Question
I am starting my spring lawn.I have primarily bermuda grass,i keep it pretty short but my lawn is crawling with weeds that i feel are choking out the grass.what looks to be green grass when short is actually weeds when i let it grow out a bit.what is the best way to promote grass growth but at the same time kill the weeds organically.i would use chemicals as a last resort if need be but i here thats bad for the microbes in the soil.will spreading sugar on the lawn help feed the microbes and kill the weeds?i wouldnt mind scalping the lawn and then spraying something on the weeds (or whats left of them) and then reseeding a few weeks later as it is only early april.but what would be the most affective spray to use?please help!

Answer
Unfortunately, organic lawns have weeds. It's that simple. Sugar doesn't do anything but put more money into the pockets of the sugar makers. It's feed the microbes for a few seconds, but it won't have any effect whatsoever on weeds.

If the weeds truly are driving you nuts, then talk to the local garden center about what you can use on Bermuda to kill the weeds without killing the grass.

You are right that it is bad for the soil microbes, but it is your only option if you want to get rid of the weeds. If you only do it once a year though, the long term negative effects should be minimal.

Good luck!

-C.J. Brown
www.thelawncoach.com