Weeds be gone: Tips on how to eliminate weeds in your Atlanta yard

Whacking more weeds than usual this year around your yard?

Well, there's a legitimate reason why: Atlanta is under weed and lawn disease attack, according to the experts at the National Association of Landscape Professionals.

In fact, Atlanta took the No. 1 spot in NALP’s ranking of “the worst cities for weed and lawn disease" in 2018. The landscape professionals looked at the potential conditions in cities across the country to predict which would be most susceptible to weeds and lawn disease.

“Dozens of species of weeds, including nimblewill and thistle, and a host of lawn diseases plaque this region, exacerbated by the typical hot and humid temperatures that make lawns in the Atlanta area especially prone to problems. With the National Weather Service forecasting the South to experience above average temperatures in the coming months, this region will be a hot bed for lawn threats,” officials said in a press release.

Atlanta joined the following U.S. cities in this bad-news lawn care list:

• Orlando, Florida;
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania;
• Detroit, Michigan;
• Cleveland, Ohio;
• Seattle, Washington;
• Minneapolis, Minnesota;
• Wichita, Kansas;
• Salt Lake City, Utah; and
• Boston, Massachusetts.

But just because Atlanta is in this unlucky list doesn't mean gardeners, landscapers and homeowners have to deal with the lawn symptoms.

"Healthy lawns are essential for families, communities and the environment," says Missy Henriksen, vice president of public affairs with NALP. "Weeds and diseases have the potential to destroy backyards, sports fields and much-enjoyed public spaces. Even if your region has been spared from what are anticipated to be the 'worst cities,' many other communities can expect significant problems, emphasizing the importance of vigilance for lawn care as the weather warms across the country."

Here’s what you need to know about lawn disease and weeds in Atlanta this summer:

What is lawn disease?

It's when grass becomes infected, leading to discolored or dead areas in your yard. Lawn disease spores do one of two things: hide in the soil or float in the air. And if conditions are right, the disease multiplies. This growth results in common side effects:

• Summer patch, which are irregular rings, crescents and brown patches on your lawn;
• Red thread, which are thin, red strands from grass blades that show up in nutrient-poor soils; and
• Rust diseases, which are jagged yellow or light green areas in the yard.

Tame wild weeds in your lawn by using pre-emergents.

Why are Atlanta yards getting weeds?

Combined with Atlanta’s average precipitation, the higher temperatures will create the perfect conditions for dollar spot — a common lawn disease in the South — to thrive. When soil is dry and the air is moist, dollar spots flourish by attacking the leaf blades and creating discolored, tan and brown patches that widen across the yard.

What to do to avoid weeds? Prevention is paramount; therefore, the following steps will help ward off weeds in the long run:

• Pull. Pull. And pull. You can't avoid putting some arm action into keeping weeds from sprouting up around your home. The best time to weed is always when the soil is damp. Avoid disturbing the soil by uprooting weeds lightly from the base or with a hand weeder.
• Mulch flower beds and gardens. A heavy layer of organic mulch is a natural solution that smothers weeds and helps keep the soil healthy and undisturbed.
• Spray pre-emergent herbicides. To prevent weeds from germinating, pre-emergents are some of the best answers to tackle Atlanta's wild plant problem. These herbicides stop weeds from sprouting when you apply them early — before weeds populate in your yard, not during.