The Ultimate Weed Control

The reason this week’s photo has nothing to do with gardens is because of a business trip that took me to Canada. While in Calgary, Alberta, I treated myself to an extra day for some outdoor stuff and decided to share this snapshot’s spectacular background. Calgary is an oil-rich Canadian frontier town that is experiencing an economic boom. Young and with lots of energy, it is the largest metropolitan area between Toronto and Vancouver; yet, this northern part of the Rockies is made up of spectacular massive mountains. Lake Louise, just outside of Banff, is a big draw to hikers, as is the Plain of the Six Glaciers, where hikers who make it to the Tea Houses at the very top can reward themselves with cups of the house teas. These areas are only bits of the breathtaking natural beauty to be found across our northern U.S. border.

Back here in Yavapai County many lawns are being replaced with granite. A rock yard eliminates that weekly maintenance behind the mower, but seasonal maintenance can’t be avoided altogether because there are two consequences that must be addressed when a lawn is taken out of the landscape: temperatures around a house rise and weeds increase dramatically.

The issues of increased heat and the subsequent higher cooling bills are easily managed with strategically placed trees and shrubs. Weeds, however, pose a different challenge because, if ignored, weeds will win. Already foxtails have emerged, done their damage and gone to seed. Similarly, horehound, dandelions, tumble weeds, and goat heads have emerged and begun their summer trek across our yards. The best defense is a strong offense and weed preventers are a great way to kill those seeds that otherwise would flourish into an unsightly crop of weeds.

Unlike glyphosates such as ‘Killzall’, ‘Roundup’ and ‘Weed-Free Zone’, weed preventers keep seeds from ever emerging. However, timing is everything when using weed preventers as they must be applied before the weeds start to grow. These products dramatically cut back on weeds without affecting the desired plants in a landscape.

There are a lot of weed preventers on the market today, several of which are soil killers and extremely dangerous to use anywhere close to established plant life. Because I like to keep gardening safe and easy my favorite is ‘Weed & Grass Stopper’ by Hi-Yield. This dry product is spread just like a dry plant food. The best time to apply it is just before a good storm; the ensuing rain will force the weed stopper deep into the soil.

The average yard will use about 2-3 bags of weed preventer, with each bag worth its weight in toil and sweat. Spend the energy and money now to prevent weeds and as the season progresses you’ll be able to sit back and relax while thinking to yourself “That Garden Guy’s advice was near to genius, and I was utterly brilliant to follow it!”

If your summer plants have not bloomed yet, their growth slow and colors pale, or you just want bigger shade trees and healthier natives, this is the time for a summer feeding. Apply plant food in the landscape within the next 2-3 weeks. I fertilized my own landscape just as this week’s rain hit; talk about perfect timing. Many ask, “What did you feed your landscape, Ken?”

I used the mountain garden food I created. It not only feeds plants, but also feeds the soil so plants look healthier and their roots grow to a deeper level. Appropriately named “Ken’s All Purpose Plant Food”, this all-natural food is perfect on anything in the yard including roses, flowers, container gardens, lawns, trees, and shrubs. Ken’s All Purpose is specific to our region, easy to use, difficult to make a mistake with, and a must for all our summer bloomers to look their best.

This spring has been so cool that summer bloomers are late to form flowers. By feeding them just as we head into the warmer days of summer, when temperatures begin to climb we will see them take off, their new growth heavy with blooms. I gave the plants at the garden center a shot of this all purpose food a few weeks ago; the results are nothing short of amazing! Crape Myrtle, Rose of Sharon, Knock out roses, Russian Sage, and all the other summer bloomers are now in full flower. What a glorious difference a little food makes.

One bit of advice when using fertilizer, whether synthetic or all natural: Don’t allow plant foods to rest on the foliage because the leaves can become spotted. Shake the leaves or hose off any excess that may settle on them. For lawns and flowers run the irrigation after applying their summer meal. When feeding agaves and yuccas do not let granular foods remain in the hearts of these plants as they can be seriously damaged.

The best placement of plant food is always at the outer edge of a plant’s drip line. If you’re not sure where to put your food imagine that you are a tree; then fully extend your arms and envision placing most of the plant food in the area from your elbow out to your fingertips. This comparable area under a plant is the location of most of the feeder roots, those fine root hairs able to pick up food and water. Roots directly under the trunk of a plant are simply there to hold up the plant and support it and are unable to absorb plant food. With properly placed and thoroughly watered-in plant food it won’t be long ‘til our gardens are filled with blossoms.

Until next week, I’ll see you at the garden center.