Your lawn has encountered a weed invasion but you already have a plan for that. Using or spraying weed killer over the infected areas in your lawn can mostly be effective.
However, your planning lacks a little bit of “what to do after spraying weed killer”, and that’s what this Lawn Advisors guide will provide you with.
We’ll explain in detail what to do after spraying weed killer, and then proceed to explain every step of the way.
Additionally, we’ll help you decide what to do with the dead weed afterward, and then send in some additional tips along the way.
But before you seek the answer to what to do after spraying weed killer, read our guides on how soon can you mow after spraying weed killer, and how soon after weed killer can I plant grass.
Can You Water After Spraying Weed Killer
We suggest waiting for a full day or even 30 hours before attempting to water your lawn after spraying weed killer.
Additionally, weed killers require some moisture on the lawn to work effectively, so make sure it’s moist enough before applying the weed killer to help activate its ingredients.
Some weed killers require you water the soil by a sprinkler or via natural watering sources within the first week of applying the weed killer, to ensure they work to their fullest potential.
What To Do After Spraying Weed Killer
Here’s a step by step on what to do after spraying weed killer:
1. Give the weed killer time to work
2. Pull the weeds up from the base
3. Dig out remaining roots if you notice any
4. Re-treat if necessary when you notice re-growth
1. Give the weed killer time to work
Weed killers need a couple of days before they’re fully absorbed by the weeds, therefore, don’t rush in on your lawn care methods and try to remove weeds as soon as you apply the weed killer.
Different types of weed killers require different types of care, but generally speaking, you’ll need to choose one that fits your lawn needs, in addition to checking in on other specific scenarios that may affect how long to wait after applying the weed killer.
For instance, the stronger the weed killer the faster it’ll be effective, if you’ve watered by mistake or it has rained once you applied it, the weed killer will become less effective, and so on.
Therefore, never forget to give weed killers time to work, as every type has specific instructions on what to do and how long to wait.
2. Pull the weeds up from the base
Once you’ve given the weed killer time to take effect, attend to the weeds by pulling them from the base to get rid of them for good.
Some ill-advised people attempt to pull up the weeds from the top, and that may split the weed in half, while most of its roots and stem are still in the lawn.
The best case scenario would be to reach down to the very bottom of the plant and pluck it out entirely.
Don’t forget to wear gloves in the process, spiky weeds may injure you while you remove them off the lawn.
3. Dig out remaining roots if you notice any
Sometimes you miss some roots here or there, and those roots can re-sprout next year if you leave them unattended.
Therefore, use a small hoe or a trowel, and dig up the soil as much as possible, and remove the roots you notice along the way.
This is mostly a preventive measure, to make sure your efforts in getting rid of them doesn’t go futile.
4. Re-treat if necessary when you notice re-growth
Working perfectly around weeds will not result in noticing any regrowth in the lawn. However, some areas may be left unchecked sometimes, therefore you should keep an eye out in your garden for any re-growth of the weeds.
Don’t hesitate to re-treat the areas that you spot once you encounter them, as getting to remove them early is a must before they re-invade the garden once more.
What To Do With Dead Weeds After Spraying
Once the weeds are dead, you have multiple ways to dispose of them, those ways include:
1. Putting the dead weeds in a bag and immediately putting them out in the trash, this method suits poisonous weeds more as you don’t want them anywhere near your lawn.
2. If burning grass is allowed in your area, collect the weeds and burn them in a bare spot inside your garden.
3. You can gather the dead weeds and bury them somewhere, as they’ll eventually decompose over time. Read through (2.) next section for further instructions.
Additional Tips on What To Do After Spraying Weed Killer
1. Careful when you pull up weeds by hand that you’re not spreading seeds of seed pods by accident.
2. If you decide to leave dead weeds to decompose, be careful that mature plants with seeds could create new weed problems, so if you’re unsure on how grown they are, don’t try to leave them to decompose at all.
3. If you notice that a single weed hasn’t been as effected as other weed types by the weed killer, you need to consider using a new weed killer that’s specifically used for this weed type.
Summary
You may wonder what course of action should be carried out after using weed killer, but after reading this guide, all your answers regarding what to do after spraying weed killer have been answered.
We even provided you with a set of additional tips that our experts gathered over the year, make sure to read through them and understand what cautions they provide upon using weed killers over your lawn.
