Forsythia and Lawn Care

The forsythia are in bloom. You may wonder what the connection is with lawn care - If you want to try a natural weed control, the forsythia blooming signal that it is time to apply corn gluten meal as a pre-emergent control of crab grass and other annual weeds. In addition to being an organic herbicide, it also serves as a fertilizer by providing nitrogen to the lawn, so additional fertilizer in the spring is not necessary. Timing is critical as it only acts by preventing seeds from germinating and will do nothing to weeds that are already growing.  Follow the directions on the bag and don't skimp. It is important to provide adequate coverage.  Unfortunately, it is not inexpensive and can be costly if you have a large lawn. Although it won't get rid of all your weeds, we have found it to be effective especially if it is applied twice a year. Keep in mind, that you will not be able to overseed your lawn if corn gluten meal has been applied as it will also prevent the grass seed from germinating. Therefore, you may want to alternate applications by using corn gluten meal one year and applying compost and overseeding the next.