Category Archives: Weeds

Bag! Lawns in Manitoba grow far too quickly to mulch effectively. Mulching too much grass too quickly can lead to a quick build-up of thatch that will in turn, make your lawn more susceptible to stress, disease, and insect infestations.

Absolutely. Weeds are opportunists. That is to say, that wherever a weak or thin spot in your lawn occurs, weeds will take advantage of that space to move in. The best defense is a good offence. Performing proper cultural practices will strengthen your lawn making it thicker and more resilient over time, effectively crowding weeds out. Water deeply (1/2”) and infrequently, but only water after 7-10 days without rain. Keep your lawn cut at 3-4”. 3” in spring, 4” in summer, then back to 3” in fall. Cutting height will have the biggest impact on the health and density of your lawn. Use compost instead of topsoil when top dressing or seeding. Compost does not contain weeds and comes loaded with microbes and nutrients that will feed the lawn for months and even years. Topsoil is loaded with weeds and has far less nutrient value. Seed as early in spring…

The dramatic increase in the cost of weed control has led to fewer homeowners maintaining their weeds. The City of Winnipeg has also dramatically scaled back their weed control program, resulting in an explosion of weeds throughout the city. While spot treatments may hold back the tide of weeds for the latter part of the summer when weeds growth is slower, spot treatments will not keep up with the sheer magnitude of the wave of weeds we now see each spring.

There are no known effective means of getting rid of quackgrass in a lawn. The problem lies in the fact that quackgrass is a grass plant species just like the Kentucky bluegrass that makes up most of your lawn. All species of grasses have common hormones and process their food almost identically. Therefore any type of herbicide or other chemical control will also kill the Kentucky bluegrass that you’re trying to keep. Digging up quackgrass might sound like an easy enough solution, but it’s actually the worst thing you can do. Quackgrass has incredibly extensive roots. Digging it up, you will never be able to get all of the roots out. In fact, the roots that are left in the soil will sprout new quackgrass plants in greater numbers than you had before. Unfortunately, all you can do to keep quackgrass in check is to keep your lawn mowed often….

Thistles are probably the most difficult weeds to control in Manitoba. The Canada thistle can grow to over 6 feet tall! Just imagine the root structure that supports something like that. That’s where your problem lies. Thistles reproduce in two ways; through seeds, and through rhizomes. Rhizomes are shallow roots that run close to the surface and eventually sprout new plants. Thus, where you find one thistle, you will likely find a whole family of them. They will spread into your lawn from a neighbour’s unkept flowerbeds as well. Unless the entire family of weeds is wiped out, they will continue to be a constant problem. Treating the few small thistles on your side of the fence will not solve your problem since you will only be poisoning a small segment of the cluster. You may weaken the root mass, but not enough to kill it. It will continue to…

Moss occurs in the lawn as a result of constant, excessive moisture and shade. Over time, the moss spreads and the lawn thins. To correct the problem you must change the conditions. Constant excessive moisture may be the result of poor drainage or too much shade. Correcting a drainage problem may be as easy as bringing in some topsoil. Correcting a shade problem may prove to be more difficult if the shade is being caused by a house or large trees. In any case, the first thing to try would be a shade tolerant grass cultivar. This is a type of grass seed specifically designed to grow in shady areas and is available from Brett Young Seeds which is located on the South Perimeter Highway.