ORGANIC WEED CONTROL

What is Organic Weed Control

Nutri-Lawn's organic weed control implements all the features of Integrated Pest Management with the exception that no synthetic pesticides are used, and only organic, and/or organic based fertilizers are used. We focus on creating an environment that encourages healthy turfgrass growth and discourges weed infestation and we use natural and organic pesticides to control or manage the weeds.

What Do We Use to Organically Control Weeds?

The primary organic weed controls that we use include a corn gluten meal based product (Turfmaize), as well as vinegar based product called EcoClear.

Corn Gluten Meal

Corn gluten meal is a by-product of the wet milling process of corn for starch. It is also produced as a by-product during conversion of starch from dry-milled corn to corn syrup.

Corn gluten meal has been found to offer pre-emergent control of dandelions and crabgrass and is also a slow-release organic fertilizer.

Pre-emergent control means that it inhibits the germination and establishment of new seeds. This product will not control existing established weeds, so it needs to be used over a number of years in order to achieve good results. The existing weeds will eventually complete their lifecycle and die, but new weeds will be slow to establish. If you are overseeding a lawn, we recommend not using corn gluten until the new seed is established.

Spring and fall applications are best because this is when the majority of the weed seeds germinate.

Vinegar Based Weed Control (EcoClear)

Vinegar is an acid, and when applied to plant tissue it destroys the leaves. It ioffers non-selective control of weeds, meaning that it damages all the plants it is applied to, including turfgrass.

It is important to remember that vinegar does not kill the roots of established weeds. It only kills of the top growth, and an established weed will recover and grow new leaves. We generally use this product to control weeds that are growing in cracks and crevices of sidewalks and patios. We also use it to spot treat weedy patches in lawn, however we strongly recommend overseeding with some grass seed in these areas or new weed seeds may germinate and get re-established.

Vinegar can also be used as a blanket application in a renovation where the existing lawn is full of weeds. The vinegar application would be followed by an slitseeding or overseeding.

Soap Based Weed Control
(Safer's Topgun)

Topgun is made using naturally occurring fatty acids (soaps). When applied to a weed, the soap

rapidly desicate the leaves. Like vinegar, Topgun only kills the topgrowth and not the roots, so regrowth can occur.

Topgun can be used to spot treat patches of weeds in a lawn but we strongly recommend overseeding to establish turfgrass in the treated areas in order to prevent weeds from getting re-established.

Topgun can also be used as a blanket application in a renovation where the existing lawn is full of weeds. The Topgun application would be followed by an slitseeding or overseeding.

Weed Management with Beet Extracts

Many of our franchises also use Beet Extract fertilizers in their Organics Plus programs. The beet extracts are a by-product from the processing of sugar beets. Beet extracts are not registered as a weed control, but they can play an important role in managing weeds in a lawn.

The beet extracts stimulate robust growth in the lawn but they can also initially cause spotting or browning on the edges of the weeds and turf. The turf rapidly recovers from this spotting, but our studies have shown that several weeds recover slowly. We cannot make claims of weed control with this product because the product is not registered as a weed control with the government. The beet extracts are currently being used as organic based fertilizer, and when used in combination with aeration, overseeding, topdressing and proper mowing and watering, is an excellent way to naturally manage your lawn weeds.

We also use the beet extract as a spot treatment to weedy patches within a lawn, to stimulate robust turf growth in those areas.

Every year Nutri-Lawn tests new organic products, methods and ideas. Our program offerings will continue to evolve as these new products and ideas mature into viable options.

We strive to continue to be leaders in Ecology Friendly Lawncare.