Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2005

Nine steps to a weed-free backyard

Aaah, summer. The sun, the surf, the thousands of weeds invading our lawns and gardens like ants at a picnic. When the weather’s warm, weeds pop up so quickly, it’s almost as if they’re mocking us and our well-tended grass. But thanks to clever tips and innovative tools, we no longer have to settle for letting the ever-present little buggers overrun our backyards.

“When I was a kid, my parents used to pay me a penny a weed to pull weeds from our yard,” said Michael Miller, president of backyard tool company Hound Dog Products. “I’d get down in the dirt and use one of those old fashioned, long handled forks to pry them loose. Boy, did I hate that.”

Those hours spent digging in the yard eventually paid off. Miller went on to market the Weed Hound weeder, a long-handled tool designed much like a miniature tree spade. With six steel tines that go into the ground and grab the roots of the weed, lock on and then pull the weed out by its root, the Weed Hound can extract more than 100 weeds in just 15 minutes.

But having the right tool isn’t the only path to a weed-free yard. According to Miller, there are plenty of tips to make pulling weeds less of a backbreaking, sweat-inducing affair:

• It’s much easier to remove a weed when the soil is moist. Wait until after a light rain to minimize your effort.

• Once you pull a weed, don’t let it lay on the grass, or it may spread its seeds and sprout a whole new generation of weeds.

• Allowing your lawn to grow a little taller than usual helps crowd out weeds. Dandelions and other common broadleaf weeds can’t compete with vigorously growing grass plants.

• Keep in mind that many weeds grow when soil becomes compacted, such as on play areas or lawns with regular foot traffic.

• Weeds move in when grass is sparse. If shade prevents grass growth, consider laying shade-tolerant groundcovers instead, such as bark or gravel over landscaping fabric.

• When looking for a weed-pulling tool, prevent stress on your back by choosing one that doesn’t require bending or stooping.

• If you must use chemicals, be sure to follow all directions carefully. Overuse can be expensive, and misuse can do more harm than good.

• Adding two inches of peat moss to the top six inches of dirt in your garden makes pulling weeds easier because it loosens the soil.

• Try to avoid damaging the turf or leaving a large divot when removing weeds. If the removal of a large weed does leave a gap in the lawn, borrow a proven technique used by golf courses: Level the soil and sprinkle grass seed into the bare spot before another weed gets a chance to germinate.

For more backyard tips, visit www.hound-dog.com.