Midwestern Maintenance

            Comprised of 3,794,000 sq. miles, it is no wonder that our country is so diverse. Every region and major city is known for something. If you are like me, then any time you go on a trip, you are probably most concerned with what type of food is the area known for and where are the best restaurants in town that you can indulge in. Lucky for me, have lived in both Kansas City and Texas now, so I have had my fair share of delicious BBQ. The sauces in Kansas City are phenomenal, but if you are a beef brisket kind of a person, than you might just prefer Texas style BBQ instead. My point is this, because our country is so vastly different, habits and trends in one region may be completely different than another.    

            Let’s take lawn care for instance; do you know how many types of grass a typical American home’s yard could be made of? Across the country, there are at least a dozen common grass types. In general, they are divided into warm season and cool season grasses. Typically speaking, In the Midwest, you will have your cool season grasses which include: Kentucky bluegrass, Ryegrass, Bermuda, Fescue, Zoysia and so on. These types of grasses should be cared for differently than the St. Augustine grass that most folks have across the southern United States. Herbicides are just one of the many instances where what is used in the south can potentially be different than what you use in the north.

            A selective herbicide such as Clear Pasture is an excellent choice for broad leaf weeds in both warm and cool season grasses. If you live in the Midwest and are constantly battling with clover and dandelions, the active ingredient Triclopyr 4, which is in Clear Pasture, is an excellent candidate for eliminating those pesky weeds. But it will work great on almost every type of broad leaf weed you have including Poison Ivy or Poison Oak. You will want to be careful around shrubs or other plants you do not want to harm as Triclopyr 4 can be harmful to those plants.

            On the other side of the fence there are products like MSMA Target 6 Plus which should be used in consideration of the type of grass that is in your yard. MSMA is designed to work on grasses with thinner blades. Zoysia and Bermuda are two good examples. These two species of grass are much more common in the Midwest. MSMA Target 6 Plus may be a good option for you if your yard is comprised of a thin blade grass as it will not only target broad leaf weeds, but it will also eliminate pesky weed grasses such as Crabgrass, Johnsongrass or Nutsedge.

            Keeping your yard free of weeds can really have an impact on the look of your lawn. But since quite a bit of time and money is spent in maintaining a lawn, you will want to research and use products that are designed for your region. And when your Saturday household chores are through, always treat yourself to the local eatery that your town is known for.