Chickweed is used as leaf vegetables in salads. It is also commonly used in a Japanese spring-time symbolic dish called “Nanakusa-no-sekku.”
♣ Modern herbalists have prescribed Common Chickweed for skin diseases such as cuts, burns, and bruises.
Call WeedMan 651-456-9696 Serving in Minneapolis and St. Paul Metro’s.
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What is Carpetweed? Also known as: Bog Goldenrod, Green Carpetweed, Indian Chickweed, and Devil’s Grip? Now in Minnesota Lawns! Call 651-456-9696
(Mollugo verticillata)
Also known as: Bog Goldenrod, Green Carpetweed, Indian Chickweed, and Devil’s Grip.
♣ Carpetweed is an annual weed with many small white flowers.
♣ Carpetweed is a late germinating weed that can be missed by early weed control treatments.
♣ Carpetweeds spread by their seeds that form in a red to orange colored egg-shaped capsule.
♣ Carpetweed can be found in a variety of environmental conditions.
Cultural Practices
♣ The best way to control Carpetweed is to keep it from germinating.
♣ Carpetweed may be pulled by hand, but use of a broadleaf herbicide in the early to mid-summer is the most effective.
♣ A strong turf accompanied by a fertilization and weed control program will help the turf outcompete and prevent weeds.
Fun Facts
♣ Carpet weed is a fast-adapting weed. Originating in tropical climates, it can now be found in cool season areas too.
♣ The entire plant may be cooked and eaten as a potherb or added to vegetable soups during the last minutes of cooking.
If you experiencing carpetweed in your lawn please contact the office and we will assist you anyway we can.
651-456-9696 or [email protected]
Really ugly bright green grass? What is Crab Grass? Neon grass?
Crabgrass
(Digitaria sanguinalis)
Family: Poaceae
Also known as: Large Crabgrass
Crabgrass is a summer annual that germinates when the temperature of the soil reaches a consistent 55 Degrees Fahrenheit and is generally killed by the first frost. Crabgrass leaves are rolled in the bud. They first appear wide, short, and blunt-tipped. Crabgrass is light green in color, coarse bladed, and will root at the nodes when they touch the ground. A single crabgrass plant can produce up to 700 tillers. It is a bunch type grass. It can also produce 150,000 seeds. It needs warm soil and sunlight to germinate. Crabgrass can be found throughout the United States.
Do not seed, core aerate or verticut when the soil and weather conditions are prime for the germination of crabgrass. By doing a slightly raised mowing height may help prevent the establishment by providing shade from sunlight. When crabgrass is going to seed, lower the mower height and collect the clippings to prevent seeds from establishing. Often confused with Quack grass which is darker in color and cannot be eliminated with a pre- or post- emergent products.
Call 651-456-9696 or go online for a FREE NO OBLIGATION QUOTE
Large Leafed Weed! Weed with really big leaves! Plantain weed in Minnesota!
Broadleaf Plantain (Plantago major)
Also known as: Greater Plantain, Buckhorn Plantain, and Pale-seed Plantain.
♣ Broadleaf Plantain is a perennial weed found in most growing conditions.
♣ Broadleaf Plantain’s large oval leaves outcompete turf by reducing sunlight.
♣ Broadleaf Plantain has a rat-tail like seed head, with flowers along the upper half.
♣ Broadleaf Plantain spreads by root shoots and seeds, which many animals eat.
Cultural Practices
♣ Roots must be completely removed; otherwise a new plant can grow from root fragments.
♣ Setting the mower at a higher height will help to shade out the plant and prevent it from growing.
♣ Aeration, fertilization, and an aggressive weed program will help turf outcompete Broadleaf Plantain.
Fun Facts
♣ Broadleaf Plantain is one of the most abundant and widely distributed medicinal crops in the world. It can be applied to wounds, stings, and sores. It also has antibacterial properties.
♣ Broadleaf Plantain is highly nutritious. It is high in calcium and vitamins C, K, and A, which is why some areas of the world eat the younger leaves raw.
♣ In survival situations the fibers from a mature plant can be used to make small cords, fishing line, sutures, and braiding.
If you are experiencing Broadleaf Plantain in your yard, please contact the office at 651-456-9696 or [email protected]and we will assist you any way we can.
Weed Man Lawn Care
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Little Purple Flowers in My Lawn? Wild Violets in Grass? Dealing with Violets and Fun Facts in the Twin Cities Minneapolis and St. Paul.
Wild Violets (Viola papilionacea)
Also known as; Common Blue Violet, Meadow Violet, or Hooded Violet.
♣ Wild Violets are perennial with flowers similar to pansies.
♣ Wild Violets reproduce from seeds or roots.
♣ Wild Violets thrive in part/full shaded areas.
