By Nicole Wise on Apr 10, 2012 5:29:00 PM
The Science Behind Holganix
Entry nine: The Secret to a Weed Free Lawn
This year, homeowners and lawn care companies alike are going to be hit with a nasty surprise: weeds… and much more than usual. Mother nature has given us a mild winter and an early spring, which spells trouble. Temperatures weren’t able to kill off weeds from last year and with the early spring weeds have a head start on growth this year. All of this only makes weed control strategies more important than ever.
Perhaps the most popular form of herbicide for post emergent broad leaf control is Trimec. Other names for this herbicide include but are not limited too: Triplet, Three-Way, Threesome and Strike Three just to name a few. It’s a chemical that specifically targets dicotyledon or broad leaf plants, effectively killing weeds without destroying monocotyledon plants like grass. Traditionally, we lawn care guys have had to repeatedly use the herbicide to kill off tough weeds like violets, clover, ground ivy and wild strawberry. This spring, we are going to have an even tougher time controlling these tough weeds and other dicotyledon plants.
One thing that can help strengthen Trimec is utilizing a biological meta-catalyst, like Holganix, alongside the herbicide. Biological meta-catalysts help herbicides work more effectively at lower rates and in some cases can enhance the results. It also means saving money and reducing your environmental footprint by not incorporating more chemical than necessary.
The key to Holganix when it comes to herbicides is the effect it has on the plant stomata. Healthy plants, fostered with Holganix, along with good water management lead to open plant stomata. This is especially important since hard to control weeds like violets, ground ivy, clover and wild strawberry all have very tight stomata (one reason why they are so difficult to kill). By opening the plant stomata you can kill these tough weeds easier.
Holganix also has several natural defenses to fighting off broad leaf plants. For example, mycorrhizae (an ingredient in Holganix) improve root development in grass. The best defense against weeds is to have a thick, web like root system so there is no space for weeds to germinate. Holganix can help you achieve this goal.
For more information on how Holganix can help you foster healthy competitive plants, competing with weeds and help reduce your environmental footprint visit our website here. Stay tuned for our next article in the Holganix Blog or subscribe and we’ll send you updates automatically.