Weed pulling is oddly satisfying…at first. What is more rewarding than gently extricating the weed, lifting roots and all from the moist soil? Now, repeat 10,000 times. Pulling a lawn full of never ending weeds is a chore. 

Weed or plant?

In a newly landscaped lawn, every homeowner has played the game of “weed or plant?” It is easy to think of weeds as ugly sprouts in our lawn, though some aren’t ugly at all! 

No matter what weeds look like, they are robbing your lawn of nutrients and moisture. Weeds compete with your lawn for all of the “good stuff.”

Why you should NOT pull weeds

Pulling weeds doesn’t seem daunting when you just spot one. That first good pull leaves you with a big chunk of weeds, roots, soil. Now what? This is usually when you notice that there are approximately one zillion more weeds!

When you pull weeds, you usually end up spreading the seeds, creating more weeds. Some might compare weed pulling to sweeping up glitter. It never goes away. 

The slightest disturbance of a weed can cause thousands of seeds to fly all over your lawn. Whether that disturbance comes from the lawnmower, wind or even birds, seeds are being spread. Dormant weed seeds can even be awakened by digging in the ground while adding or removing new plant material. 

Treating weeds is best

Treat weeds BEFORE they grow and spread. Realistically, you are always going to be dealing with weeds. It’s just a matter of control. Reduce their growth. 

Using a lawn service like Lawn and Pest Solutions can end your weed control issues. A year-round program like Lawn360 will take care of existing weeds as well as those lurking just beneath the ground. 

Our lawn technicians apply pre-emergent and post-emergent to take care of weeds at every stage of development. 

Lawn and Pest Solutions is based in New Albany, MS. We serve neighborhoods and businesses in the Memphis, Tennessee area and all over North Mississippi. Google us to read our reviews!

Should I bag or mulch my lawn clippings? Does it matter? In order to have a weed free, beautiful dark green lawn you need to consider these three things:

1. Mowing

During this time of year (from May through August) you need to mow at least once a week. Sometimes you need to mow every five days. Grass is growing at a super fast rate right now! Mow your lawn with your blade set at the correct height for maximum effectiveness (Check previous blog for info on blade height). Proper mowing can make all the difference in the look of your lawn and set it apart from the rest. 

2. Bagging or mulching, which is better?

Bagging your lawn clippings is one option to consider. If you can’t commit to once a week (or more) mowing, bag it! If you leave clippings piled up on your lawn all summer during this rapid growing season, you will have weed problem in the form of thatch.

Bagging your clippings doesn’t mean putting them in big piles of garbage at the curb. We now know that the responsible way of disposing of clippings is to return them to compost. 

Mulching grass clippings means returning your clippings to the lawn. These mulched clippings provide great benefits to your lawn. The mulched clippings help retain moisture and nutrients. Deciding to mulch your clippings means that you have committed to the frequent mowing program!

3. Weed control

We can’t let this go without saying, weed control is important and the third element of this bagging or mulching issue. To have that beautiful, dark green lawn you must have a healthy lawn. Weed free lawns will continue to prosper. 

Let’s wrap this up.

Mulching is good for your lawn, but you need a good machine, set to the right blade height and you need to be mowing every 5-7 days. Bagging is not bad for your lawn, especially if you can’t commit to mowing frequently. Weed control is essential, you can’t allow thatch or any other weeds to overgrow your healthy lawn.

Bagging or mulching, whatever you decide, you can always contact our licensed lawn techs at Lawn and Pest Solutions for help. We help people from the Memphis, Tennessee area and all over North Mississippi with weed control. Our licensed professionals can help you nurture your lawn into the one you have been dreaming of. Contact our office here for more info today!