♣ Wild Violets are difficult-to-control since they have waxy leaves, and are resistant to many common herbicides.
♣ Wild Violets often invade lawns adjacent to wooded areas or in new developments.
Cultural Practices
♣ Wild Violets can be removed by digging up the plant with the entire root system.
♣ Wild Violets require a series of post-emergent herbicide treatments to reduce infestations.
♣ Utilizing proper fertilization and weed control procedures will help turf outcompete Wild Violets and prevents future outbreaks.
Fun Facts
♣ The flowers of Wild Violets are commonly used in culinary preparation. They are used to decorate salads or used in stuffing for poultry and fish.
♣ In France, candied violet flowers are produced commercially, eaten by hundreds-of-thousands of people, and are a delicacy called “Violettes de Toulouse.”
♣ Wild Violets are often used within the perfume industry. They are known to have a “flirty” scent as its fragrance comes and goes.
Contact you local Weed Man for help! 651-456-9696 or online CLICK HERE!
What is Core Aeration? What is it called when they put holes in my grass? Compacted soil in Minneapolis / St. Paul Minnesota!
Technically speaking, aeration is the naturally occurring process of air exchange between the soil and its surrounding atmosphere. Practically speaking, aeration is the process of mechanically removing small plugs of thatch and soil from the lawn to improve natural soil aeration. It’s commonly called “core aeration” in the lawn service industry, and you may have heard of it as soil cultivation (coring, spiking and slicing). Most often it is simply called aeration.
Core aeration can help make your lawn healthier and reduce its maintenance requirements through these means:
1. Improved air exchange between the soil and atmosphere.
2. Enhanced soil water uptake.
3. Improved fertilizer uptake and use.
4. Reduced water runoff and puddling.
5. Stronger turfgrassroots.
6. Reduced soil compaction.
7. Enhanced heat and drought stress tolerance.
8. Improved resiliency and cushioning.
9. Enhanced thatch breakdown.
Call Weed Man at 651-456-9696 today or go on line http://minneapolis.weedmanusa.com
Minnesota Season Long Lawn Care, including Minneapolis and St. Paul Metro Areas!
*Our Standard Program*
All application timing is weather pending
1. Spring fertilization: The nutrients in this fertilizer will help green up your lawn and bring it out of winter dormancy. Precipitation (including snowfall) will help breakdown the fertilizer and release the nutrients into the soil.
2. Broadleaf weed and pre-emergent crabgrass control: It will take up to 14 days before the weeds begin to show signs of dying. This application also will help prevent crabgrass from emerging and help reduce the amount seen throughout the year. Weeds will then begin to curl and turn color when effected. Rain won’t affect this application unless it occurs immediately after it was applied.
3. Early summer fertilization: The nutrients in this fertilizer will help keep the lawn green as well as help the turf store nutrients for the up and coming summer heat. The fertilizer can stay on the lawn while dry without harming it. We also spot spray for any weeds in the lawn
4. Late summer fertilization: The nutrients in this fertilizer will help bring the lawn out of summer dormancy and help green up the lawn as we head into the fall. The fertilizer can stay on the lawn while dry without harming it. However, the fertilizer will not start to work until it is watered in or until precipitation brakes it down. We also spot spray for any weeds in the lawn.
5. Late season weed control: It will take up to 14 days before the weeds begin to show signs of dying. Weeds will then begin to curl and turn color when effected. Rain won’t affect this application unless it occurs immediately after it was applied.
6. Winterizing fertilizer: The nutrients in this fertilizer will allow the lawn to store enough energy for the upcoming winter and help your lawn look its best next spring. As long as the fertilizer has been applied before the ground completely freezes, it will work properly. Leaf cover will normally not affect the granular fertilizer. In just a couple days wind, precipitation (including snowfall), and gravity will help push the fertilizer down to the soil.
A standard program comes with free reapplications for weeds as needed, free crabgrass post-emergent treatments, and free inspections for when you have specific issues that need further investigation. For more information contact our office at 651-456-9696 or minneapolis.weedmanusa.com
Ants in the lawn? Got Ants! Let Weed Man Lawn Care Help! Serving Lakeville, Apple Valley out to Stillwater and Plymouth. (large service area) Minneapolis / St.Paul Metros
ANT CONTROL
Damage:
Ants don’t directly damage turf, but they do construct nests, which are often visible in home lawns as dome-shaped mounds of soil. The mounds tend to be in sunny open locations in lawns, but can also be found in cracks of side walks, around trees, under pavement and buildings, and occasionally indoors. The best control for ants is to treat the parent colony, which inhabits the queen, as well as many satellite colonies as possible.
Weed Man Lawn Care is able to help you control these insects as well as many others.
Please contact us today to get more information and options.